Billabong Pro-Teen 2006

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

www.billabong.com.au

Top Seeds Tumble As Upsets Become The Order Of The Day

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 9 February, 2006 : - - Billabong Pro-Teen series top seeded surfer Matt Wilkinson (Copacabana) was handed his worst competition result for 2006 at Burleigh Heads, QLD, today, after narrowly losing to 16-year-old hot shot Owen Wright and the relatively unknown Philippe Glazer (Manly) in winding 1m surf.

In what proved to be the toughest heat of competition so far, Wilkinson was on the back foot early, as Glazer locked in the highest heat score of the event to date, a 9.43, for a series of strong frontside hacks and long lip line floating manoeuvres.

Sitting in second position behind Glazer in the dying moments and forced into a paddling duel with Wright which took both surfers a long way up the Burleigh Point, Wilkinson was caught out of position and let Wright take a small wave with only seconds remaining.

“I fell off on a few, I was surfing soft and safe, I just got burnt,” said Wilkinson. “I usually like surfing against him (Wright) because he is so tough but I let him get that last one. I tried to paddle him up the point but he was just too quick.”

Holding third, Wright went to town on the small winding right hander as the timer wound down, scoring an 8.17 to sit comfortably alongside his standing 8.77 and move him into first position. In the end, Wilkinson was relegated to third with Glazer sneaking into second.

“I just knocked my best mate out,” said Wright. “They judges gave out a nine and that made it tough for all of us out there. I actually thought Wilko went into the lead on his third wave, he got a sick one straight past us.”

“I would have gone any wave I could, he paddled me way up the point and luckily that eight was the only one that came through. I’m stoked to get to the fourth round.”

Glazer’s, high scoring 9.43 ride and emphatic heat progression was a strong result for the Brazilian born surfer who has been living in Manly for two years and is now an Australian resident. Working in a local coffee shop to help fund his aspirations of success as a professional junior surfer, Glazer originally lived on the Gold Coast after moving from Florianopolis in Brazil’s south.

“I have been making coffee’s and surfing, but now I saw these comps here and I wanted to come and try, it’s going great,” said Glazer in broken English. “First I lived on the Gold Coast for 10 months but the money was not enough. In Sydney, the money is much better for working.”

Defeating the events top seed and earning a spot in the fourth round will do wonders for the 19-year-old’s position on the ASP Junior ratings, sitting in 188th prior to this weeks Billabong Pro-Teen at Burleigh.

“I was lucky, I was just waiting for the wave and it came, stoked,” said Glazer. “The other guy won, which was good, it’s a good level at the contest and it helps you surf better everyday.” Wright and Glazer will surf in the fourth round of competition tomorrow with the event to be finalised on Sunday.

Gold Coast wildcard Chris Bennetts led the way to another upset over ASP Australasian 5th rated surfer Wade Goodall (Caloundra) in the third round today. Bennetts, who scored an 8.77 for a blazing performance on a wide set off the Burleigh inside section lacked a significant second score but it was enough to see him progress on a combined total of 11.60 ahead of South African surfer Josh Schmeltzer.

“It’s good to beat one of my main Billabong team riders Wade, I wish he got through with me but that’s just what happens,” said Bennetts. “I struggled on my first couple but then that bomb came, I was stoked with that. Everyone in the fourth round rips so every heat is going to be hard.

“I just want to go better than I did in the Brothers Neilson pro junior and make it through to the round of 24.”

Alexandra Headlands Blake Wilson made up for the exit of fellow Sunshine Coaster Goodall by convincingly defeating Dale Lovelock (Warana), Tim Stevenson (Jan Juc) and Lawson Hayles (Currumbin) in the following heat. Opting to hang wide of the popular take off spot, Wilson’s gamble paid off, picking off two wide sets for a pair of six point rides and an overall heat tally of 12.84.

“It was really fast of the end, and I decided to sit further down because there were a couple of runners but up the top it was just closing out,” said Wilson. “I got a couple of good ones early. I didn’t come down to the Goldy until Monday and I knew the contest started on Tuesday so I have been waiting around to surf this heat, I have been frothing out.”

South Coast surfer Parish Byrne also won through to the fourth round today with a strong win over Drew McPherson (Nords Wharf), Damien Chaudoy (Reunion Island) and Stephen Walsh (Lennox Head).

The first round of the Billabong Pro-Teen Girls division also hit the water with Daisy Thomas (Christchurch), Eliza Roberts (Palm Beach), Grace Bell (Old Bar), Pauline Ado (France), Lori Kelly (Moffat Beach) and Natalie Briggs (Suffolk Park) all progressing with comfortable heat wins.

Thomas, along with Mullaway’s Angela Keighran will now face event favourite and ASP Australasian ratings leader Airini Mason (Tugun) and South Coast NSW surfer Ashleigh Cheadle (Culburra) in round two which is scheduled to run tomorrow.

The Billabong Pro-Teen Burleigh Heads is the first of the five event Pro-Teen Series which comprises the ASP Australasian Junior Circuit and offers the series winner a prestigious wildcard slot into the trials of the Billabong Pro World Championship Tour event in Tahiti. (May 4th-16th) The Pro-Teen series also offers 60,000 dollars in prize money and is effectively the back bone of the Australasian Junior Surfing Circuit.

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 : Billabong Pro-Teen 2006 kicks off at Burleigh Heads
# 3 : Billabong Pro-Teen / Sth Africans fire up at the Point
# 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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