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

LOCAL SURFERS ADVANCE AT COFFS HARBOUR

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 14 February, 2008 : - - Coffs Harbour – Australia’s finest junior surfers got off to a blistering start at the Billabong Pro Junior Coff’s Habour, Stop No. 5 of 12 on the ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series, this morning.

Competing in good one meter waves at Diggers Beach, local standout Heath Joske (Valla Beach, Coffs Harbour Region) set the precedent for his fellow Coffs Region surfers, advancing out of Round 1 with a convincing victory over French surfer Gordon Fontaine, Matt Dunlop (Central Coast) and Oscar Scanes (Old Bar Beach).

“I live half an hour down the road so I’m really looking for a good result here,” Joske said. “I’ve had a bit of a slow start to the year but I think I can do well at this event and I’m really hoping for a win.” Despite losing his seeding due to a late entry, which meant having to start his campaign in Round 1, Joske showed no signs of being at a disadvantage and was visibly enjoying competing at his home break.

“I’m stoked we’ve got some swell and good banks (sand banks),” Joske continued. “At a lot of ‘comps’ (competitions) we surf small waves so to get some swell at your home break with the best juniors around, I couldn’t ask for better.” Joske faces a tough heat tomorrow when he is pitted against fellow local surfer Otis Carey, as well as seeded surfers Richard Christie (New Zealand) and Chris Bennetts (Gold Coast).

Heath Joske : photo Kirsten Scholtz/ASP

Other Coffs Regions surfers to advance this morning included Otis Carey, Justin Turk and Eli Sharp. All three surfers secured berths in Round 2 by advancing in second place.  

Queensland surfer Blake Ainsworth (Coolangatta, Gold Coast) emerged as the day’s top performer, posting an impressive 8.50 (out of a possible 10.00 ride) to advance into Round 2 ahead of Daniel Karren (NSW), eliminating Adam Morris (Vic) and Alex Maniatis (Coffs Region) from the event.

“I was lucky because I waited a while for my first wave,” Ainsworth explained. “But it paid off when I managed to get that good score.” Hailing from Queensland’s famed surf break Snapper Rocks, home to ASP World Champions Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore; Ainsworth was feeling confident that his ability in reeling right-handers (right breaking waves) will stand him in good stead in his upcoming heats.

“If it stays with this right-hander it will definitely be to my advantage,” Ainsworth confirmed. “It’s a super fun wave and I’m feeling very confident so with a bit of luck I’ll be able stick it out until the end.” 

Another Coolangatta surfer to make his mark at Diggers Beach today was James Woods. The former South African resident who moved to Australia to pursue his surfing career two years ago, earned a definitive 7.75 ride to advance ahead of Eli Sharp (Sandy Beach, Coffs Harbour region). The pair defeated Dale Germon (NSW) and one of the youngest competitors in the event Jasper Endersby (Sunshine Coast).

Cahill Bell- Warren (Bells Beach, Torquay) made his time away from home worthwhile by securing a Round 1 victory off the last wave of the heat, advancing ahead of Ben Lowe (NSW) and defeating Robbie France (NSW) and Brenton Mazey (QLD). 

“I’ve been doing a lot of travelling with the junior series and I haven’t been home for a month,” admitted Bell- Warren. “I like Coffs, the water’s a bit colder so I feel a lot more comfortable 'cos you get to wear a wetsuit, just like at home.”

Other standouts included Hawaii’s Kiron Jabour who advanced ahead of Matt Hewitt (NZL); Wade Charmichael (Central Coast) who defeated Otis Carey (Coffs Region) and Matt Poul (NSW), who narrowly defeated Torren Martin (NSW). All sixteen heats of Round 1 of the Boys division were completed followed by Round 1 of the Girls division which got underway at lunch time.

The event continues throughout the weekend with the winners crowned expected to be at approximately 14h00 on Sunday. 

The Billabong Pro Junior Coffs Harbour is the fifth of 12 events on the ASP Australasia Series and the first of four on the Billabong Pro Junior Series. The top four rated surfers at the end of the year will earn spots into the prestigious Billabong World Junior Championships in Sydney, which crowns the ASP World Junior Champions in January 2009.

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 : Billabong Pro Junior series to set off Coffs Harbour NSW
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Simon Barratt
Billabong Australia
sbarratt@billabong.com.au

Surfing Australia Photography
Steve Robertson
stever@surfingaustralia.com

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