DAY one of this year’s Australian Junior Surfing Titles saw sets up to 3m (10 feet) pounding the local coastline, and Australia’s top junior surfers, including locals, revelled in the power at the high performance wave of Surfers Point.
Felicity Palmeteer (17, Hillarys Beach /Perth) led the charge with an outstanding opening heat win that saw her take on some of the biggest waves of the morning to dominate with a win that included the day’s highest scoring ride of an 8.5 out of a possible 10.
Seventeen-year-old Gold Coast surfer James Woods copped a severe thrashing over the appropriately named Surgeon’s Table, a shallow reef section of the break that ripped his rash vest from his body during an extended hold down.
NSW surfers overall were probably the most dominant led by under 18 Boys number one seed Dean Bowen (Gerroa/Sth Coast NSW).
Bowen is a renowned big wave charger having already built a reputation in some of the world’s gnarliest waves like Teahupoo in Tahiti and felt very comfortable in today’s waves.
“I love it here, bring it on as big as it can because I like the wave heaps–I need some power and space on a wave to perform and Margaret River gives me both,” he said.
Other standouts included fellow NSW surfers Ryan Callinan, Kirby Wright and Jordi Watson.
Winners across the Boys and Girls 18 division and Boys 16 division will become automatic selections for the Australian Junior Team which will compete in Ecuador next March at the ISA World Junior Titles.
Finals will run this coming weekend.
The Australian Junior Surfing Titles will be running live scores, results, audio, photos and videos until December 7.
Access the event mini site via the front page of www.surfingaustralia.com