Friday 17th July Waitpinga Beach South Australia: Despite freezing early morning conditions on the southern coastline of South Australia, excellent surf greeted competitors for the opening two rounds of the Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior in South Australia.

Having had the last couple of months as a mini break from the ASP Australasian Pro Junior circuit, competitors revelled in the clean offshore wind ideal 3 to 4 feet (1.5m) surf and Australasia’s top seeded pro juniors wasted no time in racking up the big scores.

Seventeen year old fast emerging talent from the South Coast of NSW Jordi Watson (Currawong/Sth Coast NSW) was the standout surfer of the day.

His fast committed surfing was rewarded with outstanding waves scores of a 9 and an 8.75 which was the day’s top scoring heat win of 17.75 out of a possible 20.

Watson is currently in 11th place on the ratings and well in reach of qualifying for the ASP World Junior Titles which are selected by placing in the top four on the season ratings.

“I’m definitely aiming at trying to qualify for the World Pro Junior championships” said Watson after his heat win.

“This event and next week’s event in Bali are super important to me and a lot of other surfers who are aiming to qualify…we’re all bunched together on points, it’s really close and these big events will sort us out for sure.”

At just 17 years of age Watson has three more years on this circuit but he’s not surfing these events with that in mind.

“Last year I surfed the Pro Junior season for experience but this year I’m out to win, I feel confident I can match the best on this circuit and that’s my aim .”

Chris Friend (Maroochydore/Qld) comfortably won his heat and like most of the highly seeded surfers is very much focused on improving his rating to try and ensure he qualifies for the ASP World Junior Championships.

“I’m in 5th place right now and I’m so focused on making the top four to qualify; Owen Wright virtually has the number 1 spot sealed but 2,3 and 4 is wide open with probably ten great surfers aiming to make it into those position” said Friend after his heat.

“It’s great to be back competing and to win my round two heat feels good but both this week and next week are super important events and I’ll be doing everything I can to get strong results.”

Davey Cathels (North Narrabeen) won his round two heat impressively, leaving his competitors chasing combinations of scores to try and catch him but despite the easy win there was an intensity in the 18 year old’s manner after the win.

“There’s pressure to qualify and I can’t get carried away with an early round heat win” said Cathels.

“The waves are good and I feel that helps my chances so I’ll just focus on the next round.”

Owen Wrights sensational year could well continue here. The defending Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior champion scored the days highest scoring ride of a 9.25 on a clean barrelling wave that saw the super talented goofy foot (right foot forward stance) disappear and then cleanly negotiate the tube.

Wright is undefeated on the Australasian Pro Junior circuit this year and has an unprecedented four wins from four events so far.

A top result here will almost guarantee him the season ratings title as he looks set to concentrate on also securing his position on the ASP World Tour for 2010 by travelling to the USA on Sunday to compete in the US Open. Wright is currently in third position on the ASP World Qualifying Tour, superbly positioned to win that tour as well.

“I’ve had a break from competing the past month which has been good to freshen up and at the start of that heat I was probably a little bit rusty and fell on my first two waves but then found some decent waves and got the scores ” said Wright.

South Australian surfers did not have such a great day today with 5 eliminated and one progressing.

The only South Australian surfer to progress was Khai Adams from Victor Harbour. Khai moved through to round three.

The girls have not surfed yet and two South Australian Girls remain in the draw, Brinkley Davies (Port Noarlunga) and Ellis Gilbert (Goolwa) and they will surf tomorrow.

The Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior is proudly supported by: Fantastic Noodles, Events South Australia, The Office of Recreation and Sport, Swellnet, Surfing South Australia, Surfing Australia, The Association of Surfing Professionals and Woolworths.

(Thursday 16th July 2009, Surfing SA HQ, Port Noarlunga) -  The second annual Association of Surfing Professionals Australasia (ASP Australasia)  Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior is in South Australia.

The event is currently on hold until 10:30am as contest organiser wait to see if the mornings messy conditions will improve.

The four day event is the sixth stop on the 2009 ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series, and carries a Grade Three boys rating and grade two girls with $26, 000 in prize money up for grabs.

The field consists of over one hundred surfers from the Australasian region, with each of the top twenty-two seeded riders making an appearance.
Pro Junior ratings leader Owen Wright (19 years/Lennox Head NSW) is amongst those making it to the event.
Wright, is having a stellar  year both in Australia and overseas and is widely regarded as the world’s most exciting emerging surfer.
He is rated first on the ASP Australasia Pro Junior series, second on the ASP World Qualifying Series, plus he gained a wild card to the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in April where he knocked out 9 times world champion Kelly Slater!
“It’s been a great year for me so far and to break up the intense competitive run  I’ve spent the last few weeks just free surfing on the remote Tallow Islands in Indonesia which has been great” said Wright.
“I’ve had a lot of success over the past two years in Sth Australia and I’m looking forward to good waves and a good event.”
The Fantastic Noodles top ten surfers include:
1)             Owen Wright, NSW
2)             Garrett Parkes, NSW
3)             Sam Wrench, NSW
4)             Christopher Friend, QLD
5)             Davel, Cathels, NSW
6)             Brent Savage, NSW
7)             Dean Bowen
8)             Jesse Adam, NSW
9)             Noah Lane, QLD
10)          Sam Lendrum, NSW

The girl’s contingent is also looking solid.  Top seed Tyler Wright (15 years old/Lennox Head NSW) is the current Australian and World Junior under 18 years surfing champion and last year became the youngest competitor to win an ASP World Tour Event  when she won the Beachley Classic in Sydney.
The Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior girl’s top 5 includes:
1)       Tyler Wright, NSW
2)      Laura Enever, NSW
3)       Angela Keighran, NSW
4)       Ashleigh Smith, NSW
5)       Kirby Wright, NSW
There is another strong representation from South Australian surfers making up a total of 20% of the field.  Teale Vanner is South Australia’s top rated surfer and last year had his best result at this event placing equal 5th, is looking to capitalise again on his home ground knowledge.
“I have been getting lots of waves in South Australia recently, so I am pretty psyched to surf as I know the banks down there pretty well” said Teale.
“Owen Wright is one of the biggest threats for anyone in the world right now, he is smoking everyone on the pro juniors even on the WQS.  Owen knocked me in the quarters last year so hopefully I can avoid him for as long as possible.”
Last year’s Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior was held in epic 1.5 – 2.0 metre waves at Waitpinga Beach, near Victor Harbor.  The inaugural event, was the first ASP rated surfing event in South Australia for more than ten years.  The boys division was taken by Owen Wright and the girls was taken by Paige Hareb.
The Fantastic Noodles Pro Junior is proudly supported by:  Fantastic Noodles, Events South Australia, The Office of Recreation and Sport, Swellnet, Surfing South Australia, Surfing Australia, The Association of Surfing Professionals and Woolworths.

Highlight pics from the 2008 Fantastic Cup Pro Junior, held in sterling 3-4ft beachbreaks at Waitpinga, South Australia. Hopefully we’ll see a repeat of the same conditions this year!