Billabong Pro Junior

ASP Grade 3 Men's Pro Junior Event
ASP Grade 1 Women's Pro Junior Event
Bells Beach Victoria Australia
30 September - 4 October 2008

Waves continue to pump at Bells at the ASP Billabong Pro Junior

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 1 October, 2008 : - - With continued excellent waves at Bells, Tahitian sensation Tamaroa McComb quickly acquainted himself with the famous wave and by the end of his round two heat had posted huge scores of a 9.5 and a 9 to easily win his heat with the events highest scoring waves and heat tally to date.

Just 16 years of age and already with possibly the best junior record in the history of surfing for a surfer of that age which includes a world under 16 junior title and multiple Pro Junior wins in Australia, McComb hopes to one day be at Bells Beach during Easter for the ASP World Championship event.

“I’ve watched Bells Beach on television all my life and I dream of coming here soon at Easter to compete against the world’s best” admitted McComb after his heat win today. McComb is used to 28 degree waters in Tahiti and today at Bells the 13 degree water took him by shock initially.

“The water is colder than anything I’ve ever felt, it was like fire burning my feet and fingers when I first jumped in but after surfing some of the great waves out there I’m feeling a lot better now – It took me maybe 10 minutes to adjust to the cold but when a few good waves came I was good.”

Tamaroa McComb : photo Liam Robertson

McComb could well  be at Bells during Easter sooner than he thinks. He now bases himself on Australia’s Gold Coast to get the very best fine tuned coaching and in the coming 12 months he’ll start to compete at open professional level and many astute surfing people believe McComb will be the next Tahitian surfer to excel in surfings biggest events on the ASP World Tour.

“I don’t like to think too far ahead. I’m enjoying my surfing and love competing in great waves so all I like to do is surf and hopefully win. I think I can win here, especially if the waves stay this good but we’ll see!”

McComb’s biggest danger here at Bells could come from local surfer Cahill Bell-Warren. In contrast to McComb, Bell –Warren has grown up surfing Bells and knows this wave better than anyone in this event. Bell- Warren has won his way through to the final 24 surfers and if he progresses through his round four heat tomorrow he’ll likely meet McComb in round five.

“McComb’s an amazing surfer but if I’m going to beat him well Bells Beach is probably my best chance” said a focused Bell-Warren after his successful round three heat today. “I’ll use all my local knowledge to my advantage here and Bells, especially when it’s big, is a very tricky wave to surf and I figure I’ll better cope out here than all the remaining surfers and I’m keen for a big result here.”

The other Victorian surfer to advance into round four is Mt Eliza surfer Caiden Fowler. The 17 year old surfer has already notched up his best ever performance and has three years left on the Australasian Pro Junior tour and has gained a lot of confidence already at this event.

Other surfers to excel in todays great waves at Bells included Queensland surfers Noah Lane (Rainbow Beach), Nick Vasicek (Coolangatta) and Blake Ainsworth (Coolangatta) along with NSW surfers Brett Burcher (Mollymook), Dean Bowen (Gerroa/NSW) and South Australia’s Teale Vanner (Kangaroo Island) – Vanner particularly impressive with two high scoring rides in his round three heat win.

Late in the day, as the perfect surf relentlessly pumped through for the opening rounds of the Pro Junior Women’s the girls joined in the high scoring festivities and in the opening heat Tyler Wright (Culburra) took a strong heat win over WA surfer Felicity Palmeteer – Tyler Wright is a real chance to qualify for the ASP Billabong World Junior Championships if she can get a top result here.

Great waves are expected to maintain throughout this event which is scheduled to finish at Bells Beach on Saturday. The Billabong Pro Junior Series welcomes Virgin Blue as Billabong’s official airline partner and also acknowledges tremendous support from Panasonic, VZ, Kustom, and Surfing Victoria.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Bells Beach delivers for opening day of Billabong Pro Jr
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

www.aspaustralasia.com
www.surfingaustralia.com

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Steve Robertson

Junior Contests - Surfersvillage