Jennifer Smith showed why she is the worlds best
ASP World Longboard
Champion Jennifer Smith (California, USA) showed why she is the worlds best,
cleaning up the competition to win the 3-Star Longboard Qualifying Series
division.
Smith snatched victory off heat leader Kassia Meador (California, USA),
stroking into one of the best looking set waves of the day and was rewarded
for a short barrel ride, stylish carve and impressive nose ride to win the
event.
“That wave was crazy,” Smith said. “On the take off, I could tell it was
going to be a good wave. It had a nice long wall on it and my friend was
saying before the heat - “you’ve got to pull in”- so I was stoked I got that
little cover up.”
Smith defeated Meador, defending champion Chelsea Williams (Tweed Heads,
AUS) and Emma Wilson (Torquay, Vic, AUS), to earn US$ 2000 as well as a
seeding into the ASP World Longboarding Championships in France later this
year.
“It was an awesome way to begin 2008,” glowed Smith. “The conditions were
kind of perfect and it’s great to have a bigger contest in Australia. This
is my first time to Phillip Island and I’ve had such a good time here.”
Meador, while disappointed she allowed Smith to take the win of her, was
happy with a runner-up finish.
“Getting second to my friend Jen was alright,” Meador said. “If I can’t win
I'm stoked my friend did - it was fun.”
“I should have taken that one right (right- breaking wave) though,” Meador
continued. “I knew it was going to be a good one the minute Jen dropped in,
and I knew I was going to go from first to second immediately.
Despite loosing to Smith, Meador earned herself US$ 900 and will also be
seeded into the World Longboard Championships in France. The talented Roxy
model and surfer had only good things to say about her return to Phillip
Island for the first time in five years.
“It’s great to see Roxy put on a full surfing Festival and to see the level
of women’s surfing throughout all the divisions. There’s a real competitive
push at the moment and it’s going to be interesting to see what happens in
women’s surfing over the next five years. It will be events like this one
that really showcase it.”