Presented by Ocean & Earth Byron Bay NSW 14 - 16 April 2006
HIGH SCORES FROM AUSTRALIA’S BEST SURFERS
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 16 April, 2006 : - - Yerin Brown took the win and local grommets were in great form for the final day of the Ben King Memorial Classic. In the 31st year of the Byron Bay Easter Classic the event was renamed after the sudden passing of Byron Bay Boardriders President and local legend Ben King. Competitors put on a magnificent display for spectators in 1 to 2 metre beach breaks at Broken Head south of Byron Bay, with the finals of all divisions completed today.
Brown dominated the 20 minute final, leading from start to finish, his first wave an 8.77, his second an 8.00 to leave the other finalists chasing his score for the rest of the final. Brown surfed fast and loose in the sometimes bumpy conditions, his vertical and sometime sliding attack rewarded by the judges. Local 17 year old grommet Ellis Ericson scored 2nd place, upsetting some top Open surfers on the way to the final, and although he did not make the junior final his performance in the Open final was one of a much more experienced surfer. Gold Coast surfers Damon Harvey and Dane Hamilton placed 2nd and 3rd, not able to find the waves the local lads were dominating on their home turf.
Brown and Hamilton eliminated former WCT surfer Luke Hitchings in the semi-finals, but Hitchings still picked up the award for best manoeuvre and highest scoring wave for his effort in the quarter-finals, Yerin Brown also picked up the best tube award.
Point Lookout surfer Lincoln Taylor grabbed a win in the Junior Men division, his first wave putting him in sight of a win, but he did not find a second solid wave to seal the final until the later part of the heat. Kingscliff surfer Cameron Gleave took second place and the award for best air.
In the Cadets the Byron Boys took control, Garrett Parkes winning in dominant fashion scoring 18.04 out of a possible 20 points, his good mate and son of Ben King, Kurt, grabbed 2nd place. Parkes also place 3rd in the Junior division taking on the older surfers with ease.
In all nine divisions were surfed from the fleas (Under 12) to Legends (Over 50’s), Byron local and good friend of Ben King, Neil “Freddo” Cameron won the Legends and placed fourth in the Masters to have a great event, the older “Energizer Bunny” surfing many heats on his way to the two finals.
The beach observed a 2 minute silence in respect for King just before the Open final, and after such a brilliant event it is sure to continue for many years.
Results Ben King Memorial Classic
Open Men 1st Yerin Brown Byron Bay 16.77 2nd Ellis Ericson Byron Bay 14.20 3rd Damon Harvey Coolangatta 13.00 4th Dane Hamilton Currumbin 11.27
Junior Men 1st Lincoln Taylor North Stradbroke Island 16.00 2nd Cameron Gleave Kingscliff 12.30 3rd Garrett Parkes Byron Bay 12.03 4th Madison Williams Coffs Harbour 11.50
Legends 1st Neil Cameron Byron Bay 12.84 2nd Mick Birch Byron Bay 12.67 3rd Chris Bourke Byron Bay 8.34 4th James Dodds Byron Bay 6.83
Senior Men’s (Over 28 Years) 1st Matt Hurworth Cabarita 14.90 2nd Dean Hall Miami 12.77 3rd Ant Mikkelides Byron Bay 11.40 4th Michael Norman Casuarina 11.40
Masters (Over 40 years) 1st Max Perot Lennox Head 16.70 2nd Mick Savage Byron Bay 15.50 3rd Mark Traucneiks Palm Beach 13.04 4th Neil Cameron Byron Bay 11.00
Cadets (Under 16 years) 1st Garrett Parkes Byron Bay 18.04 2nd Kurt King Byron Bay 13.93 3rd Thomas Woods Burleigh Heads 10.93 4th James Woods Burleigh Heads 8.50
Fleas (Under 12 years) 1st Sol Bailey Byron Bay 15.50 2nd Angus Steeles Lennox Head 10.33 3rd Dylan Hunt 9.50 4th Jonah Lloyd 4.83
Open Women 1st Carly Smith Byron Bay 14.66 2nd Jenny Boggis Byron Bay 10.70 3rd Lisa Blackmore Mermaid Beach 10.06 4th Charni Deane Minni Waters 7.30
Junior Women 1st Aurora Ericson Byron Bay 12.8 2nd Bridey McNeven Tugun 10.46 3rd Lyla Wright Lennox Head 8.23 4th Isabella Spingis Lennox Head 4.60
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