Drew Wright : photo courtesy Surfing Queensland

Brothers Neilsen Pro Junior
Presented by Globe

ASP Australasia
Gold Coast, Queensland
23 - 29 January 2006

Live Scores/Results

Aussie Surfers Gain Upper Hand Over The International Contingent

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 25 January, 2006 : - - Round two and day two of the “Brothers Neilsen Pro Junior” presented by Globe, saw the introduction of the first group of seeded surfers hitting the water and finally getting their chance to fend off the foreigners, after seeing a strong mix of over seas surfers, made up from the USA, France, Reunion Island, Portugal, Japan, Tahiti, Great Britain and South Africa, demolish the lineup of local and interstate juniors in round one.

First heat had both seeded New South Welsh men, Dean White and Owen Wright, take control early, with some very impressive surfing on a smaller, but still very pleasant morning at Buleigh point, with ¾ long clean lines peeling onto the point and only the breath of a warm off shore keeping things glassy.

White took out the heat, while Wright secured second and in doing so claimed the first foreign scalp of the day with South African surfer Shaun Joubert bowing out of this years event in third.

Heat two had yesterdays star performer and highest wave and individual heat leader, Taumata Puhetini of Tahiti, digging deep to fend off an inform Brett Burcher, another NSW seeded surfer setting a cracking pace. Burcher surfed fast and furious to take out the heat, while Puhetini placed second to also advanced through to third round.

Adam Bennetts found himself surrounded by a full international entourage in his match up in heat 5, eyeing off surfers from Japan, France and Hawaii as they scrambled across the rocks, making their way out to the line up knowing he would have to rely on his local knowledge to get him through.

Bennetts struggled to fine form in the first part of the heat dealing with the softening conditions, only able to lock in scores around the low 2’s and 3’s, while on the other hand fellow seeded surfer Tatsuya Fukugawa (Japan) busted out of the gates firing when he hooked into a set wave, tearing it to pieces and earning himself a 7.17 to kick his campaign off with.

French surfer Pierre Laborde surfed well putting the pressure on Bennetts to perform when he was held back in third at he half way point of the heat. Bennetts Aussie determination prevailed with a fight back in the last ten minutes seeing him bag a 4.33 and then a 6.0 pt. ride on his last wave, leap frogging into second in the dying minutes of the heat.

With the tide pushing in and the swell becoming more inconsistent, the heat scores were starting to get close, with a number of paddle battles taking place as competitors nudged each other up and down the point, scrambled for position for when the next crucial set would be delivered.

Just like his older brother, Chris Bennetts found himself flying the flag in an otherwise all-international heat. Pitted against surfers from Reunion Island, Portugal and South Africa Chris had to draw from the inspiration from Adam’s earlier heat. Bennetts fumbled on his first set wave, which would have been a good scoring ride. He then quickly hooked into another good wave earning a mid size score barely holding second over Portugals Nicholas Von Rupp, while Reunion Island’s Damien Choudoy was looking like a runaway winner.

Again surfers started struggling to find the heat winning waves with Bennetts and Von Rupp paddled each other right up the headland and off the main takeoff point. Almost on the buzzer Bennetts luck kicked in, picking off a good set wave and surfing it fast down the line with a few tail slide top turns thrown in. It was enough the take equal first along with Choudoy (Reu), both advance through to round three.

With all competitors focusing on getting through this crucial round, no one was willing to bust out the big airs and put it all on the line for the daily $500 “futuristic move” award. The only contenders who looked at getting close was the RAAF with a super low super, sonic fly by in an F111 banking a massive turn around the headland.

The $500 dollars now goes into round three where it well jackpot to $1,000, no doubt raising the interest of a few of the newcomers with the introduction of the top seeded surfers joining the troupes, getting their chance to hit the waves with a new swell looking set to kick into action from Wednesday on.

Round two was called off half way though today, with the onset of the afternoon northerly onshore winds crumbling the swell to an uncontestable mess, allowing organizers to draw on the two day lay day period introduced for the first time this year, designed to give competitors the best possible conditions to perform in.

The “Brothers Neilsen Pro Jnr” is a mobile event. Based at Burleigh but with the option of chasing the best waves on the day giving the amped junior field a chance to unleash their furious fast paced surfing action in a quest to make their mark on the world professional junior surfing scene. This year’s event will see a daily bonus cash prize of $500 up for grabs for the most innovative move busted out during a heat. This new daily prize is desigened to push competitors to new heights and nudging the standard of junior surfing to new levels.

That’s an additional $500 on offer, on each day of competition.

A new service this year, includes daily live link ups to the action with anyone able to log onto www.surfingaustralia.com.au to check out the surfing live with up to the minute scores posted on your screen. Viewers will also have the opportunity to send messages to their favorite surfers, which will be read out over the PA by the commentators, passing on your support and comments. Give it a go!

Daily Updates of the events location and daily results will be heard on 90.9 Sea- FM.

Past winners include TJ Barron, Taj Burrow, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson and Luke Munro.”

Previous reports:
# 1 : Top int'l competitors head to Brothers Neilsen Pro Jnr. 
# 2 : Int'l surfers dominate Brother Neilsen Pro Junior day 1
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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For further information please contact:
ASP Australasia
ph: 02 6674 9888

Glen Rawlings 
glenraw@optusnet.com.au

Surfing Queensland
ph: 07 5520 1165
email: scott@surfingqueensland.com.au

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