Billabong Pro Junior - Coffs Harbour

ASP Grade 1 Mens and Womens Pro Junior
Macauleys Headland, Coffs Harbour NSW Australia
14 - 18 February 2007

Airini Mason Wins Billabong Pro Junior Series Coffs Harbour

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 17 February, 2007 : - - KIWI surfing import Airini Mason (Tugun, QLD) has won the Billabong Pro Junior Series event on the NSW Mid North Coast. The defending 2006 ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) Australasian series champion secured her first elite junior title win in over 12 months, defeating French surfer Alize Arnaud in the final.

Mason, 16, dominated the 25-minute decider, making the most of the clean 1m conditions to score a 5.50 early in the match and take the lead.  A 6.65 two waves later secured the lead for the smart surfing teen who then used priority to hold her opponent off for the last five minutes. French natural footer Arnaud struggled to find a decent scoring ride for much of the encounter, her two top rides of a 5.15 and a 4.50 not enough to see her steal victory.

“I’m just so stoked with this win, it’s been a while and I have just wanted it so much,” said Mason.  “This is a huge shot of confidence for me because all the other girls are just so good at the moment, the international girls are ripping and the level has just been boosted sky high in the last year.” Mason defeated event favourite and ASP ratings leader Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa) in the semi final after a crucial mistake saw Fitzgibbons rack up an interference.

Only being judged on one scoring wave, Fitzgibbons still notched up an 8.50 single ride but made it too easy for Mason who only needed two mid range 5.00 scores to take out the penultimate final.   “It wasn’t an easy road to take to the final but I’m just happy that I got there,” said Mason.  “In my semi final Sally got two eights and if she hadn’t have got that interference I would have been combo’d and never would have won.”

Airini Mason : photo Surfing Australia

 “After surfing the semi I was out of sync and didn’t do too good,” said Mason.  “In the final I just tried to surf a smart heat and wait for the good waves.” The win saw Mason fly back into second place on the ratings with Fitzgibbons retaining the top spot.  Back to back ASP series titles are now not out of the question for Mason, who is on track after a poor start to the 2007 competitive year.  

“I needed that win to get me back up there on the ratings, it is going to be interesting now. I definitely want to defend that ASP title, I don’t want to be second place, I just want to be first for the rest of the year.” Finishing equal third in the Billabong Pro Junior Girls division was Fitzgibbons and Sunshine Coast surfer Rebecca Oakley.

The Billabong Pro Junior Series Boy’s division will finalise at Coffs Harbour tomorrow with the final scheduled for 11am NSW time. Big casualties in round four today included ASP Series leader Jayke Sharpe (Coffs Harbour), Laurie Towner (Angourie) and Coolangatta power surfer Nick Vasicek. Leading the way into the round of 24 this afternoon was South Coast surfer Owen Wright and West Australian Jay Davies (Yallingup).

Other surfers still in the hunt include Heath Joske (Nambucca), Maddison Williams (Coffs Harbour), Mitchell Coleborn (Maroochydore), Beau Atchison (Copacabana) and Matt Wilkinson (Copacabana).  The Billabong Pro Junior Series is supported by Vodafone, Panasonic, UV Triplegard, Clearasil, Von Zipper, Kustom, Surfing NSW and the Coffs Harbour City Council.  

About The Billabong Pro Junior Series
Developed in the early 1990’s as a platform for young surfers aiming to become professionals, the $75,000 Billabong Pro Junior Series is the country’s longest standing and richest domestic junior surfing circuit.  The five event series, open to aspiring male and female surfers aged 20-years and under, will comprise half of the overall ASP Australasian circuit, which culminates in the crowning of the ASP World Junior Champion at North Narrabeen each year.  

For the first time in its history, the Billabong Pro Junior Series will this year stop at the new locations of Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast and Coffs Harbour on the NSW Mid North Coast.  

2007 Billabong Junior Series
$13,000 Billabong Pro Junior Sunshine Coast, February 6 to 11
$13,000 Billabong Pro Junior Coffs Harbour, February 14 to 18
$13,000 Billabong Pro Junior Raglan, March 29 to 31
$13,000 Billabong Pro Junior Wollongong, September 13 to 16
$23,000 Billabong Pro Junior Bells, September 26 to 30

Previous reports:
# 1 : Billabong Pro Jr at Coffs Harbour kicks off in solid surf
# 2 : Sharpe going ballistic at Billabong Pro Jnr Series Coffs
# 3 : Joske on target at Billabong Pro Jr - girls quarters down
# 4 : Coming soon  

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