Sideways here too

Hello Friends,

Surf situation in Sydney looks similar to here in California – ie really small. There were a few little ones again today for Santa Barbara surfers who made the trek or bike ride to Sands. Tide was kinda low when I was out so you were sort’ve hanging up momentarily on the rope like kelp. Imagine speed bumps while surfing. Water wasn’t too bad in 3/2 steamer and booties. I imagine our Victorian visitors brave worse much of the year.

Looking at the models for the week ahead in Sydney, you’d have to say that prospects are neither totally woeful nor terribly exciting. Looks like 15-20 kts of NE wind this afternoon could potentially give you a reason to check the semi-exposed northern ends for a little sideshore diversion. Tomorrow and Wednesday basically look to me as though they’ll be similar, if not a touch bigger than what you find today.

On this side of the ditch, we’re hoping for a little something again tomorrow in Santa Barbara, but the rest of the week looks like a continuation of the very small to flat conditions. Ah well.

Have yourself a top old day.

VIDEO:: Day 2 Highlights — Billabong ASP World Junior Championships at North Narrabeen

Day two of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships saw the best female talent from the eight ASP world regions (Europe, South Africa, South America, North America, Hawaii, Australasia, Asia – plus ASP International region), take apart the shifting peaks of North Narrabeen.

With the likes of Paige Hareb (NZL) and Arini Mason on song, Laura Enever (North Narrabeen, NSW) was the lone Australian remaining by days end.

Great performances from Bethany Hamiliton (HAW), Courtney Conlogue (USA) and Alizee Arnaud (FRA) also rounded out an excellent day of surfing.

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VIDEO:: Day 1 Highlights — Billabong ASP World Junior Championships at North Narrabeen

Day one of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships saw a melting pot of talent, from the eight ASP world regions (Europe, South Africa, South America, North America, Hawaii, Australasia, Asia – plus ASP International region), descend on North Narrabeen.

And what resulted was surfing of the highest order – with big scores, upsets and scintillating performances from the world’s best.

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ne windswell / ne wind combo

Didn’t look that great – disorganised and fairly ugly, but turned out better than it looked. ENE windswell into the 2-3ft range with some decent sets in amongst it. Wind lite offshore early, forecast to go NE and howl again today. Water temp pretty warm (19C) today but my expectations are high that it’ll have dropped a few degrees for the early tomorrow. Rosco.

Some little morning waves

I swear it’s not flat at Dee Why, right now. On the low tide, and it’s pretty low, some fun little waist-high fellas to be had but, if it’s anything like the last week’s been, by the time the tide rolls high, it’s flaterama. Plus, that dastardly nor’easter seems to be getting out of bed mighty early by my reckoning. 9:15 and the trees are already rustling and the water’s got a chop.

Mona Vale

Yeew i’m back on the reports. Mona is pretty good this morning, about shoulder high and fun nor-east swell. get out there if your around, or better still get out one of the other beaches!

Men Back On TODAY at Billabong ASP World Junior Championships

Heath Joske (AUS), 20, narrowly missed out on a Round 1 victory at North Narrabeen the other day and will now have to fight through an elimination Round 2 in the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.

NORTH NARRABEEN, Australia (Monday, January 5, 2009) – The remaining seven heats of the men’s Round 1 of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships are scheduled to hit the water this morning at 7am in excellent three-to-four foot (1 metre) surf at Sydney’s North Narrabeen with the hotly-contested elimination Round 2 to follow.

The deciding event in the hunt for the undisputed ASP World Junior Title, the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships completed the first half of the opening men’s round two days ago before determining the women’s Quarterfinalists yesterday.

“We’re starting with the remaining seven heats of the men’s Round 1 this morning at 7am with Round 2 to follow,” Al Hunt, ASP Tour Manager, said. “No girls surfing for today. The swell is up and growing. Three-to-four feet and excellent conditions. We will be doing as many men’s heats as we can today.”

First up will be Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Alex Ribeiro (BRA) and Heifara-Peter Tahutini (PYF) in Heat 10 of Round 1.

The Billabong ASP World Junior Championships will webcast LIVE scoring and audio via www.billabongpro.com beginning at 7am.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS REMAINING (MEN) ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:

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)

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)

1-2 feet of fun NE swell

We have 1-2 feet of NE swell with NE winds and a decent crowd already.  Tide is running out and it should be good now-ish (9am) and around dusk tonight.  Hopefully the period pushes out tomorrow and wednesday and we have some decent waves for a day or two but until then it’s short period mush. Typical summer stuff- enjoy.

Upsets Abound for Billabong ASP World Juniors Women’s Action

Courtney Conlogue (USA), 16, dominated her Round 3 heat today to advance through to the Quarterfinals of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships where she will meet 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie Paige Hareb (NZL), 18.

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

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.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)

Australians Dominate Day 1 of Billabong ASP World Junior Championships at North Narrabeen

Owen Wright (AUS), 18, posted the day’s high heat total, a 17.83 out of a possible 20, to advance directly into Round 3 of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.

