Billabong Pro Junior

ASP Australasia Grade 1 Men's Junior event
ASP Australasia Grade 1 Women's Junior event
Coffs Harbour, NSW Australia
14 - 17 February 2008

Top Juniors Head To Coffs For Billabong Pro Junior Series

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 11 February, 2008 : - - Over 200 of the nations best junior surfers will head to Coffs Harbour this week for the second annual Billabong Pro Junior Series, scheduled to be held at Macauleys Headland. 

The Billabong Pro Junior series encompasses four events in Australia and New Zealand with the Coffs event the first stop.  The events, which are part of the overall Australasian Junior Series will also stop at Taranaki New Zealand, Nelsons Bay NSW and Bells Beach VIC.

The foundation of professional junior surfing in Australia paves the way for the Billabong World Junior Championships which are held in North Narrabeen each January and crown the junior men’s and women’s ASP world champions.  The World Junior event is the richest junior surfing competition in the world. 

Featuring the countries best junior men’s and women’s surfers aged 20 and under, the Coffs Harbour event was won by eventual ASP Australasian Champion Mitchel Coleborn in 2006 and delivered a week of near perfect 2m waves.

Local surfers Madison Williams, Jayke Sharp, Heath Joske, Otis Carey and Billy Kean will head a class field of surfers when competition gets underway on Thursday. “Being able to stay at home and have the support of the local crew is definitely and advantage,” said Joske.  “I had a 3rd last year so it is definitely a good event for me, the wave really suits my style.

“Since the regionals, we have all surfed together and even though we live an hour away from each other we all catch up and surf together fairly often.” “This year has been a huge surprise for me,” said Joske.  “I was coming into the year just expecting the older guys from last year to do well like Julian (Wilson) and Jayke Sharpe.

“The young guys like Davey Cathels (Narrabeen) and Tamaroa McComb (Tahiti/Coolangatta) have come out firing and let everyone know that they want to making top five or top ten every event, so that has been challenging.” “These guys are bringing their A game every heat and you need to be surfing your best to beat them.  The level has really gone up from last year.”

Recently crowned world junior champion Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa) will start as top seed in the girls division.  Narrabeen’s Laura Enever, Culburra’s Kirby Wright and Gold Coast based Kiwi surfer Airini Mason will also line-up as clear favourites in the heat draw. 

The Billabong Pro Junior Series is supported by Panasonic, Coffs Harbour, Von Zipper, Kustom, Surfing NSW, ASP Australasia and Coopers Surf. 

2008 Billabong Junior Series
14-17 February        Billabong Pro Junior Series Coffs Harbour
6-9 March                 Billabong Pro Junior Series Taranaki New Zealand
4-7 September         Billabong Pro Junior Series Nelsons Bay
Sep 30-Oct 4           Billabong Pro Junior Series Bells Beach

Previous reports:
# 1 : Coming soon
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Simon Barratt
Billabong Australia
sbarratt@billabong.com.au

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Steve Robertson
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