Pittwater Online News

The Ocean and Earth NSW Junior Surfing Festival took a different turn today as competitors attempted to claim a NSW Title for their respective schools as part of the NSW Junior State School Surfing Titles in clean two-foot waves at Lighthouse Beach.

 

Jack Murray (Southern Cross - Lennox Head) and Sandon Whittaker (Kincumber High – Avoca) went neck-and-neck for the Under-19 Boys All-Star Title with the lead pinballing back and forth and both surfers performing an innovative barrage of manoeuvres. Whittaker was able to take an early lead in the tightly contested final, however, Murray was able to take the upper hand in the midst of the battle thanks to an 8.33-scoring wave (out of a possible ten points). With time ticking down and Whittaker requiring an 8.51 wave score, a small left popped up that allowed Whittaker to perform four critical frontside snaps. When the scores averaged out from the judges, it locked in as the best wave of the heat, but fell short by 0.11 points and allowed Murray to retain the lead.

 

Alysse Cooper (NBSC Freshwater – Manly) claimed her second title in as many days, taking out the Under-19 Girls All-Star division. Cooper carried the same momentum that won her the Under-18 Girls NSW Junior Title in the Schools event, posting a 10.87 heat total (out of a possible 20 points). Cooper will join the Australian Junior Titles with fellow Northern Beaches local Sophia Chapman (Mater Maria – Narrabeen), who claimed second position.

 

Taj Watson (Coffs Harbour High – Coffs Harbour) cemented his position in the NSW Junior Team for the upcoming Australian Junior Titles, taking out the Under-16 Boys All-Stars. With less than two minutes on the clock, it seemed predestined that Keanu Miller (Bulli High – Bulli) would take the crown, however Watson was able to slingshot ahead thanks to a decent 7.67 wave score.

 

After finishing in the runner-up position in the Under-16 Girls NSW State Titles yesterday, Bodhi Leigh-Jones (Mater Maria – Avalon) went one step further for her school claiming the Under-16 Girls All-Star division. Leigh-Jones seamlessly linked together a chain of healthy turns to post a respectable 12.67 heat total.

 

The Ocean and Earth NSW Junior Surfing Festival will wrap up tomorrow with the completion of the MR Shield divisions in the Ocean and Earth NSW Junior State School Surfing Titles. The MR Shield will see two-person teams representing their respective schools.

 

The daily schedule and location will be confirmed via the event hotline at 6:45am each day. The event hotline is 0458 247 212.

 

All qualifiers for the Ocean and Earth NSW Junior State Titles were determined by eight individual regional titles, which took place up and down the NSW coastline earlier in 2016.

 

2016 is the sixth year Surfing NSW will combine the NSW School Surfing Titles into the event.

 

The event will be fully mobile in the Port Macquarie area with Town Beach, Flynns Beach, Light House Beach, Rainbow Beach (Bonny Hills) and North Haven Beach all venue options.

 

The nine-day event  ran from the 13th – 21st, July 2016, and included:

Australian Skin Cancer Clinic NSW Junior Longboard State Titles (13th - 14th)

Australian Kneeboard Titles Round 2 (13th - 14th)

Ocean & Earth NSW Junior State Surfing Titles (15th - 19th)

Ocean & Earth NSW Junior State School Surfing Titles (20th - 21st)

 

The Ocean and Earth NSW Junior Surfing Festival is proudly supported by Ocean and Earth, HIF, Australian Skin Cancer Clinics, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Big4 Bonny Hills Holiday Park, NBN, Toyota, Carve, Ohana Ocean Athletics and Surfing NSW.

Duke Kelleher (Shore - Freshwater) - Day 1 - photo by Ethan Smith / Surfing NSW

Bella Wilton (St. Lukes Grammar – Manly) - Day 1 - photo by Ethan Smith / Surfing NSW

Anne Dos Santos (Narrabeen Sports High - Dee Why) - Day 1 - photo by Ethan Smith / Surfing NSW

Alysse Cooper (NBSC Freshwater - Manly) - Day 1 - photo by Ethan Smith / Surfing NSW

 

1 – Jack Murray (Southern Cross - Lennox Head) – 15.50

2 – Sandon Whittaker (Kincumber High – Avoca) – 15.40

3 – Max McGuigan (Champagnat College - Maroubra) – 11.13

4 – Darcy Crump (Barrenjoey High - Avalon) – 5.74

1 – Alysse Cooper (NBSC Freshwater – Manly) – 10.87

2 – Sophia Chapman (Mater Maria – Narrabeen) – 9.43

3 – Bella Wilton (St. Lukes Grammar – Manly) – 7.57

4 – Kiara Meredith (Warilla High – Barrack Heights) – 6.90

1 – Taj Watson (Coffs Harbour High – Coffs Harbour) – 13.00

2 – Keanu Miller (Bulli High – Bulli) – 12.53

3 – Jay Brown (Woolooware High – Cronulla) – 10.37

4 – Finn Askew (St. Pauls Kempsey – South West Rocks) – 9.67  

1 – Bodhi Leigh-Jones (Mater Maria – Avalon) – 12.67

2 – Jessie Van Niekerk (Southern Cross Distance - Casuarina) – 9.14

3 – Anne Dos Santos (Narrabeen Sports High – Dee Why) – 8.50

4 – Jenna Cutting (Camden Haven High – Bonny Hills) – 6.30

Harmon Kassulke (St. Augustines College - Manly) Top Day1 - Below Day 2 - : photos by Ethan Smith / Surfing NSW

