NORTH NARRABEEN, Australia (Sunday, January 4, 2009) – Action continued today at Sydney’s North Narrabeen beach as the girls hit the two-to-three foot (1 metre) surf on offer for the opening three rounds of the women’s division at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.
The deciding event in the hunt for the undisputed ASP World Junior Title, the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships hosts the best junior surfers in the world from the seven ASP regions (North America, South America, Africa, Australasia, Hawaii, Europe and Japan) as well as wildcards from ASP International and Billabong, and today’s action bore witness to some major upsets as the women’s Quarterfinalists were determined.
Leila Hurst (HAW), 16, caused the biggest surprise of the day, defeating 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie Coco Ho (HAW), 17, in Round 3 of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships. Although the lead flip-flopped back and forth throughout the hotly-contested affair, it was Hurst’s electrifying backhand that netted her an 8.83 out of a possible 10 (the day’s highest single-wave score) in the dying minutes that saw the young natural-footer advance through to the Quarterfinals.
“The conditions were windy and I was looking for the lefts as they were the better waves running to the shore,” Hurst said. “The lead changed between Coco (Ho) and myself about five times. I have become much more confident now and I would love to make the Final, but at least the Semis - that’s my goal.”
Hurst will take on Diana Cristina (BRA), 18, in Quarterfinal 3 when Billabong ASP World Junior competition resumes.
Paige Hareb (NZL), 18, who will join the elite ranks of the ASP Top 17 this season, dominated today’s action with a convincing Round 1 victory before dispatching of feared 14-year old Tyler Wright (AUS) in Round 3.
“I’m No. 1 seed so I’m just playing off that confidence,” Hareb said. “I feel really strong at the moment coming off such a good year last year – hopefully I can continue that form into this event. Strategy doesn’t change competing against the women and juniors. I just try to do my best and get the two best waves.”
Hareb will face Courtney Conlogue (USA), 16, in the Quarterfinals when the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships continues.
Conlogue put in a banner effort throughout today’s proceedings, advancing through her Round 1 heat before handedly defeating Nikita Robb (ZAF), 19, in Round 3 with the day’s high heat total of a 15.67 out of a possible 20.
“I’m stoked to have made it through such a hard heat,” Conlogue said. “Surfing against all these girls is something which I’ve always aspired to. Although the conditions aren’t perfect, I felt really comfortable out there today. Hopefully I can take this momentum into the Quarterfinals.”
While no men’s action was held today, yesterday saw the opening eight heats of Round 1 completed and event organizers are hopeful that they could complete the back half in the projected increased swell tomorrow.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 6:30am for a possible 7am start.
Highlights from today’s Billabong ASP World Junior Championships will be available via www.BillabongPro.com
BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Pauline Ado (FRA) 14.17, Sage Erickson (USA) 12.73, Nikita Robb (ZAF) 12.67
Heat 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 10.67, Arini Mason (NZL) 8.57, Christa Alves (USA) 5.47
Heat 3: Paige Hareb (NZL) 14.17, Sayuri Hashimoto (JPN) 8.74, Nao Omura (JPN) 6.53
Heat 4: Alizee Arnaud (FRA) 15.00, Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 7.66, Tyler Wright (AUS) 7.47
Heat 5: Coco Ho (HAW) 11.37, Gabriela Leite (BRA) 11.34, Leila Hurst (HAW) 10.90
Heat 6: Diana Cristina (BRA) 14.67, Laura Enever (AUS) 13.00, Sarah Baum (ZAF) 10.07
BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Leila Hurst (HAW) 13.00, Nikita Robb (ZAF) 8.80, Nao Omura (JPN) 8.40
Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.50, Sarah Baum (ZAF) 8.84, Christa Alves (USA) 6.23
BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Arini Mason (NZL) 11.16 def. Sarah Baum (ZAF) 5.50
Heat 2: Pauline Ado (FRA) 12.54 def. Sayuri Hashimoto (JPN) 10.33
Heat 3: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.67 def. Nikita Robb (ZAF) 10.66
Heat 4: Paige Hareb (NZL) 11.74 def. Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.06
Heat 5: Leila Hurst (HAW) 13.66 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 11.10
Heat 6: Diana Cristina (BRA) 10.34 def. Gabriela Leite (BRA) 9.40
Heat 7: Laura Enever (AUS) 10.34 def. Alizee Arnaud (FRA) 10.16
Heat 8: Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 12.33 def. Sage Erickson (USA) 10.50
BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (WOMEN) QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Arini Mason (NZL) vs. Pauline Ado (FRA)
QF 2: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)
QF 3: Leila Hurst (HAW) vs. Diana Cristina (BRA)
QF 4: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Bethany Hamilton (HAW)
BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS REMAINING (MEN) ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 9: Dusty Payne (HAW), Travis Beckmann (USA), Dean Bowen (AUS)
Heat 10: Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Alex Ribeiro (BRA), Heifara-Peter Tahutini (PYF)
Heat 11: Casey Brown (HAW), Kai Barger (HAW), Koko Nakamura (JPN)
Heat 12: Charles Martin (GLP), Nobuyuki Osawa (JPN), Kaito Sekimoto (JPN)
Heat 13: Julian Wilson (AUS), Jayke Sharp (AUS), Casey Grant (ZAF)
Heat 14: Alejo Muniz (BRA), Medi Veminardi (REU), Nicholas Godfrey (ZAF)
Heat 15: Nat Young (USA), Lincoln Taylor (AUS), Shaun Joubert (ZAF)
Heat 16: Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Andrew Doheny (USA), Marc Lacomare (FRA)
The Billabong ASP World Junior Championships is proudly supported by Sony, Virgin Blue, Warringah Council, Waves, Von Zipper, Kustom, Nixon and ASP International.