Silvana Lima : photo Jake White/Surfing Queensland (Click image to enlarge)
Billabong Girls Easter Surf Festival
Surfing Queensland Maroochydore QLD 15 - 18 April
Airini Mason Wins ASP Australasian Junior Series Billabong Girls Easter Surf Fest Finalised on the Sunshine Coast
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 April, 2006 : - - Gold Coast surfer Airini Mason (Tugun) has won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Australasian Junior Series following a second place finish at the Billabong Pro-Teen Series event on the Sunshine Coast today.
The Pro-Teen Series, run as part of the Billabong Girls Easter Surf Festival was won by Boomerang Beach surfer Jessica Hickson but Mason’s second spot secured the 2006 series title, with still one event remaining at Bells Beach in October. In a low scoring final, Hickson’s two wave total of 9.25 out of a possible 20 was enough to secure the win over Mason’s 7.20.
16-year-old Mason took out the series convincingly after an outstanding start to 2006 which saw her claim victory in the first two junior events of the year in Victoria before securing her third win on the Gold Coast in February. A runner up finish at the Billabong Pro-Teen in New Zealand followed by her second place today was enough to easily outpoint Bronte’s Nicola Atherton, her only serious challenger.
In winning the ASP Australasian Title, Mason became the first Kiwi girl and second Kiwi surfer to ever do so after Maz Quinn (Gisborn) won the junior men’s series in 1996. “I’m really stoked about it, this was my big goal and I got it,” said Mason. “It’s cool to be the first Kiwi girl to do it, a big relief in a way as well.”
“Now for the last comp I can go it in it relaxed because I have already won the title,” said Mason. “It’s taken a lot of pressure off me and I’m happy with the result here on the Sunshine Coast.” “At the start of the year I just wanted to make the top five but after my two first wins I started changing my goals and decided I wanted to win the title.”
The Australasian Series has been won by the biggest names in Australian female surfing including 2005 Women’s World Champion Chelsea Georgeson, who won back to back titles in 2000 and 2001. Current World Championship Tour (WCT) surfers Rebecca Woods (Copacabana) and Clair Bevilacqua (City Beach) have also won the coveted title.
“It’s definitely boosted my confidence towards trying to qualify for the WCT,” said Mason. “Those girls have won the junior series, now they are on the ‘CT, so it puts everything in perspective.” Mason’s series win also secured her a guaranteed position as one of the two Australian female surfers eligible to surf in the 2006 ASP World Junior Championships at Narrabeen next January.
All divisions of the Billabong Girls Easter Surfest finalised today at Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast in clean 2-3ft right-handers.
WCT rookie Silvana Lima (BRZ) dominated the 1 Star Rated World Qualifying Series (WQS) final over 2005 runner up Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa), 1993 World Champion Pauline Menczer (Ocean Shores) and newly crowned junior champ Mason.
The 21-year-old represents the new school of women’s professional surfing and notched up an 8.00 and an 8.75 on her way to victory in the final, surfing with a progressive forehand style and radical approach.
Lima’s two wave scoring total of 16.75 was enough to secure the win over Fitzgibbons by just over one point.
In one of the most exiting exchanges of the event, all surfers notched up high scoring 7.0 and 8.0 rides, with 15-year-old Fitzgibbons finishing runner up for the second year running, Menczer securing third and Mason finishing in fourth.
South Coast surfing sisters Tyler and Kirby Wright (Culburra) both walked away with wins in the under 14 and under 16 divisions respectively while Sunshine Coast surfer Dimity Stoyle won the under 18 division.
Southport surfer Mandy Roberts secured victory in both the Seniors (Over 28) and Masters (Over 35) divisions while Emma Wilson (Torquay) took out the 5 Star Rated Australian Longboard Circuit (ALC) event.
The Billabong Girls Easter Surf Festival is supported by Vodafone, Sea FM, Surfing Australasia and Surfing Queensland.
Results:
Under 14 Girls: 1st Tyler Wright, 2nd Sarah Mason, 3rd Georgia Fish, 4th India Payne.
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