 |
| Australian Longboard Titles |
|
|
|
|
| Bob Monkman takes a popular win in the over 55's at the Australian Longboard Titles in WA |
|
|
|
A perfect spring day with near on perfect performances and a clean 1.5 to 2 m swell had competitors and spectators awestruck on what some described the perfect playing field for an event.
The event has been memorable in more ways than one with huge conditions during the early part of the week that saw a total of 24 surfboards broken at the event. Out of these 14 were destroyed during competition and 10 in free surfing around the contest. As boards were binned and some repaired, one thing visiting competitors have learned, that you do not underestimate the power of the Indian Ocean.
In the blue ribbon division, the open mens final, it was Jackson Close from Queenslands Gold Coast who opened his account early with a score of 7.25 points out of a possible ten for his first wave. Close linked together a series of manouvres that saw him hold the lead until the twelve minute mark of the thirty minute final.
With no one yet to challenge Close for the lead, current World Champion Josh Constable (Sunshine Coast, QLD) decided to make his move. Constable stroked into one of the bigger right hand waves of the day to pull into a sensational looking barrel that opened right up to allow him to find some shade from the scorching West Australian sun and to also thrust him into the lead.
Rewarded with a total score of 8.00 for his efforts Constable was about to show why he is the current World Championship title holder.
While Jarryd Foster (Yallingup, WA), Ray Lawrence ( NSW) and Close gave Constable a good nudge, Constable further cemented his position for first with his second high scoring ride produced in the dying five minutes of the final.
Posting a 8.50 points, Constable just snuck in front of Close by just 2.40 points leaving Close to post a 9.93 point ride to knock him from the lead. It was not to be for Close and Constable was crowned the open national title champion.
“It’s just such a great vibe down here and such a beautiful place. A spectacular lightning show last night and rain had me wondering what the final day would bring and when I awoke this morning to a perfect day it was just a bonus. Great waves for the final and a great day, I’m stoked to win in this type of environment,” said Constable.
The open womens final did not disappoint either with Claire Finucane (Melville WA), Emma Wilson (Jan-Juc, VIC), Arlene Nagtzaam (Yallingup, - WA), and Kirsty Webster (Banora Point, -NSW) not giving each other any room for error. In an intense final that saw the girls jockeying for position in the lineup and asserting dominance for right of way it was a case of WA’s Claire Finucane who reaped the rewards.
Finucane showed why she is a past multiple National title holder, where in 2001 and 2003 she won the event and has now taken the title for a third time in 2006.
She went to town on the long winding walls of Yallingup and basically wrote her name on the wave faces as the winner in a power driven, precision performance.
Posting a 6.90pt scoring ride and an 8.35pt ride for her two high scoring rides Finucane never looked back and dominated the later part of the heat to win another title.
“It was pretty hard going at the beginning of the final everyone was eager to get a wave early and anything that looked like one created a frenzy. There were some good ones out there, but you had to wait for them. I’m pretty happy with the win and having my mum there to watch me is great, she was also stoked. It’s been a great event with always something to do at night based around the event”, said Finucane.
Perhaps the most outstanding performances came in the Funs Back Surf over 55 mens with West Australian Bob Monkman posting the highest score of the event a 9.25 pts to win his third National title.
Monkman received standing applause upon reaching the beach signifying a well deserved win, even though no one would know the outcome till the presentations at 8pm that evening, it was more than obvious he had claimed another title.
In the other 60 final competitors surfed two finals and the overall total of points accumulated produced the winner. Barry McGuigan (NSW) won the first final while Dave Ellis (WA) won the second, but it was 77 year old McGuigan who won the title with his overall point score.
Ben Fesseley (QLD) produced the goods to win the Sunsmart junior final with Rani Bartlett (NSW) taking out the Pacific Finance junior womens.
In the Zentner shipping over 35s mens Adam Lane (WA) had a convincing win along with Sharon Jackson (QLD) who won the over 35 womens division final.
Glenn Cuningham (QLD) took the title in the over 40 mens with Brian Thompson (VIC) winning the over 45 mens and Ric Chalmers (NSW) taking home the trophy for the over 50 mens.
Queensland won four National titles at the event New South Wales and Western Australia three and Victoria one.
As well as the number of most individual titles Queensland also took the holy grail of the event winning the teams challenge with Western Australia second.
FINAL RESULTS
OPEN MENS
1. Josh Constable, - QLD,2. Jackson Close – QLD, 3. Jarryd Foster – WA, 4. Ray Lawrence - NSW
OPEN WOMENS
1. Claire Finucane – WA, 2. Emma Wilson – VIC, 3. Arlene Nagtzaam - WA , 4. Kirsty Webster –NSW
SUNSMART JUNIOR MENS
1. Ben Fesseley – QLD, 2. Bryce Young, - NSW, 3. Bowie Pollard, - QLD, 4. Nicholas Farago, - NSW
PACIFIC FINANCE JUNIOR WOMENS
1. Rani Bartlett – NSW, 2. Grace Clifford – WA, 3. Jade Foster – WA, 4. Freya Hogarth – Tas, 5. Ella Bahen - WA
OVER 35 WOMENS
1. Sharon Jackson – QLD, 2. Arlene Nagtzaam – WA, 3. Samantha Vanderford – WA, 4. Kirsty Webster -NSW
ZENTNER SHIPPING OVER 35 MENS
1. Adam Lane, -WA, 2. David Barlow, - WA, 3. Dean Cristallo, - NSW, 4. Jason Jewrey, - NSW
OVER 40 MEN
1. Glen Cunningham, - QLD, 2. Kevin Anderson, - WA, 3. Richard Smith, - NSW, 4. Brett Merrifield, - WA
OVER 45 MEN
1. Brian Thompson, - VIC, 2. Ray Barker, - WA, 3. Barrie McKinnon, - WA, 4. Paul Milroy, - QLD
OVER 50 MEN
1. Ric Chalmers, - NSW, 2. Chris Fullston, - WA, 3. Phil Baggs, - NSW, 4. Mike Pimm, - NSW
FUNS BACK SURF OVER 55 MEN
1. Bob Monkman, - WA, 2. Mick Marlin, - WA, 3. Fuz, Gordon - QLD, 4. Bruce Channon, - NSW
OVER 60 MEN
1. Barry McGuigan, - NSW, 2. Ross Caslick, - NSW, 3. David Ellis, - WA, 4. Jack Triep, - Vic
TEAMS EVENT
Queensland
Western Australia
The 21st Annual Longboard National Titles is proudly brought to you buy Events Corp Western Australia, Sunsmart, Tooheys Extra Dry, Department of Sport and Recreation WA, Lotterywest, 92.9, Surfing Western Australia Coca Cola, Surfing Australia, Yallingup Beach Holiday Park, Pacific Finance Australia, Mainpeak, Zentner Shipping and Funs Back Surf.
|
|
|
|
Wind, tides, UV ratings, air temps and outlook provided by