The Ocean and Earth NSW Junior Surfing Festival wrapped up in tricky one-foot peaks at Bonny Hills today as competitors surfed in two-man teams in an attempt to claim an NSW MR Shield Title for their school and earn a spot in the Australian Junior Titles.

 

Wade Clemens (North Entrance) and Jackson Roberts (Bateau Bay) claimed a coveted NSW MR Shield for Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College - Tumbi Campus, as both surfers put on a solid display of power surfing to claim the Under-19 Boys division. Both surfers posted wave scores in the seven-point range to claim the title and book themselves a position on the NSW Team for the Australian Junior Titles at Phillip Island. 

 

Jesse Van Niekerk (Casuarina) and Carly Shanahan (Wooli) both put on a stellar display of teamwork to claim the Under-19 Girls MR Shield Title. The two female team negotiated the tricky lineup and notched up a series of respectable scores to take the first place trophy back to the north coast.

 

Caleb Tancred (Avoca) and Lennox Chell (Avoca) made it a double-header victory for the Central Coast surfers claiming the Under-16 Boys division for Central Coast Grammar. Both surfers played a smart game in the final, using a range of tactical moves to keep themselves in the top position and make it a clean sweep for the Central Coast schools.  

 

Tomaree High School surfers Elle Clayton-Brown (Corlette) and Charlie Law (One Mile) took a narrow victory ahead of the sisters Nica and Ines Frayne from Pymble Ladies College in the Under-16 Girls division. While the Frayne sisters claimed one victory in their respective finals, Tomaree were able to claim the second final and take the title thanks to a higher overall heat total.

 

All qualifiers for the Ocean and Earth NSW Junior State Titles were determined by eight individual regional titles, which took place up and down the NSW coastline earlier in 2016.

 

2016 was the sixth year Surfing NSW will combine the NSW School Surfing Titles into the event.

 

The event was fully mobile in the Port Macquarie area with Town Beach, Flynns Beach, Light House Beach, Rainbow Beach (Bonny Hills) and North Haven Beach all venue options.

 

The nine-day event ran from the 13th – 21st, July 2016, with the festival included:

Australian Skin Cancer Clinic NSW Junior Longboard State Titles (13th - 14th)

Australian Kneeboard Titles Round 2 (13th - 14th)

Ocean & Earth NSW Junior State Surfing Titles (15th - 19th)

Ocean & Earth NSW Junior State School Surfing Titles (20th - 21st)

 

The Ocean and Earth NSW Junior Surfing Festival was proudly supported by Ocean and Earth, HIF, Australian Skin Cancer Clinics, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Big4 Bonny Hills Holiday Park, NBN, Toyota, Carve, Ohana Ocean Athletics and Surfing NSW.

 

1 – Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College Tumbi Campus (Wade Clemens – North Entrance and Jackson Roberts – Bateau Bay)

2 – Mackillop College (Judd Brown – Port Macquarie and Kai Mackenzie – Bonny Hills)

3 – Ulladulla High School (Chad Elkins – Lake Tabourie and Charlie Brophy – Ulladulla)

4 – Southern Cross Distance Education (Jack Murray – Lennox Head and Josh Van Niekerk – Casuarina)

Under-19 Girls MR Shield  

1 – Southern Cross Distance Education (Jessie Van Niekerk – Casuarina and Carly Shanahan – Wooli)

3 – JPC (Sharna Mcguigan – Coffs Harbour and Carly Shanahan – Sawtell)

1 – Central Coast Grammar (Lennox Chell - Avoca and Caleb Tancred – Avoca)

2 – Woolooware High School (Jay Brown – Cronulla and Finley Padman – Cronulla)

3 – Bulli High School (Keanu Miller – Bulli and Ben Walsh – Stanwell Park)

4 – Coffs Harbour High School (Taj Watson – Coffs Harbour and Kai Appleton – Coffs Harbour)

1 – Tomaree High School (Elle Clayton-Brown – Corlette and Charlie Law – One Mile)

4 – Camden Haven High School (Jenna Cutting – Lake Cathie and Charli George – Bonny Hills)

5 – Kiama High School (Samara Cox – Kiama and Taylor Byrne – Kiama)