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QLD Junior State Titles - 2008/07/21 20:54
Quiksilver State Junior Titles - Qld - Queensland State Titles decided on the Sunshine Coast
Sunday, 20 July 2008
THE 2008 class of Queensland junior surfers have stamped themselves as future stars of the sport with the third and final leg of the Quiksilver Queensland State Junior Titles wrapping up on the Sunshine Coast today.
Coolum Beach provided the ideal forum with highly contestable 1-metre beach break waves on offer for a swag of the state’s hottest juniors as they battled it out for prestigious Queensland titles across four respective divisions.
The 14 surfers who will represent Queensland at the Quiksilver Australian Grommet Titles in Western Australia in December were also determined.
Coolangatta kid Jack Freestone showed he’s the real deal, sweeping past fellow Coolangatta surfers Thomas Woods and Ice Ryan along with Coolum’s Eli Criaco to net his third win in as many weeks in the final of the U/18 boy's division.
“I’m so happy,” said Freestone, who last week trumped the country’s top young guns to win the Occy’s Grom Comp on the Gold Coast before taking out the Gromfest at Lennox Head.
“I had a terrible start to this year's series, so I wanted to go out with a bang. I can’t believe I won.”
The 16-year-old natural footer established an early lead in the 20-minute final, netting a high scoring 8.25 from the judges to leave his opponents on the back foot.
With five minutes to go, Freestone put the result beyond doubt, nailing a heat high 9.25 to finish with a two-wave total of 17.25 to Wood’s 14.40.
Despite losing the day’s battle James Woods (Coolangatta) won the 2008 ratings war, sealing the U/18 boy’s state crown in convincing fashion.
After consecutive victories in the opening two events, Woods’ semi-final finish was enough to secure the title.
Woods finishing in the numero-uno position with 2555-points, well clear of Tim MacDonald in second, his brother Thomas in third and Freestone in fourth.
“I’m over the moon,” said Woods.
“My main goal this year was to secure the Queensland title. Although I didn’t win today I fulfilled my aspirations.”
Local star Nick Edgerton (Wurtulla) continued to raise the high performance bar in the U/16 boy’s final, unleashing a lethal attack of maneouvres to post a come-from-behind win against Sol Ryan (Coolangatta), Noa Deane (Coolangatta) and Trini Tonga (Marcus Beach).
Edgerton netted a pair of 7s (7.50 and 7.15) on his last two waves to finish with a total of 14.65 to Ryan’s 14.00.
Although finishing third in the day’s final, Deane surfed away with the U/16 boys’ state crown, narrowly in front of Edgerton.
In the blue ribbon U/18 girls’ final, Buderim star Dimity Stoyle jagged a double, trumping Naomi Stevic (Sunrise Beach) and Bridey McNeven (Tugun) to win the final round of the series along with a prestigious state title.
Turning the tables on reigning state champ McNeven, Stoyle accrued 2730 rating points to outpoint Stevic (2580) in second with McNeven (2460) in third.
Currumbin’s Eden Putland capped off her ’08 campaign in style, defeating Coolangatta twins Amiya and Brodie Doyle as well as Caloundra’s Ashley Goodall to secure victory in the U/16 girls’ division along with bagging an exclusive Queensland title.
The day's title winners now join a who’s who of the Queensland surfing scene that have netted state junior titles including reigning world champion Mick Fanning (Coolangatta), world no.2 Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta), world no.3 Bede Durbidge (Currumbin) and world tour competitor Dean Morrison (Coolangatta).
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