ADVERTISEMENT

Quarterfinalists Decided at the CHIKO Pro Junior

Conditions were once again favourable for day three of the CHIKO Pro Junior at Newcastle’s Surfest Matt Banting will now face Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) of Mauritius when competition resumes tomorrow.
Conditions were once again favourable for day three of the CHIKO Pro Junior at Newcastle’s Surfest

Matt Banting will now face Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) of Mauritius when competition resumes tomorrow. Pic Redmonkey.

NEWCASTLE, NSW/Australia (Saturday, March 10, 2012) – Conditions were once again favourable for day three of the CHIKO Pro Junior at Newcastle’s Surfest as the field was culled to just eight men and eight competing for the CHIKO Pro Junior title. Most of the surfing action occurred 150 metres to the north of Merewether Point, with 1.5 – 2 metre peaks on offer. Seven nations will be represented in Sunday’s Quarterfinals – Australia, Brazil, Mauritius, South Africa, New Zealand, France and Portugal.

Matt Banting (AUS) remains one of the event’s major threats, taking down some big names on the way to his Quarterfinal berth. The Port Macquarie local will now face Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) of Mauritius when competition resumes tomorrow.

“It was a bit tricky out there today,” Banting said. “I watched the heats and was thinking the lefts were the best, but when I got out there, I ended up surfing the rights. You have to make your decisions according to the conditions.”

Jordin Watson (AUS), currently sitting in 9th position of the ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series ratings, is the only other Australian left in the men’s draw after the internationals took the rest out in an exciting day of competition today. Watson progressed to the Quarterfinals by eliminating some of the events top performers Brazilian Filipe Toledo (BRA) and South African Michael February (ZAF).

“The Brazilians sat on top of each other a bit and I was keeping clear of that,” Watson said. “The lefts looked like better scorers and that was the way it unfolded – it was a bit unlucky for (Filipe) Toledo now he’s out of the comp. The move he made in the earlier heat was probably the best thing I have ever seen in surfing.”

Toledo had the crowd, his fellow competitors and the judges in awe earlier in the day after launching two massive backhand air-reverses on the same wave – earning the third perfect 10-point-ride of the 2012 CHIKO Pro Junior. Toledo followed that wave up with a 9.1 to record the event’s top heat score of 19.1 (out of a possible 20). Although he’s been eliminated you can expect to see Toledo back next week to compete in the ASP 6-Star Burton Toyota Pro.

The Australian contingent is better represented in the CHIKO Pro Junior Women’s event, where six of the eight surfers are from the hosting nation.

Philippa Anderson (AUS) is the only local surfer left in contention, and will meet Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) from Crescent Head in tomorrow’s Quarterfinals. Anderson is currently ranked 2nd on the ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series and is the 2011 series Champion.

“We haven’t had good waves around here for a while so it’s great to score some for the CHIKO Pro Junior!” Anderson said. “To show the world that the waves here at home are great is special. It feels great to be into the Quarterfinals, I want to do well on the Pro Junior Series again this year, and a good result here is also a big confidence boost for next weeks ASP 6-Star Hunter Ports Women’s Classic.”

Newcastle’s Surfest will run from 8 – 18 March 2012. More info http://www.surfest.com

UPCOMING MEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR QUARTERFINALS:
QF 1: Matt Banting (AUS) vs. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)
QF 2: Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) vs. Johnny Hicks (NZL)
QF 3: Ian Gouveia (BRA) vs. Jesse Mendes (BRA)
QF 4: Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) vs. Jordin Watson (AUS)

UPCOMING WOMEN’S CHIKO PRO JUNIOR QUARTERFINALS:
QF 1: Naomi Stevic (AUS) vs. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
QF 2: Joanne Defay (FRA) vs. Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)
QF 3: Kirsten Ogden (AUS) vs. Audrey Styman-Lane (AUS)
QF 4: Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) vs. Philippa Anderson (AUS)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
SUBSCRIBE TO TRACKS
A bi-monthly eclectic tome of tangible surfing goodness that celebrates all things surfing, delivered to your door!
SUBSCRIBE NOW
HAPPENINGS
Your portal to cultural events happening in and around the surfing sphere.
Find Events
SUBSCRIBE TO TRACKS
A bi-monthly eclectic tome of tangible surfing goodness that celebrates all things surfing, delivered to your door!
SUBSCRIBE NOW
HAPPENINGS
Your portal to cultural events happening in and around the surfing sphere.
Find Events

LATEST

Ellie Harrison's dream CT debut just got a whole lot more dreamy.

Pairing Italy's famous delicacies with a healthy dose of barrels.

The formation of Goons of Doom, why you should get pissed at their gigs and what a band with Occy, Steph Gilmore, Yago Dora and Jacko Baker would sound like.

ADVERTISEMENT

PREMIUM FEATURES

Bestowing the highest praise upon a surfer.

An edited extract from ‘The Immortals of Australian Surfing’ by Phil Jarratt.

How a land-locked mainlander chased ocean dreams to the North Shore lineups and beyond.

TRACKS PREMIUM

Get full access to every feature from our print issues, read classic Tracks issues from the 70s, 80s and 90’s, watch all of our classic films & more …

TRACKS PREMIUM

Get full access to every feature from our print issues, read classic Tracks issues from the 70s, 80s and 90’s, watch all of our classic films & more …

CLASSIC ISSUES

A threat to Angourie, the death of vibes, and a tongue in cheek guide on how to become a surf star.

PREMIUM FILM

YEAR: 2008
STARRING: JOEL PARKINSON, MICK FANNING AND DEAN MORRISON

This is the last time the original cooly kids were captured together and features some of their best surfing.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

PRINT STORE

Unmistakable and iconic, the Tracks covers from the 70s & 80s are now ready for your walls.

Tracks
Kandui Resort Interstitial