Billabong Pro-Teen 2006

ASP Australasia Pro Junior
Burleigh Heads, QLD
7 - 12 February 2006

Billabong Pro-Teen Kicks Off at Burleigh Heads - Kiwi duo dominate Australian Junior Series

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 February, 2006 : - - Although we would love to claim her as an Aussie, 15-year-old surf star and current ASP Australasian junior series leader Airini Mason (Tugun) is a Kiwi.  Despite having lived on the Gold Coast for over a year, a move she made with her entire family to further her and her younger sisters surfing careers, Mason is clinging tightly to her Kiwi heritage. 

For the first time in Australian surfing history a pair of Kiwi’s currently hold the top spot and second on the Australasian junior ratings.  Mason along with fellow New Zealander Micha Davis (Oratia) will be looking to cement those positions this week at the Billabong Pro-Teen series which kicked off in near perfect 1m waves at Burleigh Heads Queensland today. 

“I think it’s pretty cool that the Kiwi’s are over the top of the Aussies at the moment,” said Mason.  “Even though I live in Australia I am still a Kiwi, I will always be a Kiwi.” Having been dominated by the likes of Rebecca Woods, Chelsea Georgeson, Stephanie Gilmore, Jessi Miley-Dyer and Nicola Atherton over the past three years, 2006 has seen a surfing shifting of dominance as Mason sits comfortably 1490 rating points ahead of the nearest Aussie, Bronte’s Nicola Atherton. 

 “I just want to keep getting results, surfing as well as I can and hopefully score a couple more firsts,” said Mason.  “Nicola Atherton will be after a title this year so she will be really tough to come across in any event but one of my goals was to try to win the series and be the first surfer from New Zealand to do it.” 

Atherton (Bronte), who finished runner up to Jessi Miley-Dyer at the Billabong World Junior Championships in January has had mixed results on the junior series so far this year.  Uncharacteristically eliminated in the fourth round of the Jetty Surf at Bells before bouncing back to finish second behind Mason at the junior event at Gunnamatta, Atherton is supremely confident of return to top form at Burleigh. 

“I’m hoping that this is my year,” said Atherton.  “Sometimes things just have to fall into place and go your way and you can’t really push it too hard.  I think in the last couple of events I have tried to push it, not let things happen and there has been things that you can’t control.” 

“I’m really exited to just get a few heats under my belt and just start surfing like I know I can,” said Atherton.  “Personally, I like surfing Burleigh more than snapper so if the event goes there I will be very exited.  But at the same time Airini has been so dominate in the last few events and she lives up here and knows how to surf the points so she will definitely be dangerous.” 

Australia’s top girls dominated the surfing world in 2005, with Georgeson and Miley-Dyer securing elite world championships.  With Miley-Dyer and the super talent of Stephanie Gilmore departing the junior ranks to follow the professional tours, Atherton isn’t surprised that two Kiwi girls have stepped up to fill their shoes. 

“You can never really rest on the fact that you are Australian and that the Australians are the top of the game, there are a lot of surfers out there just as good and just as hungry as everyone else.” “We may have got rid of Steph (Gilmore) and Jessi in the juniors this year but there are always going to be surfers who replace the top girls.” 

The girls are expected to commence competition later this week. A clear standout in the opening stanza of junior men’s competition today was Byron Bay youngster Garrett Parkes, who was convincingly victorious in his round one heat, progressing ahead of Cabarita’s Chris Wilson on a two wave total of 12.60. 

Parkes will face a duo of international surfers in tomorrow’s second round, set to meet Damien Chaudoy (Reunion Island) and David Richards. Other surfers to progress through to tomorrows second round with standout performances include Sunshine Coast surfer Thomas Stubbs (Buderim), Jamie Skillin (NSW), Bobby Frith (Old Bar), Josh Bull (Bonny Hills) and Jack Bestall (Trigg,WA). 

All swell reports indicate a large boost in size overnight, with epic conditions expected at Burleigh Heads tomorrow. The Billabong Pro-Teen Series for 2006 is supported by Panasonic, Vodafone, Coca-Cola, UV Triplegard, Clearasil, Kustom, Von Zipper, Tracks and Palmers Surf. 

Previous reports:
# 1 : Billabong Pro-Teen Gold Coast gears up for Tuesday
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

Billabong Pro Teen Series Dates and Locations

Feb 7-12                 Billabong Pro-Teen Series Gold Coast
Feb 15-19               Billabong Pro-Teen Series Wollongong
Mar 16-19               Billabong Pro-Teen Series Raglan NZ
Mar 29-Apr 2          Wild Surf Co/Billabong Pro-Teen Series Newcastle
Sep 27-Oct 1          Billabong Pro-teen Bells Beach

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