Friendly Fire

A Modern View Of Junior Surfing

Memoirs by Chris Friend

Friendy getting ferocious at the Spit. Pic: Shield

Bluebottle frontiers, Australia Day madness & small wave 25k blues

Queensland's sun-kissed beaches were this month invaded by hordes of junior surfers for the Hurley Burleigh Pro Junior, everyone with one thing on their minds: 25K's worth of cheddar.  Hurley made their intentions clear to push the prize money boundaries last year with the Hurley Pro at Trestles and US Open events, before bomb-shelling the money-hungry junior surfing world with news of another groundbreaking figure. Hurley's logic was simple: dump a lump of cash into the winners prize purse, headline media circles worldwide and ensure battles of seismic proportions in the water.

We awoke on day one of the event to lake-like conditions; with a humble northerly wind pushing the odd foot-high crest into Burleigh's lower point.  A few heats were pushed into the water, however manoeuvres were restricted by the exposed boulders and scores minimal.  To exacerbate the ocean's disappointing delivery, a special assault squadron of bluebottles leaves patrons groaning in pain, sprinting for the nearest hot water outlet in hope of first aid.


Friendy laying it on the line. Pic: Shield

"The travellator," I hear Adam Bennetts state to contest directors. "The jetty-side rip bank at the Southport Spit, my local, has been fun." And it was true. The Travellator, the stomping grounds of the North End Boardrider's finest, the Bennetts brothers, had been home to a fun wave for a few weeks. The Gold Coast had thrown the event a lifeline, and it was gladly taken by event director Scott Gilles.

The preliminary rounds were and effort with some upsets including the elimination of Garret Parkes, who expressed his post heat anguish by obliterating his board in front a group of shocked spectators.

By the time the event reached the quarter finals the draw was littered with a selection of internationals, all hoping to inject the sizable chunk of US Currency back into their home countries' struggling economies.


Dean Bowen's backhand bash. Pic: Shield

The spirit of Australia Day shone through, and the semi finals were an all Australian affair.  Blake Ainsworth, Dean Bowen, Mitch Crews and myself waxed our boards nervously on the morning of the finals, in preparation for our heats. The waves had dropped slightly; a 1-2ft peak all that remained. Despite the conditions, some big scores were dropped. Bowen put Ainsworth to bed in the first semi. This was followed by possibly the greatest match-up since Guy Sebastian took on Shannon Noll in the Australian Idol final of 2003: myself versus my good mate Mitch Crews. As the siren sounded I found myself in the final facing an in form Dean Bowen, while Crewsy was left to lament to no-one in particular, "what about me?"

Recapping the final is like pouring acid on a wound for me, making this hard to pen, but Dean's backhand reo's got the better scores on the day, leaving him with a 25K cheque, and me with a dented spirit and thoughts of lost investment opportunities ringing around my head.


“I’ve never won anything with my brother watching before, so this is awesome,” roared Bowen seconds after his brother had tackled him in the shorey. Pic: Shield

The series moves to Couran Cove on South Stradbroke Island next. Gale-force easterlies have been predicted, but the swell they push up will bring smiles to the faces of some very eager junior pro surfers.

See ya next time,
Friendy

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