Cooper Chapman (Narrabeen, NSW/AUS) and Bronte Macaulay (Margaret River, WA/AUS) have taken out the men's and women's divisions of the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior at Surfest Newcastle today.
Chapman defeated Matty King (AUS) (13.55), Kanoa Igarashi (USA) (11.65) and Jackson Giles (AUS) (8.35) in the four man Final. Chapman's dominance in the Final was stamped inside the first minute when he scored a 9.75 (out of a possible 10) and he followed that impressive effort with 7.25 just three minutes later.
The result was all but secured inside the first five minutes of the 25 minute heat.
"Just after the heat started there was a left bomb. I snapped a good turn and knew it'd score well in those conditions," Chapman said. "I was saying they should have called it off. Dad rang me and said we were going to get smashed by a southerly and seeing the swell was coming from the north-east I just thought it was going to be a total mess. I did the maths and figured we'd get $312 each if they called it off at the Quarters. I wasn't concerned about the points so much but hey, now I've got the two grand for winning and I'm glad they didn't call it off."
Chapman said he was staying in Newcastle with a relative and was focused on this week's 6-Star Burton Toyota Pro which starts tomorrow at Merewether beach.
The last remaining Newcastle local surfer Kurtis Herman, and form surfer of the event over the past two days, Leonardo Fioravanti, were both eliminated in the Quarterfinals.
The women's final played out with light offshore winds fanning small, but glassy conditions. Macaulay (16.25 out of a possible 20) defeated Holly Wawn (13.9 out of a possible 20) from Sydney's northern beaches.
Macaulay, a 20-year-old goofy-footer who hails from Gracetown around 20 kilometres north of Margaret River in Western Australia, was cheered on by friends and family including her coach, father and former professional surfer Dave Macaulay.
Despite the day's competition being plagued by constant drizzle, small waves and long delays, Macaulay stayed focused on the task at hand and remained determined to go one better than her previous performance at last week's Hurley Pro Junior in Sydney where she finished runner-up.
"I don't think they were the smallest waves I have surfed in a competition, but they might have been the slowest." Macaulay said. "There was a bit of scrambling around, but my third wave in the final sat up and gave me a good ride."
Macaulay was rewarded with a 9.00 (out of a possible 10) for that effort in the final. She also had the highest individual wave score of the entire competition - a 9.40 (out of a possible 10).
She will remain in Merewether for the week, as she has a berth in the ASP 6-Star Hunter Ports Women's Classic which commences at Merewether beach tomorrow morning.
Action will recommence tomorrow at Merewether beach, Newcastle at 7.30.
For more information, live scores and photos log on to www.surfest.com
Cooper Chapman and Bronte Macaulay Reign Supreme at the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior
WSL
Cooper Chapman (Narrabeen, NSW/AUS) and Bronte Macaulay (Margaret River, WA/AUS) have taken out the men's and women's divisions of the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior at Surfest Newcastle today.
Chapman defeated Matty King (AUS) (13.55), Kanoa Igarashi (USA) (11.65) and Jackson Giles (AUS) (8.35) in the four man Final. Chapman's dominance in the Final was stamped inside the first minute when he scored a 9.75 (out of a possible 10) and he followed that impressive effort with 7.25 just three minutes later.
The result was all but secured inside the first five minutes of the 25 minute heat.
"Just after the heat started there was a left bomb. I snapped a good turn and knew it'd score well in those conditions," Chapman said. "I was saying they should have called it off. Dad rang me and said we were going to get smashed by a southerly and seeing the swell was coming from the north-east I just thought it was going to be a total mess. I did the maths and figured we'd get $312 each if they called it off at the Quarters. I wasn't concerned about the points so much but hey, now I've got the two grand for winning and I'm glad they didn't call it off."
Chapman said he was staying in Newcastle with a relative and was focused on this week's 6-Star Burton Toyota Pro which starts tomorrow at Merewether beach.
The last remaining Newcastle local surfer Kurtis Herman, and form surfer of the event over the past two days, Leonardo Fioravanti, were both eliminated in the Quarterfinals.
The women's final played out with light offshore winds fanning small, but glassy conditions. Macaulay (16.25 out of a possible 20) defeated Holly Wawn (13.9 out of a possible 20) from Sydney's northern beaches.
Macaulay, a 20-year-old goofy-footer who hails from Gracetown around 20 kilometres north of Margaret River in Western Australia, was cheered on by friends and family including her coach, father and former professional surfer Dave Macaulay.
Despite the day's competition being plagued by constant drizzle, small waves and long delays, Macaulay stayed focused on the task at hand and remained determined to go one better than her previous performance at last week's Hurley Pro Junior in Sydney where she finished runner-up.
"I don't think they were the smallest waves I have surfed in a competition, but they might have been the slowest." Macaulay said. "There was a bit of scrambling around, but my third wave in the final sat up and gave me a good ride."
Macaulay was rewarded with a 9.00 (out of a possible 10) for that effort in the final. She also had the highest individual wave score of the entire competition - a 9.40 (out of a possible 10).
She will remain in Merewether for the week, as she has a berth in the ASP 6-Star Hunter Ports Women's Classic which commences at Merewether beach tomorrow morning.
Action will recommence tomorrow at Merewether beach, Newcastle at 7.30.
For more information, live scores and photos log on to www.surfest.com
Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior
Both the men's and women's divisions of the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior got underway in clean waves at Merewether beach today.
When word spread through the tight-knit Newcastle surfing community that the Surfest Pro Junior was in danger of being cut from the event
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