Surfing Queensland

North Stradbroke Turns It On For Arnette Queensland Junior Surfing Titles

01/7/2009

AN increase in swell overnight saw the final day of competition at the Arnette Queensland Junior Surfing Titles conclude in style as competitors in the Under/16 and Under/18 boys and girls divisions revelled in the offshore 1.5m to 2m conditions at North Stradbroke Island’s Main Beach.

‘Coolangatta Kid’ Jack Freestone continued his impressive form with an emphatic display of technical surfing to secure the title in the blue-ribbon U/18’s boys division. Freestone now holds a commanding lead in the series ratings points after claiming victory in last month’s opening event on the Gold Coast. Freestone’s selection in the state team to represent Queensland at the Arnette Australian Surfing Titles in November now appears imminent.

“Before the last Arnette [Queensland Junior Surfing Titles] event, I hadn’t won an event for a while so it’s good to get another win and get back into some rhythm,” Freestone said.

“I’m really looking forward to hopefully making the Queensland team for the Australian Titles,” he said.

Coolangatta’s Harry Wheeler stated his claim as a possible U/16 boys series champion after he upset a star-studded final consisting of the State’s best up-and-coming surfers. In unusual circumstances, Wheeler contested four heats against fellow Coolangatta surfer and number-one seed Noa Deane on his way to victory. Wheeler had a combined two-wave score of 17.57 in the final and left fellow finalists Noa Deane 10.66, Harry Bryant 8.4 (Sunshine Beach) and Eli Steele 7.57 (Shelly Beach) requiring combination scores.

In the U/18 girls, Point Lookout’s Clasje Goebel used all her local knowledge and scored an impressive 11.57 to outclass Amiya Doyle (Coolangatta), Naomi Stevic (Castaways Beach), Chiana Ireland and Charlie Roach (Maroochydoore).

Sophie Callister (Noosaville), upset series leaders Eden Putland (Currumbin) and Snapper Rocks ripper Brodie Doyle in the U/16 girls division. The closely contested division means the final series event on the Sunshine Coast in August is shaping up as a shootout for selection in Queensland’s State team.

Series winners will join a prestigious group of Queensland surfers that have won state junior titles, including 2007 World Champion Mick Fanning (Coolangatta), current World no.1 Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta) and ASP World Tour competitors Bede Durbidge (Currumbin) and Dean Morrison (Coolangatta).

Top seeds from events 1 and 2 will be eligible to compete in the final event on the Sunshine Coast on August 8-9. The top 24 rated - U/16 and U/18-year-old boy surfers and the top eight U/16 and U/18-year-old girl surfers will be invited to contest the final event.

Final results can be found at www.surfingqueensland.com

The Arnette Queensland Junior Surfing Titles are proudly supported by WAECO, Australia’s Surfing Life (ASL) Magazine and Surfing Queensland.

U/18 Winner Jack Freestone floats a Main Beach left

Harry Wheeler claimed victory in a star-studded final in the U/16 boys