Burton Toyota Surfest

Chiko Pro Junior

Grade 2M Men's Pro Junior
Newcastle, New South Wales
9 - 14 March 2010

Local knowledge boosts Callinan's hopes

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 4 March, 2010 : - - Merewether, Newcastle Australia -- Born and bred local Ryan Callinan claimed the biggest individual wave score on day one of the $15,000 Chiko Pro Junior at Merewether beach in Newcastle. Less than 48 hours ago, Callinan was piloting pits at Pipeline on Hawaii’s North Shore.

The goofy-footer is fast becoming accustomed to life on the move, having been home just 10 days this year due to the dual demands of competition and sponsor commitments. Conditions on offer today were far removed from barrelling tubes on Oahu, but the 17-year-old wasn’t fazed one bit.

“That’s what you have to do when you surf in competitions,” Callinan said with all the philosophical resignation of a seasoned pro. “It wasn’t that great out there today, but I have surfed the point like this hundreds of times,” the apprentice landscaper said.

Merewether point is holding a lot of sand at the moment, resulting in considerable differences in the quality of waves according to the tide. “It’s been sanded up for ages since we had a big north swell last year and it really needs a massive southerly blow to sort it,” Callinan said. Callinan should know what it takes for Merewether to work - he can see the break from the balcony of the nearby family home.

That southerly may well happen early next week, in time for the 4-star Burton Toyota Pro, as a south-westerly change has been forecast for Sunday. Callinan, seeded 15th into the Chiko Pro Junior, managed to find the wave of the day to rack-up an 8.5 and post the day’s second highest heat result with a 12.40.   The day’s top heat honour went to Brent Savage, who posted a 14.75.

That’s impressive in the context of the overall scores recorded today, where just a handful of surfers were able to post double figures. Other surfers to impress today include ASP Junior ratings leader and the event’s number one seed Mitch Crews, along with Ricardo Santos and Matt Lewis-Hewitt.

Action recommences Friday morning, with the second half of the round of 64 getting underway at 7.30am.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Burton Family Toyota signs on with Newcastle’s Surfest
# 2 : Occy gets arty, celebrates Oz artist John Earle at Surfest
# 3 : Russell Maloney wins Employment Plus Indigenous Clsc
# 4 : New South Wales Fire Brigade fights for win at Surfest  
# 5 : Mark Richards to open Burton Toyota Surfest art exhibit

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

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