Kustom Jetty Surf Pro Junior 2008

ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series 2008
Bells Beach, Surfcoast, Victoria
8 - 14 January 2008 

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

Quarter Finalists Decided At Jan Juc With Exciting Swell Forecast For Bells Beach Finals

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 13 January, 2008 : - - Sixteen of Australia’s and a few of the world’s best 20 year and under Pro Junior surfers remain in contention for the Kustom Jetty Surf Pro Junior after organizers took advantage of a mid morning swell increase at Jan Juc Beach today and completed round four.

It’s sets the scene for a fantastic final day tomorrow with a good swell expected to move into the Bells Bowl and provide the ideal finish to what is the opening, biggest and possibly most prestigious Pro Junior of the 2008 ASP Pro Junior season.

Plenty of very impressive performances today in round four which opened with Byron Bay’s Ellis Ericson nailing a convincing win over Gold Coast’s Nick Vasicek with Sunshine Coast pair Dean Iezzi and Noah Lane both eliminated.

“It’s exciting to be through to the quarter finals and even better if the supposed swell arrives at Bells for tomorrow – This is a good start to the season for me but tomorrow’s really what it’s all about and I’m really looking forward to a good day” a focused Ericson commented after his win today.

International surfers are also well and truly in contention with the days highest scoring heat win belonging to young French star Maxime Huscenot. In broken English the exciting southern France based 15 year old surfer said – “ It would be great for French surfers to win both the Men’s and Women’s division here – that would be special for France so I hope I can do what Lee Ann Curren did yesterday and win the Men’s – It will be good to surf at Bell’s.”

Just as impressive and certainly very capable of winning tomorrow will be Hawaiian Granger Larson and South Africa’s Klee Strachan who both had comfortable heat wins today.

Larson in particular could be the danger man tomorrow given the likelihood of swell with his experience in the really big stuff out of Hawaii – When informed of a swell looming Larson could not hide his excitement saying – “Really – that’s the best news I’ve had, I’d love to surf in big waves at Bells tomorrow so I hope the forecasts are spot on or even better I hope they are under estimated!”

Local Bells surfer Josh Johnson – Baxter will be another well suited to the increasing swells – The athletic and tall Ocean Grove surfer has performed exceptionally well to date to make it through in the small waves which certainly do not suit his physical build and he’ll be confident as it gets bigger.

Johnston Baxter probably had the hardest round four heat of the day and surfed superbly posting a late excellent 8 point ride along with a super strong 7.5 to place second behind Sydney’s Caleb Reid on 15.9 – the pair eliminated two of the event favourites in Jayke Sharpe (Coffs Harbor) and Tamaroa McComb (Tahiti).

Johson – Baxter faces a big opening quarter final against Ellis Ericson and Nick Riley (Sydney) with two of the three surfers progressing through. Tomorrow’s action is set to begin early at Bells Beach with organizers keen to get the best of wind, swell and tides with an expected 7:00am start and the finals to run around 11:00am.

The prestigious Cadet Cup final will also be run tomorrow with the four finalists decide – Garret Parkes (Byron Bay), Todd Rosewell (Jan Juc), Maxime Huscenot (France) and Mitch Baker (Phillip Island) certain to showcase an awesome final.

By tomorrow afternoon we’ll have a 2008 Kustom Jetty Surf Champion and they will join an elite list of past winners that includes Mick Fanning, Dean Morrison and Bede Durbridge to name just a few past champions!

Previous reports:
# 1 : Kustom Jetty Surf Pro 2008 to ring in ASP Jr. new year
# 2 : Bells Beach fires for Kustom Jetty Surf Pro Junior day #1
# 3 : Julian Wilson on tear at the Kustom Jetty Surf Pro Junior
# 4 : Men's Round 3 heats up at Kustom Jetty Surf Pro Junior
# 5 : Lee Ann Curren wins 2008 Kustom Jetty Surf Pro Junior

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Steve Robertson

ASP Jr Contests - Surfersvillage