Billabong Pro Jr Series Wollongong

ASP Australasia 5 Star Mens & Womens Jr Event
Wollongong NSW Australia
13 - 16 September 2007

Australia's Hottest Junior Surfer Ready To Rock Wollongong - Billabong Pro Junior Series!

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 September, 2007 : - - Wollongong -- The country’s hottest junior surfers are set to ignite the masses on NSW's ‘Coal Coast’ this week, when the Billabong Pro Junior Series touches down at Wollongong. Event nine of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Australasian Junior Series, the 5 star rated Billabong Pro Junior offers $13,000 in prize money and is open to aspiring male and female surfers aged 20-years and under.

The five event, $75,000 Billabong Pro Junior Series comprises half of the overall ASP Australasian circuit, which culminates in the crowning of the ASP World Junior Champion at North Narrabeen each year. Sandon Point; a world class right-hand point break with its big long walls and gaping tube sections, will provide an ideal battleground for a 168-strong field of the nation’s best to showcase their freakish talents.

This year’s lineup is again brimming with talent with the likes of Mitchell Coleborn (Maroochydore, QLD), Heath Joske (Nambucca Heads, NSW), Dean Bowen (Gerroa, NSW), Beau Atchison (Copocabana, NSW), Julian Wilson (Coolum, QLD), Brendan Leckie (Palm Beach, QLD), Parrish Byrne (Wollongong, NSW), Jayke Sharpe (Coffs Harbour, NSW), Blake Wilson (Maroochydore, QLD) and Madison Williams (Coffs Harbour, NSW) waxing their boards in anticipation for the start of the four-day tournament running from Thursday September 13th through to Sunday September 16th, 2007.

Sunshine Coast surfing sensation Mitchell Coleborn (Maroochydore, QLD) is drawing closer to securing his maiden ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series crown after netting four junior series victories this year and is confident of extending his massive ratings lead when competition gets underway on Thursday.

Heath Joske : photo Steve Robertson

“As long as I stay consistent in the last three events then hopefully I can come away with the title,” said Coleborn. “Now that I am leading my mind is set on staying there and hopefully taking it out.”

Wins at the Billabong Pro Junior Series events on the Sunshine Coast and Coffs Harbour as well as on the Gold Coast and most recently in Sydney have Coleborn out in front in the numero-uno position on 14,589-points, well over 1,800-points clear of Nambucca Head’s Heath Joske in second.

Amazingly, Joske and Julian Wilson could mathematically overtake Coleborn’s lead in the last two events of the series, even if he was to win at Wollongong. “I want to win the overall series really bad,” said Joske, who posted his maiden U/21 win with an emphatic victory in the final 2007 Billabong Pro Junior Series Indonesia event at Canggu Bali in August.

“I didn’t even know that it was possible for me to take the series with Mitch (Coleborn) holding such a big lead. I just need to get to the finals of the remaining events and notch up a few wins.” Meanwhile, the ‘Coal Coast’s’ best young surfers will be in with a chance of securing solid results when surfers take to the water.

Their best title hope is Parrish Byrne (Wollongong), who is currently rated sixth on the ASP Australia Pro Junior series ratings. Following a career best runner-up placing in the Pro Junior series event at Raglan, New Zealand in April this year, Byrne is earmarked to do well on home turf.

The Wollongong Billabong Pro Junior Series event also features a 32-round girls division.  Ratings leader Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa, NSW) will be joined by the country’s finest female surfers including Laura Enever (Narrabeen, NSW), Airini Mason (Tugun, QLD), Rebecca Oakley (Burleigh Heads, QLD), Jessie Hickson (Boomerang Beach, NSW), Kirby Wright (Culburra, NSW), Kirstie Jones (Ulladulla, NSW) and Brittani Nicholls (Cabarita, NSW).

Sandon Point will form the main venue for the Billabong Pro Junior Series Wollongong, however the event is mobile.  Men’s and women’s divisions will be on standby each day of the event. Please call the Surfing NSW Event Hotline on 0401 826 847 after 6.45pm each day for running schedule and contest venue. Heat draws will be available on www.surfingnsw.com.au

The Billabong Pro Junior Series is supported by Coca Cola, Panasonic, UV Triplegard, Clearasil, Von Zipper, Kustom, MTV and Surfing NSW.

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 : Coming soon
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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