Billabong Girls Queensland Surf Series

Gold Coast, QLD
3 - 4 November 2007

QSS Title Winners Crowned At Southport Spit

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 4 November, 2007 : - - Queensland's female surfing stocks look bright after the completion of the third and final stop of the prestigious Billabong Girls Queensland Surf Series (QSS) on the Gold Coast today.

The all-female Billabong Girls Summer Classic, boasting $2,000 in prize money, offered a 70-strong field of the state’s best ‘gidgets’ their last shot of glory in ’07 as they battled it out for elusive QSS titles. The 8 surfers who will represent Queensland at the Australian Surfmasters in ’08 within the open, senior and masters divisions were also determined.

Southport Spit provided the perfect backdrop for day two of competition; with a pulsing northerly swell generating contestable 3-4ft beach break conditions for competitors. With titles on the line, Queensland’s hottest female surfers busted out their exciting competition repertoires across the seven divisions contested.

The blue ribbon open women’s final was run and won by Tugun surfing sensation Airini Mason. Mason, 17, proved unstoppable in the challenging wind-affected conditions defeating Tara Christie (Coolum), Kirsty Jones (Ulladulla) and Paige Hareb (Taranaki, NZ) en route to pocketing $1000 cash along with a Vodafone mobile phone.

Airini Mason : photo Jake White

“I’m over the moon,” said Mason. “I’ve struggled to post big results in this year’s series, so I’m happy with how things went today. Hopefully, I can sustain this form into the Billabong world juniors that start in January.”

In what proved to be a one-sided affair, it was Mason who took an early lead in the 20–minute final, snaring a 6.83 to leave her foes needing high scores for victory. Although sitting in second behind Christie with five miuntes remaining, the powerful natural foot put the result beyond doubt, unleashing a series of innovative backhand maneouvres to net a heat high 7.67 for victory.

Final scores: Mason 14.50, Christie 8.83, Jones 7.57 and Hareb 6.9. Mason’s run to the final was made easier by the early exits of QSS frontrunners Sheridan Shields (Bilinga) and Rebecca Oakley (Burleigh Waters).

Despite being overpowered in her round two match, Shield’s still gained enough points to earn the series title. Apart from the kudos of becoming state champion, Shield’s received a wildcard into the trials of the only world tour competition in Queensland at Snapper Rocks in ’08.

Sheridan Shields : photo Jake White

Hareb, who placed fourth in the open women’s final, bounced back in the U/21 girls’ final, trumping her Australian foes; Rebecca Oakley, Airini Mason and Paige Houden (Fairlight) to seal the U/21 QSS crown .

In the U/18 girls’ final, Culburra surfing sensation Kirby Wright surfed away with winner’s trophy, unleashing a lethal attack of backhand manoeuvres to defeat Kirsty Jones (Ulladulla), Dimity Stoyle (Buderim) and Georgia Fish (VIC). In doing so, Wright wrapped up the U/18 girls’ QSS title.

Sunrise Beach surfer Naomi Stevic capped off her 2007 campaign in style, defeating Sarah Mason (Tugun), Georgia Fish (VIC) and India Payne (VIC) to secure victory in the U/16 girls’ division, along with bagging the QSS title.  Southport’s Mandy Roberts won the masters (0/35) final as well as the overall state title. As an added sweetener, Roberts surfed away with the senior women’s state crown.

Meanwhile, Crescent Head surfer Ellie-Jean Coffey cemented her position at a future star of women’s surfing, trouncing her finalists today en route to bagging the U/14 girl’s QSS crown. The Billabong Girls Summer Classic is the third and final Billabong QSS event in ’07 and will be held at the Gold Coast on November 3rd-4th, 2007.

The two-day tournament is fully mobile and has the option of going mobile to the best beach breaks from Duranbah Beach to Southport Spit. The all-female series is the richest open women’s circuit in Australia. With three events slotted in, the Billabong Girls Queensland Surf Series (QSS) boasts $14,000 prize money and a chance to tackle the world’s best surfers.

www.billabong.com
www.surfingqueensland.com  

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Jake White

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