www.waxheads.com comp update 3 1 09

Australians Dominate Day 1 of Billabong ASP World Junior Championships

Australia (Saturday, January 3, 2009) – The Billabong ASP World Junior Championships got underway this morning in three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves at Sydney’s iconic North Narrabeen beach with the Australians proving dominant in the challenging conditions.

The culmination of a year’s worth of domestic ASP Pro Junior Series, the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships is the premiere junior event in the world and the decider in the hunt for the ASP World Junior Title.

Owen Wright (AUS), 18, last year’s equal 3rd place finisher at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships and an ASP International wildcard into this season’s affair, kicked off today’s campaign in sterling fashion, posting a 8.50 and backing it up with an 9.33 to take down Pierre-Valenti Aborde (FRA), 17, and Shota Nakamura (JPN) and advance directly into Round 3.

“I’m feeling really healthy right now,” Wright said. “I’ve been at home on the New South Wales South Coast ironing out the kinks in my surfing and body so I feel really good coming into this event.”

Wright’s 17.83 out of a possible 20 proved to be the highest heat total of the day and the progressive goofy-footer has his sights set on the ASP World Junior Title.

“I just tried to stay busy out there this morning,” Wright said. “I wanted to start well and attack everything and the scores came to me.”

Tamaroa McComb (PYF), 16, who now lives on the Gold Coast of Australia, wasted no time in the opening heat of the day, posting an impressive 8.17 and a 6.73 to defeat opponents Kiron Jabour (HAW), 17, and Heath Joske (AUS), 20.

“I felt really good out there,” McComb said. “It was the first heat of the event so it feels good to win and get through Round 3. I’m focused to do well and surf against the world’s best. That’s why I’m here.”

Wright and McComb were joined by fellow Australians Stuart Kennedy (AUS), 19, and Dean Bowen (AUS), 18, in their respective Round 1 victories.

While the home country dominated today’s proceedings, the visiting surfers from around the world had their moments as well.

Granger Larsen (HAW), 18, smashed the North Narrabeen righthanders with forehand flare to net an impressive 16.17, defeating opponents Jadson Andre (AUS), 20, and Heremoana Luciani (PYF).

“So stoked to get through that heat,” Larsen said. “It was a really gnarly heat. I drew the No. 1 seed and knew that it would be a tough ask in these small conditions. I feel really confident going through to the third round after that performance and am looking forward to the rest of the event.”

Tanner Gudauskas (USA), 20, equal 3rd place finisher at last season’s Billabong ASP World Junior Championships, picked up where he left off last year, snatching victory from compatriot Cory Arrambide (USA), 19, and Andres Wurst (PER).

“That first heat was crazy,” Gudauskas said. “Cory (Arrambide) got off to such a good start, but I just got lucky I guess. I’m just taking it as it goes. It’s great to surf in this quality event. The competition is similar to the WQS competitions. I got 3rd last year, but now I want to better that result.”

Event organizers called competition off after the first nine heats of Round 1 and will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7:30am for a possible 8am start.

special thanks Billabong and surfingaustralia.com

Upsets Abound for Billabong ASP World Juniors Women’s Action

NORTH NARRABEEN, Australia (Sunday, January 4, 2009) – Action continued today at Sydney’s North Narrabeen beach as the girls hit the two-to-three foot (1 metre) surf on offer for the opening three rounds of the women’s division at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.

The deciding event in the hunt for the undisputed ASP World Junior Title, the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships hosts the best junior surfers in the world from the seven ASP regions (North America, South America, Africa, Australasia, Hawaii, Europe and Japan) as well as wildcards from ASP International and Billabong, and today’s action bore witness to some major upsets as the women’s Quarterfinalists were determined.

Leila Hurst (HAW), 16, caused the biggest surprise of the day, defeating 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie Coco Ho (HAW), 17, in Round 3 of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships. Although the lead flip-flopped back and forth throughout the hotly-contested affair, it was Hurst’s electrifying backhand that netted her an 8.83 out of a possible 10 (the day’s highest single-wave score) in the dying minutes that saw the young natural-footer advance through to the Quarterfinals.

“The conditions were windy and I was looking for the lefts as they were the better waves running to the shore,” Hurst said. “The lead changed between Coco (Ho) and myself about five times. I have become much more confident now and I would love to make the Final, but at least the Semis - that’s my goal.”