NORTH NARRABEEN, Australia (Saturday, January 3, 2009) – The Billabong ASP World Junior Championships got underway this morning in three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves at Sydney’s iconic North Narrabeen beach with the Australians proving dominant in the challenging conditions.

The culmination of a year’s worth of domestic ASP Pro Junior Series, the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships is the premiere junior event in the world and the decider in the hunt for the ASP World Junior Title.

Owen Wright (AUS), 18, last year’s equal 3^rd place finisher at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships and an ASP International wildcard into this season’s affair, kicked off today’s campaign in sterling fashion, posting a 8.50 and backing it up with an 9.33 to take down Pierre-Valenti Aborde (FRA), 17, and Shota Nakamura (JPN) and advance directly into Round 3.

“I’m feeling really healthy right now,” Wright said. “I’ve been at home on the New South Wales South Coast ironing out the kinks in my surfing and body so I feel really good coming into this event.”

Wright’s 17.83 out of a possible 20 proved to be the highest heat total of the day and the progressive goofy-footer has his sights set on the ASP World Junior Title.

“I just tried to stay busy out there this morning,” Wright said. “I wanted to start well and attack everything and the scores came to me.”

Tamaroa McComb (PYF), 16, who now lives on the Gold Coast of Australia, wasted no time in the opening heat of the day, posting an impressive 8.17 and a 6.73 to defeat opponents Kiron Jabour (HAW), 17, and Heath Joske (AUS), 20.

“I felt really good out there,” McComb said. “It was the first heat of the event so it feels good to win and get through Round 3. I’m focused to do well and surf against the world’s best. That’s why I’m here.”

Wright and McComb were joined by fellow Australians Stuart Kennedy (AUS), 19, and Dean Bowen (AUS), 18, in their respective Round 1 victories.

While the home country dominated today’s proceedings, the visiting surfers from around the world had their moments as well.

Granger Larsen (HAW), 18, smashed the North Narrabeen righthanders with forehand flare to net an impressive 16.17, defeating opponents Jadson Andre (AUS), 20, and Heremoana Luciani (PYF).

“So stoked to get through that heat,” Larsen said. “It was a really gnarly heat. I drew the No. 1 seed and knew that it would be a tough ask in these small conditions. I feel really confident going through to the third round after that performance and am looking forward to the rest of the event.”

Tanner Gudauskas (USA), 20, equal 3^rd place finisher at last season’s Billabong ASP World Junior Championships, picked up where he left off last year, snatching victory from compatriot Cory Arrambide (USA), 19, and Andres Wurst (PER).

“That first heat was crazy,” Gudauskas said. “Cory (Arrambide) got off to such a good start, but I just got lucky I guess. I’m just taking it as it goes. It’s great to surf in this quality event. The competition is similar to the WQS competitions. I got 3^rdlast year, but now I want to better that result.”

Event organizers called competition off after the first nine heats of Round 1 and will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7:30am for a possible 8am start.

Highlights from today’s Billabong ASP World Junior Championships available via www.billabongpro.com

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS ROUND 1 RESULTS:

Heat 1: Tamaroa McComb (PYF) 14.90, Heath Joske (AUS) 12.10, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 7.04

Heat 2: Alex Lima (BRA) 11.13, Ricardo dos Santos (BRA) 10.50, Keito Matsuoka (JPN) 8.10

Heat 3: Magno Dias (BRA) 10.67, Rudy Palmboom (ZAF) 10.17, Klee Strachan (ZAF) 7.97

Heat 4: Owen Wright (AUS) 17.83, Pierre-Valenti Aborde (FRA) 11.60, Shota Nakamura (JPN) 7.26

Heat 5: Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 14.36, Blake Jones (USA) 14.30, Maxime Huscenot (REU) 11.50

Heat 6: Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK) 10.67, Tonino Benson (HAW) 10.33, Jules Thomet (FRA) 6.34

Heat 7: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 13.40, Cory Arrambide (USA) 12.40, Andres Wurst (PER) 6.54

Heat 8: Granger Larsen (HAW) 16.17, Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.50, Heremoana Luciani (PYF) 5.83

Heat 9: Dean Bowen (AUS) 12.16, Dusty Payne (HAW) 8.84, Travis Beckmann (USA) 4.60

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS REMAINING ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:

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)

BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 1: Pauline Ado (FRA), Nikita Robb (ZAF), Sage Erickson (USA)

Heat 2: Arini Mason (NZL), Courtney Conlogue (USA), Christa Alves (USA)

Heat 3: Paige Hareb (NZL), Sayuri Hashimoto (JPN), Nao Omura (JPN)

Heat 4: Bethany Hamilton (HAW), Alizee Arnaud (FRA), Tyler Wright (AUS)

Heat 5: Coco Ho (HAW), Gabriela Leite (BRA), Leila Hurst (HAW)
Heat 6: Laura Enever (AUS), Diana Cristina (BRA), Sarah Baum (ZAF)