GIRLS DIVISIONS GET UNDERWAY ON DAY TWO OF THE WOOLWORTHS NSW STATE JUNIOR SURFING TITLES.
RAINBOW BEACH, BONNY HILLS - Saturday, 15 July 2017
A decline in swell saw competitors in the 2017 Woolworths NSW State Junior Surfing Titles pres. by Ocean and Earth facing a day of challenging conditions as the first round of women’s divisions got underway.
The drop in swell size didn’t hinder north coast natural-footer Nyxie Ryan (Lennox Head) as she proceeded to nail an array of sections that came her way. Ryan performed a handful of textbook power-turns in her opening Under-16 Girls exchange to post a 17.06 two-wave heat total (out of a possible 20 points) and bypass the second chance repechage rounds.
Nyxie Ryan (Lennox Head) - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Sophia Chapman (Narrabeen), Bodhi Leigh-Jones (Avalon), Alyssa Lock (Tweed Heads), Chelsea Green (Taree) and Zoe Ifield (North Entrance) all made a solid impression on the first round of the Under-18 Girls with all surfers locking in a handful of decent scores to claim respective heat wins. All five surfers will move straight through to the third round of competition.
Alyssa Lock (Tweed Heads)
Desperate to seal a position back into the main round, Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen) went hell-for-leather in the Under-16 Boys repechage rounds, posting a near-perfect 9.00 ride. Thomson seamlessly linked a chain of giant forehand snaps to post the aforementioned score and edge one spot close to the main draw.
2017 WOOLWORTHS NSW STATE JUNIOR SURFING TITLES CLOSE IN ON TOMORROW'S FINALS.
Monday 17th July 2017
The 2017 Woolworths NSW State Junior Surfing Titles pres. by Ocean and Earth saw a day of triumphant victories, high scores and giant upsets as the event edged towards the final day of competition.
After a decent performance at the recent Occy Grom Comp at Duranbah, Carly Shanahan (Wooli) continued to showcase her powerful repertoire of turns in the Under-16 Girls quarterfinals. Shanahan unloaded a flurry of giant forehand snaps in the woman-on-woman heat, notching up a near perfect 9.5 – the highest single wave score of the event so far – to claim the heat ahead of Mackenzie Davidson (Shelly Beach). Shanahan will face Charli Hurst (Port Kembla) in the semi-finals tomorrow.
Day 4: Charli Hurst - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
George Pittar (Manly) continued to build on the momentum he showed in earlier rounds posting an impressive 16.5 two-wave heat total. Pittar showed seamless flow through his turns as he went toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow with fellow event standout Ethan Stocks (Coffs Harbour) who claimed the runner up position with a 16.13 heat total. Both surfers will feature in the man-on-man quarterfinals tomorrow.
Day 4: George Pittar - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Bodhi Leigh-Jones (Avalon), Alyssa Lock (Tweed Heads), Sophia Chapman (Narrabeen) and Tru Starling (Narrabeen) all claimed wins in their respective round three heats to cement a spot into the quarterfinals. All four winners will face off with the round three runner-ups in the two-woman quarterfinals when the event resumes tomorrow.
Day 4: Bodhi Leigh-Jones - photo by Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
Taj Watson (Coffs Harbour), Kurtis Vaughan (Bateau Bay), Jay Brown (Cronulla) and Max McGuigan (Maroubra) all put on impressive performances in the Under-18 Boys quarterfinals to earn a spot into the semi-finals. All four surfers will meet tomorrow and battle for the top two spots going into the final.
CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT THE 2017 WOOLWORTHS NSW STATE JUNIOR SURFING TITLES.
RAINBOW BEACH, BONNY HILLS
Tuesday, 18 July 2017
The fifth day of the 2017 Woolworths NSW State Junior Surfing Titles pres. by Ocean and Earth saw an action packed day of surfing as four new NSW Junior Champions were crowned.
After trying to claim a NSW title for the better part of a decade, Max McGuigan (Maroubra) achieved his goal today, claiming the Under-18 Boys division ahead of a blisteringly in-form Jay Brown (Cronulla). After spending a portion of the final on the ropes, McGuigan exploded in the later stages of the heat posting two above-average scores to post an impressive 15.34 two-wave heat total and take the top spot on the dais. As a result, McGuigan has earned a wildcard into the 2018 Australian Open of Surfing.
In an all Northern Beaches Under-18 Girls final, Sophia Chapman (Narrabeen) exploded to claim the title ahead of Bodhi Leigh-Jones (Avalon). Chapman remained busy in the battle, catching eight waves and notching up a 13.84 heat total. As a result, Chapman has earned a wildcard into the 2018 Australian Open of Surfing, a short drive away from her hometown of Narrabeen.
The Under-16 Boys division saw an all Central Coast dual with Lennox Chell (Avoca) facing Joel Vaughan (Bateau Bay) in the final. Vaughan was able to get an early lead thanks to an excellent 8.2 scoring wave (out of a possible ten points), however Chell used his backside repertoire to post the highest heat total of the event - a near-perfect 9.67 and a 9.00 ride - to give him a two wave total of 18.67 and shoot him into the top-spot.
After two semi-final finishes at the recent Occy Grom Comp and Skullcandy Oz Grom Open, Molly Picklum (Shelly Beach) was able to go the extra step in the 2017 Woolworths NSW State Junior Surfing Titles pres. by Ocean and Earth, taking out the Under-16 Girls. Picklum was able to find a handful of diamonds in the rough in the final, to post a two wave heat total of 14.16 and get the edge over fellow event standout Carly Shanahan (Wooli).
The prestigious seven-day event will run from Friday 14th – Thursday 20th July, 2017 and determine the qualifiers for the Havaianas NSW Junior Team for the 2017 Surf Dive N Ski Australian Junior Titles.
All qualifiers for the Woolworths NSW State Junior Surfing Titles pres. by Ocean and Earth were determined by eight individual regional titles, which took place up and down the NSW coastline earlier in 2017.
Former competitors in the Woolworths NSW State Junior Surfing Titles pres. by Ocean and Earth include current World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) surfers Owen and Tyler Wright, Matt Banting, Stuart Kennedy, Sally Fitzgibbons, Laura Enever, Ryan Callinan and Connor O'Leary.
The last two days of the event will comprise of the NSW School Surfing Titles.
2017 will be the seventh 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 daily schedule and location will be confirmed via the event hotline at 6:45am each day. The event hotline is 0458 247 212.
Future Australian surfing champions will receive further help to ride the wave to success, with Woolworths expanding its commitment to the sport to include Surfing Australia’s six affiliated State branches Woolworths State Junior Surfing Titles, with 18 events to be run nationally across 6 States in 2017/18.
At each event, Woolworths will connect its store teams with the sport and celebrate the next generation of champions in local communities in each state.
The Woolworths NSW State Junior Surfing Titles pres. by Ocean and Earth is proudly supported by Woolworths, Ocean and Earth, HIF, Australian Skin Cancer Clinics, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Big4 Bonny Hills Holiday Park, NBN, Toyota, Mothernest, Havaianas, Ohana Ocean Athletics and Surfing NSW.
Results:
Under-18 Boys
1 – Max McGuigan (Maroubra)
2 – Jay Brown (Cronulla)
Under- 18 Girls
1 – Sophia Chapman (Narrabeen)
2 – Bodhi Leigh-Jones (Avalon)
Under-16 Boys
1 – Lennox Chell (Avoca)
2 – Joel Vaughan (Bateau Bay)
Under-16 Girls
1 – Molly Picklum (Shelly Beach)
2 – Carly Shanahan (Wooli)
