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Team Australia Claims Fifth Consecutive Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Gold |
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Written by Jake White
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Thursday, 28 January 2010 |
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Team Australia - Image Craig Levers / ISA
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TravelSIM Team Australia continues its dominance of the junior surfing scene, crowned the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Champions for a fifth consecutive year in New Zealand today.
In dramatic fashion, individual gold medals from Lennox Head’s Tyler Wright and Port Macquarie’s Matt Banting lifted Team Australia into top spot.
Coming into the final day of competition ranked second behind Hawaii, Australia rallied to finish in the lead with 6015-points; nearly 1000 clear of Hawaii (5038) in second and the USA (4958) in third.
Australia’s win is also their sixth team’s title victory since the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship was launched eight years ago.
Australian Head Coach Martin Dunn summed up his team’s performance. “It‘s great that we ended up winning,” he said.” A day or so ago it was looking like Hawaii and the USA were in the box seat. But our surfers had to make finals in the end and they did. The reality is that our surfers are experienced and don’t fault under pressure. And that’s what gave us the points to win the overall teams title.”
The day’s finals represented an emotional-packed climax to the pinnacle junior event for under 18 surfers, which saw over 250 elite competitors competing from 21 countries being reduced to only 12 finalists across the Under 18 and 16 boys and Under 18 girl’s divisions.
ISA President Fernando Aguerre said it was an amazing week.
“What a last heat, what a day, what a week,” said Aguerre. “It was an amazing week of surfing with a New Zealand warmth. But most importantly, it was about the surfing camaraderie. The ISA World Surfing tribe came together to celebrate surfing, and junior surfing. What a way to finish.”
Competitors taking advantage of the 3ft (1m) right-hand bowls on offer, busting out their full competition repertoires in front of a raucous, large crowd whilst battling it out for all-important medals.
The first final was a see-sawing battle with Australia’s Matt Banting (Port Macquarie, NSW) stamping his name on the world surfing stage by netting his maiden ISA world title in the Under 16 boy’s division.
Banting, 15, was the standout in the tricky conditions, netting an 8.30 and 7.60 with a barrage of vertical backhand turns to take the gold medal.
The talented young gun kept a level head in the high-pressure final, rising to the occasion to finish with a final-winning total of 15.90 (out of a possible 20) to beat American’s Jake Halstead (11.6), Hawaii’s Koa Smith (10.40) and Japan’s Hiroti Arai (10.24).
“I’m so happy,” said Banting. “It was a really hard final with a lack of waves. It changed just before we went out and I was lucky to get a couple of runners. It’s sick.”
Lennox Head star Wright continued Australia’s strong hold on the prestigious competition, retaining her Under 18 girl’s title in spectacular fashion.
Wright, who became the youngest ever surfer to win an ASP World Tour event, amassed a 16.00 two-wave combined total (out of a possible 20) to defeat Hawaii’s Alessa Quizon (12.74), South Africa’s Sarah Baum (9.72) and the USA’s Lakey Peterson (9.66).
“I feel on top of the world,” said Wright. “It’s two years in a row for me in one of the highest level of competitions there is. It was a tough final, so I’m just really happy with the result.”
But the talented Aussie didn’t have it all her own way, surviving a last minute comeback by Quizon.
The skilful Hawaiian boosting a big aerial on her second last ride to nail an 8.80 and keep her hopes alive.
Showing experience, Wright hit back accruing an 8.60 on her last wave to claim the gold medal.
“I kept to my own game plan,” said Wright. “Alessa (Quizon) did an air on one of her last waves, but I got a good one straight after. It felt unreal to be chaired by my team once I got to the beach. I feel privileged.”
In winning, Wright joined 3 x ASP World champion Stephanie Gilmore (Coolangatta, Qld) as only one of two surfers to have ever claimed back-to-back ISA World Junior Surfing Championship titles.
Wright added, “I’m lost for words,” she said. “I can’t say much more. I’m one of the happiest kids ever.”
With two Australian victories, the scene was set for an epic final. And what a spectacle it was.
Brazilian Gabriel Medina (Sao Paulo) blew away his competitors with a near-perfect final, netting the highest individual wave score (10) and two-wave combined total (19.90) of the event.
Backing up his third placing at the ASP World Pro Junior championships in Narrabeen two weeks ago, Medina was at his brilliant best, unleashing multiple high-flying aerial moves to smash Australian Jordi Watson (Currarong), Tahiti’s Tamaroa McComb and South Africa’s Beyrick De Vries.
Medina, who made it through to the final via the sudden-death repercharge round, finishing almost 5 points clear of Watson (14.92) in second, with McComb (14.90) in third and De Vries (12.96) in fourth.
“I’m feeling so good,” said Medina. “I’m so happy. The waves were so good for airs. I just love New Zealand.”
Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s hopes of a medal were crushed with both Sarah Mason and Ben Poulter being eliminated.
Mason was bundled out in repercharge seven of the Under 18 girls’ to snare a 8th place, while Poulter was edged out in repercharge round ten of the Under 16 boy’s division to finished 6th overall.
The host nation New Zealand finishing in 7th overall on 3686 points.
The Olympic style ISA Aloha Cup, which pits national teams against each other, was won by Team Australia yesterday.
Led by power surfer Watson and a team consisting of Tyler Wright, Tim MacDonald, Thomas Woods and Wade Carmichael, Australia took line honours with a combination of 62.97 points.
France (59.77) finished in second, with South Africa (50.34) in third and Hawaii (49.51) in fourth.
Pictures and video highlights are available in www.isaworldjuniors.com and Editorial rights free videos and images in high resolution are available in the following ftp:
FTP Server: ftp.isasurf.org
FTP Username: isasurf_media
Password: download1
MEDIA CONTACTS
Contact us, we´re here to serve you
Pablo Zanocchi
Media Manager
International Surfing Association
+64211780097
pablo@isasurf.org
Jake White
Media
Quiksilver Australia
Jake@surfingaustralia.com
Ben Kennings
Media Manager
Surfing New Zealand
+64212278732
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz
About the ISA
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing and all Surfriding activities, including Short Board, Longboard, Bodyboard, Kneeboard, Skimboard, Tow In and Stand Up Paddle surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since. The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA), and Karin Sierralta (Peru).
About Quiksilver (www.quiksilver.com)
Quiksilver is committed to providing tools for uncovering, expressing and expanding your personal style. Our aim is to foster the sense of individual expression and excitement - the stoke that is the essence of boardriding*. We're also here to spread the word because the only thing better than finding stoke is sharing it.
* Boardriding is about timing and style. It's youthful, active, casual, and free flowing. There is no wrong way to ride a board. The goal is simply to learn, progress, improve, and give it your own interpretation.
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