Sunshine Coast Surfers Reign Supreme at the 2007 Na Papa State Longboard Titles
Sunshine Coast surfers reigned supreme in the 2007 Na Papa Queensland State Longboard Titles held at Marcoola Beach, Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Coast surfers clearly dominated the 2007 Na Papa Queensland State Longboard Titles over their Gold Coast and Capricornia coast opponents held in contestable waist high beach breaks at Marcoola Beach, Sunshine Coast today. Local surfers made a clean sweep of the open and junior finals winning 6 out of the 11 finals. Mudjimba’s Ben Fesselet, 18 years, and a former u/18 champion won the highly competitive opens men’s final. Despite loosing his board half way in the final, his second wave set him up for a win and then Fesslet sealed the deal with an 8.2 and two minutes to go finishing 1st on 16.45 out of 20 points.
“This is my first step up into the opens and it was great to win on my home break and win my first opens men’s state title,” said the goofy footer who got off to a commanding start with a 8.25 on his second wave to hold the lead for the remainder of the final despite a concerted effort from the lone Gold Coaster Mark McNammara who had won the 0/40’s final. Noosa’s Trent Dickey was in the hunt with an 8 point ride but fell short on his second wave 6.55 while McNammara's two wave combination of 7.75 and 7.00 gave the Gold Coaster runner-up position edging Dickey into third by less than ¼ of a point. Mitch Surman who had won the u/18 boys final settled with 4th in the open men’s final.
The surfer of the event was 17 year old Monique Keane of Moffat Beach, the only competitor to win two finals. The stylish goofy footer used her forehand advantage on the wave scoring left-handers to win both the opens and under 18 women’s final and write herself into the history books. Keane was an unamious winner in the u/18's from Currumbin's Bianca Anstiss, the defending u/18 State champion But the open women's final was far more competitive with the lead changing countless times with all four finalists contending, however it was Keane's smooth longboard surfing skills that impressed the judges.
“I didn’t expect it! This is such a surprise to win both finals, I just got lucky on the left-handers and now I can’t wait to go to the Aussies” said Monique who will represent Queensland at her first Australian Longboard Titles at Port Macquarie in October. Keane held off a late charge from Rainbow Bay’s Selby Riddle to out point her Gold Coast rival by less than a point.
Australian 0/35 women’s champion Sharon Jackson (Alexandra Headland) was on track for the double in the opens and over 35 finals, winning the o/35 women’s final, Jackson struggled with wave selection in the opens to finish third.
Damian Coulter (Mountain Creek) won the o/35 men’s final and scored the best wave of the event, a 9.80 in o/35 semis’ to pick up the $500 cash prize from Coastalwatch.com
While the Sunshine Coast won 6 out of the 11 finals, Gold Coast picked up three wins with Mark MacNamara (Currumbin) in the o/40’s, Mick Riddle (Rainbow Bay) in the/45’s, and Robye Deane (Coolangatta) in the o/55’s while Bargara’s Graeme Jenkin won the o/50 final and Brisbane’s Neville Smith won the o/60’s.
The next stop on the longboard tour is this weeks 24th Annual Malfunction Surfing Festival to be held at Rainbow Bay, Gold Coast, starting Wednesday, 9th – 13th May.
For further info contact Andrew McKinnon on 0412754974
Results:
Open Men’s:
1st Ben Fesselet (Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast) - 16.45
2nd Mark MacNamara (Currumbin, Gold Coast) - 14.75
3rd Trent Dickey (Noosaville, Sunshine Coast) - 14.15
4th Mitch Surman (Buderim, Sunshine Coast) - 11.85
Open Women’s:
1st Monique Keane (Moffat Beach, Sunshine Coast) - 11.75
2nd Selby Riddle (Rainbow Bay, Gold Coast) - 11.00
3rd Sharon Jackson (Alexandra Headland, Sunshine Coast) - 10.35
4th Debbie Boggis (Currumbin, Gold Coast) - 10.25
Under 18 Boys:
1st Mitch Surman (Buderim, Sunshine Coast) - 16.25
2nd Luke Potter - 12.60
3rd Clinton Guest (Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast) - 11.00
4th Ashley O’Neill - 9.20
Under 18 Girls:
1st Monique Keane (Moffat Beach, Sunshine Coast) - 27.35
2nd Bianca Anstiss (Currumbin, Gold Coast) - 19.90
3rd Kelly Winter (Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast) - 19.45
4th Kathryn Hughes (Battery Hill) - 14.75
5th Sarah Whan - 10.45
Over 35 Men’s:
1st Damian Coulter (Mountain Creek, Sunshine Coast )- 17.15
2nd Drew Coulter (Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast) - 13.20
3rd Lee Boggis (Currumbin, Gold Coast) - 8.00
4th Mick Skilton (Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast) - 7.00
Over 35 Women’s:
1st Sharon Jackson (Alexandra Headland, Sunshine Coast) - 28.25
2nd Debbie Boggis (Currumbin, Gold Coast) - 26.10
3rd Tracey Lee Read (Bargara, Bundaberg) - 13.75
4th Michelle Moller (Bargara, Bundaberg) - 11.20
Over 40 Men’s:
1st Mark MacNamara (Currumbin, Gold Coast) - 33.00
2nd Glen Cunningham (Bundaberg) - 26.70
3rd Reid Johnson (Noosa, Sunshine Coast) - 20.25
4th Chris Dunn (Bargara) - 14.75
Over 45 Men’s:
1st Mick Riddle (Coolangatta, Gold Coast) - 12.50
2nd Geoff Fanning (Noosa, Sunshine Coast) -12.00
3rd Bill Rehbein (Bundaberg) - 8.00
4th Mick Corcorah (Marcus Beach, Sunshine Coast) - 6.85
Over 50 Men’s:
1st Graeme Jenkin (Bargara) - 23.50
2nd Warren Walker - 20.35
3rd Peter White -18.70
4th Jeff Perry - 17.70
5th John Harley (Agnes Waters) - 17.40
Over 55 Men’s:
1st Robye Deane (Coolangatta, Gold Coast) - 16.35
2nd Gordon Fuz (Noosa, Sunshine Coast) - 9.75
3rd Kym Presgrave (Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast) - 7.60
4th Karl Tanner (Palm Beach, Gold Coast) - 6.00
Over 60 Men’s:
1st Neville Smith (Ashgrove, Brisbane) - 33.25
2nd Denis Lowe (Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast) - 21.75
3rd Doug Warbrick (Tugun, Gold Coast) - 17.70
4th Tony Hopkins (Alexandra Headland, Sunshine Coast) - 17.30
Queensland team (33 surfers) competing for National Longboard titles at Port McQuarie in October 2007
Open men's: B.Fesselet, M.MacNamara, T.Dickey
(Josh Constable, Jackson Close and Grant Thomas have been given automatic selection due to competing in the World Professional Longboard titles and therefore unable to compete in last weekends State titles)
Open women's: M.Keane, S.Riddle, S.Jackson and D.Boggis
U/18 boys: M.Surman,L.Potter,C.Guest, A.Oneil
U/18 girls: M.Keane
O/35 men's: D.Coulter, D.Coulter, L.Boggis
O/35 women's: S.Jackson
O/40 men's: M.MacNamara,G.Cunningham,R.Johnson
O/45 men's: M.Riddle,G.Fanning, B.Rehbein.
O/50 men's: G.Jenkin,W.Walker, P.White
O/55 men's: R.Deane, G.Fuz, K.Presgrave
O/60 men's: N.Smith, D.Lowe