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

KENNEDY AND McCOMB ON TRACK AT PRO JUNIOR

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 14 February, 2008 : - - Coffs Harbour – Not even bad flu and aching muscles could hamper top seed and ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series ratings leader Stuart Kennedy (Lennox Head, New South Wales),  from putting on a good showing at the Billabong Pro Junior Series - Coffs Harbour at Diggers Beach, today.

An unstoppable force on the pro junior series this year, Kennedy set a blistering pace in Heat 1 of the Boys Round of 96, earning a near perfect 9.00 point ride (out of a possible 10.00) and the highest heat score of the event so far a 16.75 (out of a possible 10.00).

“I didn’t really try ‘cos I’m so sick right now,” Kennedy said suffering from a bad case of flu. “The other guys weren’t going to go easy on me but I did the best I could and it worked out for that heat but I’m going to bed now.”

With minimal effort, Kennedy’s impressive scores left his rivals well off the mark, second place surfer Teale Vanner (South Australia) advancing with a 12. 10 heat score, while Damien Chaudoy (Fra) and Mitch Noonan (Port Stephens, NSW) were eliminated from the event.

“I think I only need to make one more heat and then even if Julian (Wilson) wins, I will keep my lead,” Kennedy explained. “Unfortunately this flu couldn’t have come at a worse time because I really wanted to stay at number one on the ratings.”

Tamaroa McComb (Residing Gold Coast/Coolangatta/ Tahiti) who recently turned 16 and is one of the youngest surfer in the event, proved sensational in the one meter waves. McComb won his Round of 96 heat despite suffering an interference penalty, which mean having his second highest scoring ride is halved.

Despite this setback, McComb posted an 8.50 off the last wave of the heat, showing his rivals just why he is currently third on the ASP Australasia ratings. “I just thought I had the pick and the other surfer was going to get the interference but unfortunately I got that interference,” McComb said. “After that I knew I was going to need a big score to make that heat and I just did my best.”

Local surfers Otis Carey (Coffs Harbour, NSW) and Heath Joske (Valla Beach, Coffs Harbour region, NSW) did their region proud, both surfers advancing out of one of the toughest heats of the day in first and second places respectively.

Cheered on by a large crowd of friends, Carey’s innovative performance earned him an emphatic victory off his last wave of the heat, scoring 7.00 ride to defeat Joske, the pair eliminating seeded surfers Richard Christie (NZL) and Chris Bennets (Gold Coast, QLD) from the event.

“It feels so good to take out a win at my home break especially in front of my friends,’ Carey said. “Normally they’re out there surfing with me but I had Heath in my heat so it was great that two local surfers made it through.”

Joske was equally pleased with the performance of the two local surfers. “That was a really hard heat, everyone was surfing really well including Ottis,” Joske said,” so I’m just stoked to get through with him. Sleeping in my own bed and surfing my home break is definitely adding to my confidence and is an advantage for sure.”

Chris Salisbury (Newport Beach, Sydney, NSW) earned a well deserved spot into the next round, his competitive edge keeping him ahead of his rivals Dean Bowen who advanced in second, while Justin Turk and Josh Bull were eliminated in third and fourth places. “It was a good a good way to start off the contest but it definitely wasn’t easy out there,” Salisbury said. “If you take the wrong wave it’s going to cost you, so I was never really felt relaxed.”

Currently rated tenth on the ASP Australasia Pro Junior Ratings Salisbury is hoping history repeats itself at Diggers Beach at the weekend. “This beach has been pretty good to me,” Salisbury explained. “I’ve won four of my state titles here so it’s been good to me so far.”

Other top scorers included Caleb Reid (Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW) who notched up an 8.00 to advance ahead of Kiron Jabour (HAW); Jordi Watson (South Coast, NSW) who took first ahead of Nick Vasicek (Gold Coast, QLD); Billy Keen (Sawtell, Coffs Region) who earned his win off a 7.70 ahead of Dane Atchison (Central Coast, NSW) and James Woods (Gold Coast, QLD) who’s pair of 7.00 point scores saw him advance ahead of Jesse Adam (South Coast, NSW).

All 24 heats of the Boys Round of 96 were completed while the Girls enjoyed a lay day. Good waves are expected right through the weekend at Diggers Beach with the Girls final expected to run tomorrow and the junior men’s on Sunday. The event begins around 8am each day through to late afternoon.

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 : Blistering start for Billabong Pro Junior at Coffs Harbour..
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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