Indigenous Classic

Surfing Australia
Merewether New South Wales
11 March 2009

Otis Carey from Coffs Harbour takes Indigenous Classic at Surfest

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 11 March, 2009 : - - Merewether, NSW -- Twenty year-Old Otis Carey from Coffs Harbour has taken out the open division of the Indigenous Classic - the first event of the 2009 Surfest at Merewether in New South Wales.

In small, onshore conditions, the natural-footer outscored 14 other hopefuls before defeating Dylan Cummings, who also came second at the 2008 Australian titles in the U/16 division held at Margaret River in Western Australia last November.

Cummings, from Noraville on the Central Coast of New South Wales, has clearly established he will be one to watch in the Arnette Pro Junior, which gets underway at Merewether tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7.30am.

A surprise defeat today was the six-time previous winner of this event, Russell Maloney from The Entrance on the Central Coast of New South Wales. But Carey wasn’t shedding any tears for the Central Coast carpenter, who has held a vice-like grip on this event’s trophy since its inception. “I’m just relieved to finally have beaten Russ,” Carey said.

“I’ve come up against Russ in finals twice before and he’s smoked me both times.” This is the first win at any level for Carey, who has spent the previous two seasons trying to rack up a win on the Australasian Pro Junior tour, before retiring with just three events remaining on the 2008 calendar.

“I lost my sponsor when the company changed hands and it is way costly to do the tour without help,” the Macauley’s Beach regular said. Maloney said he was a bit disappointed while joking that “my knees don’t cut it like they used to...You win something six years in a row and you can get used to it, but it doesn’t get any easier,” the 30-year-old carpenter laughed.

“This year I am just saving money to go back on the WQS next year where I will be picking off the prime events that can hopefully get me a good seeding the following year,” Maloney said.

Carey’s 18-year-old brother Jarwin came third in the open division. Another surfer who has come second twice in the Indigenous Classic is 27-year-old professional lifeguard Ginaya Henare from Carrington, Newcastle, New South Wales.

She triumphed in the women’s division, claiming her first ever victory at any level of surfing competition. The Nobbies Beach-based council employee said she was thrilled. “I’ve come second twice before in this comp, but I haven’t been going in it the last few years so it’s great to turn up and get the trophy,” she said.

Indigenous Classic Results

Open Division
1. Otis Carey (17)
2. Dylan Cummings (13.8)
3. Jarwin Carey (10.8)
4. Russ Maloney (9.8)

Women's Division
1.Ginaya Henare (13)
2. Cyarn  Garvey (6.4)
3. Lilli Garvey (6)

www.surfest.com
www.aspworldtour.com
www.surfingaustralia.com

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