Ben Dunn : photo courtesy Surfing Queensland

Brothers Neilsen Pro Junior
Presented by Globe

ASP Australasia
Gold Coast, Queensland
23 - 29 January 2006

Final Heatdraw & Results 

Ben Dunn takes out another major junior event

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 January, 2006 : - - From the first heats of the day it was obvious, this was going to one of those rare epic days of surfing with the waves turning it on at Burleigh heads and the standard of the remaining 12 junior surfers absolutely mind blowing.

Star performer of the week, Julian Wilson (Coolum) continued his brilliant run of sizzling surfing action. Opening up his first heat with an impossibly deep tube ride, threading the famous Burleigh barrel as if was born to be there, earning a 9.70 out of a possible 10 showing he had his sights set firm on a final berth.

The very next heat saw the Passion Pop king, Wade Goodall (Shunshine Beach) blow up on a set wave, winding up down the line, boosting a massive air reverse 360, blowing the crowds out on the headland and putting himself down for the $500 most innovative move award for the day.

With the swell building, the surfing and scores started to hit new heights with 9’s the norm as surfers started to push their performances to the limit, raising the bar of junior surfing as competition heated up at the business end of the event.

Quarter finals showcased the future of world surfing champions with no doubt having a number of WQS and WCT surfers looking over their shoulders at these new names in the professional arena.

Once again Julian Wilson busted out of the gates in blazing form, surfing fast and loose down the line with his trade mark tail slide top turns kicking into overdrive, locking in a 9.10 and 8.77 to defeat former Burleigh grommet and now fellow Sunshine Coast training partner, Noah Lane. Wilson first to secure a semi final slot.

Wade Goodall, building momentum in each heat, eliminated Palm Beach’s Reuben Levitt on his way to the semi’s, while Beau Atchison locked in a 17.84 heat score out of a possible 20 to advance to semi number two over James Wood and in quarter final number four spectators witnessed a head banger of a heat as 2005 ASP Australasian junior champion Ben Dunn went berserk clocking up a 9.70 and a 8.00 to take out an in form Matt Wilkinson who wash fresh beack from Victoria last week with a win at the Junior event in Gunnamatta.

Julian Wilson : photo courtesy Surfing Queensland

Semi one saw a clash of the high flyers in one of the most exciting match up’s of the day with Julian Wilson and Wade Goodall going at it, hammer and tong, pushing tails to the air and launching competitive surfing into a new era.

Goodall didn’t disappoint jagging some solid sets down on the wide inside bank, absolutely cracking the big turns with judges tweaking their necks to look over the back of the swell as he surfed the waves off the point and up the beach occasionally popping up behind the roof line as he busted the big airs.

Wilson failed to find the form that impressed many all week bowing out uncharacteristically without locking in his usual high 9’s. With the south easterly wind kicking into action the swell continued to build giving the event the best waves of the week.

Semi final number two saw the last two New South Welshmen, Ben Dunn of Old Bar and Beau Atchison from Copacobana, fight it out for a for a finals berth with both competitors opening with strong rides Atchison locking in an 8.83 but couldn’t back it up, while Dunn the consummate professional saw his chance and clinch the heat with an 8.60 and a 6.83. Enough for a pass into yet anther final in a major junior event.

The stage was set for a “State of origin” of surfing with Goodall flying the flag for the Queensland maroon’s and Dunn the NSW Blue’s.

The finals kicked off with Dunn striking the first blow on a solid set wave, weaving his magic with some powerful carving turns down the line racking up a 7.00 ride only to slip back to the line up in time for another set and in an almost carbine copy rerun of the wave before, carved the Burleigh wall, this time picking up a 7.67 to take the lead.

Goodall not to be outdone, picked a good set wave, throwing in his own style of aerial assault surfing, matching Dunn’s score of 7.67. Immediately backing that up by hooking into a low tide, five foot, sand grinder, flowing straight into a roof line floater then launching himself into a carving critical 360, continuing then down the line with a number of quick cracks off the top, earning a 7.70 and in doing so taking him to the lead.

Dunn’s strong competitive streak shone through, with a furious fight back in the dying minutes of the final when he hooked into the set of the day, going at it like a man possessed with combination, tearing top turns and hacking cutbacks that earned him a timely 9.5 to regain the lead right on the buzzer, walking away with yet another pro junior trophy for the mantle piece and further etching his name into Australian junior surfing history.

Dunn confessed “I thought Wade had me when he took the lead, he’s capable of pulling the big moves in tight situations like this. Even when I picked off my best ride at the end leaving Wade chasing a 9.48, I knew he could still get me; he’s well and truly capable of getting the big scores”.

I was nervous at the end but stoked when the hooter finally went. A relieved Dunn said.

Results:

1st Ben Dunn (Old Bar – NSW) $2,800 2,000 pts.
2nd Wade Goodall (Sunshine Beach – Qld) $1,400 1,720 pts.
= 3rd Julian Wilson (Sunshine Beach - Qld) $900 1,460 pts.
= 3rd Ben Atchison (Copacobana - NSW) $900 1,460 pts.

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

This years event saw daily live link up to the action with anyone able to log onto www.surfingaustralia.com.au to check out the surfing and to send messages to their favorite surfers which will then be read out over the PA by the commentators. Give it a go!

Ratings after Brothers Neilsen Pro Junior


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 : Aussies gain upper hand at Brother Neilsen Pro Junior 
# 4 : Julian Wilson the standout at Brother Neilsen Pro Junior 
# 5 : Dramatic action at Brothers Neilsen Pro Junior Day 4..

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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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