Torquay, VIC/AUS (Friday, January 3, 2014) –Day one of the Piping Hot Surf Festival opened the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Australasian 2014 season with good 1 meter (3 feet) surf delivering high performance surfing in the Pro Junior Men’s and Women’s divisions at Jan Juc Beach on Victoria’s Surfcoast.
While the waves allowed for good scores with an array of stand-out performances from Jacob Wilcox (Margaret River WA), Kai Hing (Sunshine Coast Qld), Jackson Baker (Newcastle/NSW), Soli Bailey (Byron Bay NSW) and Luke Hynd (Gold Coast/Qld), all the surfers who progressed through today’s early rounds were excited at the likely prospects of surfing excellent waves at Bells Beach over the coming three days.
“It was fun out there and it’s great to surf and win my opening heat for the 2014 season and I can’t wait to surf tomorrow at Bells Beach, it’s a much better wave than Jan Juc,” said Jacob Wilcox.
“There’s a great field of experienced surfers here and to surf against them is something I really look forward to, especially at Bells,” added Wilcox who last year made world headlines when he defeated Kelly Slater in an ASP World Championship Tour heat in Portugal.
Wilcox was the day’s highest scoring heat winner posting an impressive two wave heat total of 17.00 out of a possible 20.
Sunshine Coast Queensland surfers were prominent today as Kelly Norris, Kai Hing and Jack Duggan all comfortably advanced.
“I’m adjusting each surf to the much cooler water temperatures here,” said Duggan.
“I haven’t worn a wetsuit for months and you sort of need to adjust, but each surf it’s getting better and I’m pumped about the good swell being forecast through the weekend.”
Pro Junior Women’s round 1 and 2 were also run today and West Australia’s Bronte McCauley and Gold Coast’s Eden Putland both set a high standard with excellent wave and heat totals to easily win through both Rounds 1 and 2. Other impressive early round surfers included Grace Styman-Lane (NSW), Keely Andrew (Sunshine Coast/Qld) and Lucy Callister (Gold Coast/QLD).
The blue ribbon Open Men’s and Women’s Qualifying Series divisions are expected to enter the water at Bells Beach tomorrow with a rising swell and good winds expected throughout the weekend.
Former highly rated ASP World Tour surfers Jay Thompson (Gold Coast) and Nathan Hedge (Sunshine Coast) are the top two seeded surfers who are expected to begin their 2014 ASP seasons tomorrow.
Results Piping Hot Surf Festival Pro Junior Men’s Round 1: (Australian unless otherwise stated, surfers listed in finishing order)
Heat 1: Mitchell Parkinson , Jake Thompson, Jared Hickel
Heat 2: Kelly Norris, Will Harbison, Brendan Hay, Thomas Harrison
Heat 3: Josh Hay, Riley Laing, Dylan Totten, Harrison Steele
Heat 4: Matt King, Harrison Martin, Sean Kettle, Ned Smart
Heat 5: Elliot Paerata-Ried (NZL), Jordan Lawler, Blaine Robinson, Marc Fox
Heat 6: Johnnie Keith (NZL), Ryan Hunt, Darcy Crump, Quinn Bruce
Heat 7: Kai Hing, Kipp Caddy, Luca Elder, Jackson Coffey
Heat 8: Kalani Ball, Pama Davies, Dextar Muskens, Noah Cooney
Heat 9: Walter Hiatt, Jack Duggan, Dylan Rodgers
Heat 10: Jacob Wilcox, Harrison Mann, William Harrison, Kirra Green
Heat 11: Jackson Baker, Jake Snellgrove, Kurtis Herman, Jack Teague
Heat 12: Luke Hynd, Sheldon Simkus, Jesse Horner, Harry Musgrove
Heat 13: Soli Bailey, Cody Robinson, Liam Mortensen
Heat 14: Hamish Renwick, Louis Gillick, Korbin Hutchings, Tristan Forass
Heat 15: Chris Robinson, Nick Callister, Reef Hazelwood, Tom Wright
Heat 16: Jeames Young, Jack Reginato, McKenzie Brown, Nic Jones
Women’s Pro Junior Round of 16
Heat 1: Lucy Callister, Billie Melinz, Amiya Doyle, Zoe Clarke
Heat 2: Bronte Macaulay, Grace Styman-Lane, Stephanie Single, Brodie Doyle
Heat 3: Isabella Nichols, Keely Andrew, Holly Wawn, Holly-Sue Coffey
Heat 4: Eden Putland, Sophie Bernhard, Laura Poncini, Cali McDonagh
The Piping Hot Surf Festival is presented by the Victorian Government, Surfing Victoria, ASP Australasia and supported by Coastalwatch PLUS, K-Rock, Target and Team Up.
For more information log on to www.PipingHotSurfFestival.com