Hurst will take on Diana Cristina (BRA), 18, in Quarterfinal 3 when Billabong ASP World Junior competition resumes.

Paige Hareb (NZL), 18, who will join the elite ranks of the ASP Top 17 this season, dominated today’s action with a convincing Round 1 victory before dispatching of feared 14-year old Tyler Wright (AUS) in Round 3.

“I’m No. 1 seed so I’m just playing off that confidence,” Hareb said. “I feel really strong at the moment coming off such a good year last year – hopefully I can continue that form into this event. Strategy doesn’t change competing against the women and juniors. I just try to do my best and get the two best waves.”

Hareb will face Courtney Conlogue (USA), 16, in the Quarterfinals when the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships continues.

Conlogue put in a banner effort throughout today’s proceedings, advancing through her Round 1 heat before handedly defeating Nikita Robb (ZAF), 19, in Round 3 with the day’s high heat total of a 15.67 out of a possible 20.

“I’m stoked to have made it through such a hard heat,” Conlogue said. “Surfing against all these girls is something which I’ve always aspired to. Although the conditions aren’t perfect, I felt really comfortable out there today. Hopefully I can take this momentum into the Quarterfinals.”

While no men’s action was held today, yesterday saw the opening eight heats of Round 1 completed and event organizers are hopeful that they could complete the back half in the projected increased swell tomorrow.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 6:30am for a possible 7am start.

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) ROUND 1 RESULTS:

Heat 1: Pauline Ado (FRA) 14.17, Sage Erickson (USA) 12.73, Nikita Robb (ZAF) 12.67

Heat 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 10.67, Arini Mason (NZL) 8.57, Christa Alves (USA) 5.47

Heat 3: Paige Hareb (NZL) 14.17, Sayuri Hashimoto (JPN) 8.74, Nao Omura (JPN) 6.53

Heat 4: Alizee Arnaud (FRA) 15.00, Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 7.66, Tyler Wright (AUS) 7.47

Heat 5: Coco Ho (HAW) 11.37, Gabriela Leite (BRA) 11.34, Leila Hurst (HAW) 10.90

Heat 6: Diana Cristina (BRA) 14.67, Laura Enever (AUS) 13.00, Sarah Baum (ZAF) 10.07

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) ROUND 2 RESULTS:

Heat 1: Leila Hurst (HAW) 13.00, Nikita Robb (ZAF) 8.80, Nao Omura (JPN) 8.40

Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.50, Sarah Baum (ZAF) 8.84, Christa Alves (USA) 6.23

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) ROUND 3 RESULTS:

Heat 1: Arini Mason (NZL) 11.16 def. Sarah Baum (ZAF) 5.50

Heat 2: Pauline Ado (FRA) 12.54 def. Sayuri Hashimoto (JPN) 10.33

Heat 3: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.67 def. Nikita Robb (ZAF) 10.66

Heat 4: Paige Hareb (NZL) 11.74 def. Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.06

Heat 5: Leila Hurst (HAW) 13.66 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 11.10

Heat 6: Diana Cristina (BRA) 10.34 def. Gabriela Leite (BRA) 9.40

Heat 7: Laura Enever (AUS) 10.34 def. Alizee Arnaud (FRA) 10.16

Heat 8: Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 12.33 def. Sage Erickson (USA) 10.50

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:

QF 1: Arini Mason (NZL) vs. Pauline Ado (FRA)

QF 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)

QF 3: Leila Hurst (HAW) vs. Diana Cristina (BRA)

QF 4: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Bethany Hamilton (HAW)

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS REMAINING (MEN) ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 9: Dusty Payne (HAW), Travis Beckmann (USA), Dean Bowen (AUS)

Heat 10: Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Alex Ribeiro (BRA), Heifara-Peter Tahutini (PYF)

Heat 11: Casey Brown (HAW), Kai Barger (HAW), Koko Nakamura (JPN)

Heat 12: Charles Martin (GLP), Nobuyuki Osawa (JPN), Kaito Sekimoto (JPN)

Heat 13: Julian Wilson (AUS), Jayke Sharp (AUS), Casey Grant (ZAF)

Heat 14: Alejo Muniz (BRA), Medi Veminardi (REU), Nicholas Godfrey (ZAF)

Heat 15: Nat Young (USA), Lincoln Taylor (AUS), Shaun Joubert (ZAF)

Heat 16: Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Andrew Doheny (USA), Marc Lacomare (FRA)