Billabong Pro Junior Series Final: Canggu, Bali

By Barrie | August 3rd, 2007 | No Comments

The largest international contingent of U/21 surfers ever seen in Indonesia commenced competition in the deciding Billabong Pro Junior Series in highly contestable 1.5 metre (4ft) waves at Canggu in Bali today as Global Surf News reports.

The richest and final event of the three-event series saw unseeded but highly experienced surfers from Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia battle through two rounds for a berth against the top seeded surfers in round three.

Australia’s ‘King of the Groms’ Dean Bowen (Gerroa, NSW) kept that rhythm flowing that saw him claim victory in Sydney at North Narrabeen last weekend. The goofy footer turned on a powerful backhand display of vertical re-entries to easily advance through both rounds with convincing heat wins.

The 16 year-old posted the day’s top wave and heat score in round two by adding a near perfect 9.5 ride to his heat total of 18.23 (out of a possible 20). “The competition is super hard with all the internationals being unseeded and in the opening round,” said Bowen. “My best friend Enrique Aritu (Tahiti) just got knocked out in my heat despite doing some great surfing.”

“When the top seeds enter it’s just going to get that much tougher but it will be so exciting.” Rising Brazilian star Ricardo Santos turned on a dominate display of back-hand surfing with the wave sections allowing the seventeen year-old to maximize his full potential and post two of the days highest heats scores of 16.57 and 15.00 to also advance to the top seeded round three.
“I was relieved to get those opening two heat win,” said Santos.

“It’s my first time in Bali and also the first time I have surfed Canggu.” “There is such great talent here in Indonesia and they surf so fast, you just know they are going to be the next generation on the world tour. This event is going to get tough when the top seeds come in.”

Twelve year old future surfing superstar Creed McTaggert (Margaret River, W.A.) lived up to his hype by advancing through two rounds of the U/21 Pro Junior Division. The free flowing natural footer progressed in second behind 14 year-old Indonesian stand-out Kamong Putra Hermawan.

Bowen, McTaggert and Hermawan will all be contesting Billabong’s Bali Occy Grom Comp which is being staged in conjunction with the richest ever pro-junior event to be held in Indonesia. The ‘Occy’ Grom Comp is expected to get underway on Saturday.

One of the sports most famous Contest Directors Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew’s nephew Jeremy Scadden kept the family tradition alive by literally pulling the bunny out of the hat in his first role as Contest Director of a major international event. “It was nerve wracking with yesterday’s massive swell just pounding Canggu, to the point where we had to delay the start of competition by a day,” said Scadden.

“It was so great that it had dropped off as predicted and to arrive to four foot pumping waves this morning.” With double the ratings points on offer at Canggu the stakes have never been higher for local surfers contesting Indonesia’s U/21 tournament which will crown the 2007 ISC Pro Junior Champion.

Top seeds entering the water in round three include Mustofa Jeksen (Kuta, Bali), One Anwar (Lakey Peak, Sumbawa), Raditya Rondi (Bali), Made ‘Garut’ Widiarta (Bali), Heath Joske (Aus) and Nick Vasickek (Aus). The top ranked Indonesian at the end of the Series receives a coveted trials wildcard into the 2007 Billabong ASP World Junior Championships at North Narrabeen in Sydney.

The final event of the inaugural Billabong Pro Junior Series Indonesia at Canggu, Bali will be finalized on August 5th. A total of US$15,500 prize money has been on offer over the three event Series. An additional US300 will be up for grabs for the Best Kustomized Maneuver. The Occy Grom Comp will comprise of two divisions U/17 and U/14 boys.

The Billabong Pro Junior Series is supported by ISC, Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Coca Cola, Kustom footwear, Hawaiian Tropics, BSA and Von Zipper eyewear.