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(Tuesday 3rd February, 2009): AUSTRALIA’S richest domestic junior surfing event exploded to life at North Stradbroke Island today, with round one of the prestigious Oakley Pro Junior being run in punchy 3-4ft (1-1.5m) beach break waves. After the completion of the opening stop of the 2009 ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series at Burleigh Heads last month, the world’s best teenagers continued to up the ante in the 5-star rated, $30,000 tournament, shredding the Main Beach line-up to pieces in the race for all-important round two berths. Narrabeen ace David Vlug (NSW) set the benchmark for the day, barrelling his way through to round two contention with the morning’s top individual wave score.
Vlug, who lacerated his kidney while surfing his home break of North Narrabeen in December, left nothing to chance in the sudden-death heat, weaving through the belly of a sucky Main Beach barrel to power to victory on the back of a near-perfect 9.00 on his opening wave. The exciting goofy foot showed no signs of the serious injury, finishing with a 14.75 two-wave combined total to defeat North Stradbroke’s Kurt Phillips, Collaroy’s Robbie France and Stonyfell’s Brett Edwards. Post heat, Vlug said he was pleased to score some barrels in his opening heat. “I guess I was in the right spot at the right time,” said Vlug. “Conditions were a little hard to read, so you really had to pick the ones that would tube. Luckily, I jagged that bomb in the opening minutes and it setup a good win.” Frenchman Marc Lacomare (Hossegor) was equally impressive in the barrelling left-handers, posting a 14.75 total to storm through to round two. Lacomare, a semi-finalist at the world juniors at Narrabeen in January, got busy in the reeling conditions, laying down some serious moves to outgun Max Ayshford (Matraville), Ash McDonald (North Stradbroke Island) and Troy Skillin (Gorokan). An excited Lacomare said he was stoked to be at Straddie for the second stop of the Australasian junior series. “The waves have been pumpin’,” said 19-year-old Lacomare.
“It’s my first time here and the waves have been going off all week. I can’t believe I haven’t come here earlier.” Lacomare has been in Australia since January competing at the world juniors, along with the opening two events of this year’s junior series and will use the experience to springboard his 2009 European pro junior campaign. Emerging Tweed Heads surfer Ben Webb was the day’s biggest surprise packet, taking down renowned Hawaiian charger Kiron Jabour to advance through to round two. The lanky natural foot jagged the best waves of their 20-minute heat, nailing a 7.50 and a backup of 4.35 to overpower Jabour, as well as Elliott Marshall (Milton) and Dale Stewart (NSW).
Gold Coast up and comer Jack Freestone (Coolangatta) also hit his straps in round one, trumping local lad Murray Antioneff to book a spot in round two. Competition is expected to continue tomorrow with top seeds hitting the water in round two heats. The Oakley Pro Junior is the second stop of the 2009 ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series and offers a five-day surfing window, from Tuesday 3rd February to Saturday 7th February, 2009. The 2009 Oakley Pro Junior is proudly supported by Stradbroke Island Holidays, Stradbroke Ferries, Redland City Council, Waves Magazine, ASP Australasia and Surfing Queensland. Attached Complimentary Photo: Tamaroa McComb (Tahiti/Australian Based/Central Coast NSW) – always exciting and explosive, Tamaroa McComb again scored a convincing round two heat win at the Oakley Pro Junior at North Stradbroke Island today. Photo Credit: Steve Robertson/Surfing Australia. Full Press Below -
Internationals Continue Charge At Oakley Pro Junior! (Wednesday 4th February, 2009): THE Oakley Pro Junior continued to roll on at North Stradbroke Island today, with top seeds wetting their rails in round two of the 5-star graded, $30,000 ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series tournament. Not even bumpy 2-3ft Main Beach peaks could deter a swag of the world’s top juniors aged 20-years and under as they threw out some big moves across day two of competition. International surfers continued to ruffle the feathers of the Australian contingent, with Brazilian powerhouse Alejo Muniz top scoring with a 17.90 two-wave combined total. “I’m so happy,” said Muniz. “The waves were quite difficult, but I found some good ones. I just tried to do my best.” Continuing on with the form that saw him take out his round one heat, the reigning ISA U/18 boys’ world champion kicked it up a gear, netting a near perfect 9.90 and an 8.00 to trounce Billy Kean (Sawtell), Wylie Moyes (Randwich) and Jackson Richards (Merewether). Post heat, Muniz said he was surprised to be awarded a near perfect ride. “I couldn’t believe it was nearly a 10,” he said. “I was just having fun. Hopefully I’ll better the score in my next heat.” No.3 seed Tamaroa McComb (Central Coast) kicked off his event campaign in winning style, trumping local star and event wildcard Tim MacDonald to progress through to round three. The Australian-based Tahitian surfer showed flashes of brilliance en route to posting a low-scoring 11.00 two-wave total to MacDonald’s 10.75. Gold Coast teen Jack Freestone (Coolangatta) confirmed he’ll be amongst our next wave of surfing champions, downing Casuarina’s Brent Savage, Old Bar’s Oscar Scanes and Maroubra’s Luke Kennedy to power into round three contention. Freestone, 16, defied the tricky conditions better than most, taking a chance on the shorter right-hand peaks to amass a 13.50 total. Joining Freestone as other high-scoring Australian winners included Perth Standlick (Bondi), Noah Lane (Burleigh Heads), Ellis Ericson (Byron Bay), Sam Wrench (Ulludulla) and Josh Johnson-Baxter (Ocean Grove). Top seed and current ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series ratings leader Owen Wright (Lennox Head) also booked a ticket into the next round. There he’ll take on James Woods (Coolangatta), Marc Lacomare (France) and Mitch Crews (Currumbin). Competition will continue tomorrow with round three heats expected to be completed. Surfing action to start at 8am! The Oakley Pro Junior is the second stop of the 2009 ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series and offers a five-day surfing window, from Tuesday 3rd February to Saturday 7th February, 2009. The
2009 Oakley Pro Junior is proudly supported by Stradbroke Island Holidays,
Stradbroke Ferries, Redland City Council, Waves Magazine, ASP Australasia
and Surfing Queensland. |
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