Billabong Alley Classic

Billabong Queensland Champion Circuit
Currumbin Alley, Queensland Australia
20 - 21 January 2007

Heatdraw & Results

Billabong Alley Classic Completed On The Gold Coast - Ziems Pockets Early Lead In QCC Race

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 January, 2007 : - - Currumbin surfing sensation Corey Ziems has bagged an early lead in the race for the 2007 Billabong Queensland Championship Circuit (QCC) title after taking out the Billabong Alley Classic today. In diminishing surf, local lad Ziems registered his first victory for the New Year, etching his name next to former Alley Champions and WCT ranked surfers; Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta) and Luke Munro (Currumbin).

Ziems, who lives across the road from the world-class point break, smashed the status quo throughout the tournament, setting a new performance bar for the state circuit. Making the most of his local knowledge, the talented natural footer defeated Sunshine Coast surfer Trevor Tripcony, Lennox Head ripper Stuart Kennedy and Gold Coast ripper Brendan Leckie (Palm Beach) in the 25-minute final.  

“ Its my favourite event to compete in,” explained Ziems. “Traveling the world for events really makes you appreciate what you have at home. It’s great to finally have a win at my home break.” 

Jumping out of the gates with solid 6.5 and 6 rides, Ziems fought of a continual charge by Tripcony to hold a slender lead coming into the business end of the final. 23-year-old Ziems stitched up the win with a superb 8.5 ride in dying seconds to hand Tripcony a runner-up placing. Capping off a great day, Ziems snapped up the Tooheys Extra Dry ‘Wave of the Weekend’ for the event’s highest individual wave score, a scintillating 9.55 in his quarterfinal.

Fresh from signing a sponsorship deal with an international surf wear company, Ziems is determined to succeed on the world tour and will focus his energies of qualifying through the World Qualifying Series (WQS) in ’07. Finishing third today was Lennox Head’s Stuart Kennedy. The rising junior series surfer utilised a procession of radical maneouvres to snare his maiden QCC finals berth.

Rounding out the final was local ripper Brendan Leckie who finished in fourth place. Gold Coast’s rising junior star Brent ‘Brenno’ Dorrington fell short in today’s event, enduring a wave less heat in the round of 64. 18-year-old Dorrington will compete in the richest-ever ASP Australasian Junior Series event on the Gold Coast starting at Burleigh Heads tomorrow morning.  

Similarly, veteran Mark Richardson had his campaign prematurely ended in today’s earlier rounds. Although disappointed with his lose, the former Alley champion appeared to be upbeat about the future of the timeless event.  “Its come along way since its inception,” he said. “Its been building momentum the last couple of years and its now a truly international event.”

The winner and runner up of the ’07 Billabong QCC series wins a wildcard into the Gold Coast World Championship Tour (WCT) trials event. What’s more, the winner of the Billabong QCC wins a wildcard into the Billabong Pro Tahiti Trials Event, plus return Airfares. The ’07 Billabong QCC, with $AU30, 000 on offer over six events is the richest domestic surfing circuits in not only Australia, but also the world!

Winners:

'07 Winner: Corey Ziems
’06 Winner: Dave Reardon-Smith
’05 Winner: Damon Harvey
’04 Winner: Adriano De Souza
’03 Winner: Luke Munro
’02 Winner: Joel Parkinson

Previous reports:
# 1 : Billabong Queensland Championship Circuit starts off
# 2 : Billabong Alley Classic gets underway on the Gold Coast 

www.surfingqueensland.com.au

More Australasian Surfing News available here
Check the latest Australasian Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! Get the latest news with Surfersvillage News-Alerts

Jake White

Contests - Surfersvillage