ACCIDENTAL HERO CONTINUES WINNING WAYS

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 13 March, 2007 : - - HOMETOWN "accidental hero" Travis Lynch continued his charge through the third round of the $US75,000 Maitland Toyota Open at  Merewether Beach this morning.

Merewether's reserve entrant, who ejected himself from the contest's commentary box and reported to the Beach Marshall's hut on Sunday after a no-show by another competitor, blitzed the first heat of the round of 160 in southerly affected 3ft-4ft swells to take the heat from South African Clinton Gravett.

With surfers struggling to find good waves in the challenging conditions, both Lynch and Gravett managed to pull off a 7-point rides, but Lynch gained the upper hand by following up with a 6.83 to Gravett's next best of  4.77.

Fellow Merewether alternate entry Rhys Smith was eliminated in heat 10 of the same round. Lynch will surf against the in-form Dave Reardon-Smith in the first heat of the round of 128, which will get underway at 7.30 tomorrow morning.  Another surfer from the region, Boat Harbor's Nick Coghlan, will hit the water in heat 3 where he will come up against the highly fancied Matt Bemrose from Curl Curl on Sydney's northern beaches.

Jessica Hickson : photo Surfing Australia

 Australasian Pro Junior ratings leader, Sunshine Coaster Mitchell Coleborn (Wurtulla, QLD), will line up in heat  15. Tour veteran Nathan Webster's run of luck and good form continued also, with the 33-year-old North Narrabeen surfer progressing to the fourth round after finishing second in his heat to Queenscliff's Nick Riley.

 A finalist in the Surfest main event a decade ago, Webster has come out of a year-long retirement for this year's Maitland Toyota Open and the former world No 6 has quickly rediscovered his old form. Hawaiian goofy-foot Clay Marzo, lauded across the world as one of the 'next big things' in professional surfing, impressed spectators this morning with his powerful and controlled aggression.

 The 17-year-old, who came second in the 2005 International Surfing Association's World junior championships in 2005, looks set to continue to cause opponents concern in upcoming rounds. Another young surfer to impress today was Heath Joske (Nambucca Heads, NSW). His 16.85, recorded in the opening round of the event, sees him remain at the top of the list of best heat scores to date and second on the list of best individual wave scores.

Joske was runner-up in the Newcastle Pro Junior that preceded this event at the same beach and could be considered unlucky not to have grabbed that trophy after splendid form in  every heat he contested leading up to the final. Tomorrow he will surf against Teppel Tajima (JPN), Romain Laulhe (FRA) AND Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) in heat 11. 

Japan 's Yukio Ogawa, whose 9 yesterday saw his name etched onto the highest wave score tally sheet where it still remains, was bundled out of the competition.  The return of Clint Kimmins to the ranks of professional surfing was short-lived, with the Gold Coaster being eliminated by less than a point by fellow Aussie Jayke Sharp.

Seeded surfers into this event will start hitting the water on Thursday morning in the round of 96.  Merewether local and former World Championship Tour (WCT) veteran Matt Hoy will surf in heat 14. The second round of the Midori Pro also got underway today at the Maitland Toyota Surfest.