Day 3 Hyundai Malfunction Surfing Festival 2008

Jackson Close

 Bryce Young

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY www.snapperrocks.com.au

A pumping 1 to 1.5 metre south east swell provided some high scores for Day 3 of the Hyundai Malfunction Surfing Festival and for the first time the professionally rated Surf Tech Men’s & Women’s took to the water from 8am.

Australia premier longboard competition is being held at Main Beach in front of the Cudgen Surf Club, Kingscliff for the very first time and the move from Rainbow Bay to Kingscliff has paid off big time with excellent surf and beautiful fine and sunny autumn weather.  The wind direction was playing tricks on the south east swell with a north westerly wind creating some bumps in the face of the wave, however it did not deter the world class performances such as former world surfing champion Josh Constable (Noosa), who stamped his authority posting the highest scores in the Surf Tech Open Men’s WLQS Event which is the second rated event of the year on the Australian Professional Longboard circuit. 

In Heat 4, Constable who has just come off a win at the recent Noosa Longboard Festival hit his straps early in the heat with a single highest score of 8.6 out of 10 courteousy of a volley of vertical lip hits and finishing off cleanly with his patent air drop floater.  He was quick to back that up with another sensational ride using full rail caving turns and progressive modern day longboard manoeuvres with the emphasis on radical surfing scoring a 7.17 to easily win the heat on 15.77 out of 20 and the highest scorer of the Surf Tech Open Men’s Professional.  Mat Alderidge (Gold Coast) was lucky to progress in 2^nd position after creasing his brand new Wayne Deane model after paddling out and luckily had a back up board on the beach to score a 6 point ride at the end of the heat and qualify for the quarter finals along with Constable.  “It was really tough out there”, said Constable the man they call the Terminator from Noosa, “but I am stoked to get a couple of good rides and make into the next round”, said Josh with a big smile on his face.

Tricky surfing conditions and a strong sweep made it hard for the guys in the first heat a really close result ensured with a close dual from the Sunshine Coast Harrison Roach who was runner up last year and the greatly improved Bryce Young, 18,  (Yamba) and son of Nat Young.  Bryce got off to an early start with a 7.93, the second single highest score of the day, to take an early lead until Harrison counted that with a 7 point ride to narrowly take the heat.  Final scores were Harrison 12.83 out of 20, Bryce Young 12.06 out of 20. 

In Heat 2, 2006 Malfunction winner and the current Australian Longboard Champion, Harley Ingleby also found conditions tricky but managed to pull off a win with a pair of 6’s and 12.23 out of 20 points in a low scoring heat to win from Byron Bay’s Michael Black on 8.96. 

Heat 3, the closest heat of the morning was an all NSW affair.  Defending Champion Dane Pioli (Wollongong) started the heat with a 6.33 but struggled to find his second ride, meanwhile Kevin Holt (Wollongong) was holding onto the lead and then from out of the blue came Ray Lawrence (Batemans Bay) in what turned out to be an under-dog win.  Lawrence was trailing in 3^rd position but in the last 5 minutes of the heat picked up his two scoring rides, a 6.04 and then with seconds remaining a 5.27 to move from 3^rd into 1^st and take the heat from his fellow NSW team mates in what turned out to be the closest heat of the day.  Final scores: Lawrence 11.67, Pioli, 11.33, Holt 10.56.

Heat 5 was won by perennial professional longboard rider the colourful Grant “GT” Thomas (Noosa) who also found conditions to be tough only scoring a couple of low scores, “but it was enough to get me through the heat”, said Thomas.  Claiming second position and a spot in Saturday’s quarter finals was the first international qualifier Brazil’ Under 19 National Champion Roger Barros.

Heat 6, Currumbin’s Jackson Close rated 5^th in the World, also scored a win to qualify for the quarter finals, “it was really fun out there compared to first thing this morning when the wind was cross shore (north west) but by mid morning the wind dropped to a light westerly off shore breeze and some really nice waves on offer”, said action Jackaon who has qualified for Saturday’s quarter finals.  Former Malfunction winner Heath Norrish who loves surfing on the Tweed Coast was up to his usual backhand skills to claim 2^nd behind Jackson.

Heat 7 of the Surf Tech Men’s Professional WLQS, last years finalist Jared Neal (Sapphire Beach, Coffs Harbour) scored 13.4 out of 20 to win from Jesse Jerrems (QLD) in second on 11.83. 

In Heat 8, the international contingent, France’s Remi Arauzo claimed the win in the last heat of the Surf Tech Men’s Professional from Noosa’s polished performer Seb Wilson (older brother of Julian Wilson). 

The quarter finals for the Surf Tech Men’s Professional WLQS (2 Star) will be Quarter Final 1: Harrison Roach, Dane Pioli, Harley Ingleby, Mat Alderidge

Quarter Final 2:  Ray Lawrence, Bryce Young, Josh Constable, Michael Black

Quarter Final 3: Grant Thomas, Jesse Jerrems, Jackson Close, Seb Wilson

Quarter Final 4: Jared Neal, Roger Barros, Remi Arauza, Heath Norrish

First and second from the heats of the Surf Tech Open Men’s Professional go through to Saturday’s quarter finals that start at 10am.

Organisers, competitors and spectators paused for a 1 minute silence for ANZAC Day the the competition continued on with the Surf Tech Women’s Professional WLQS.  First and second from the opening round of the women’s goes into Saturday’s semi finals from 1pm. 

Day 4 for Saturday 26^th April will kick off once again at 8am Main Beach, Kingscliff and is mostly semi finals apart from the Surf Tech Open Men’s WLQS which is quarter finals from 10am .  The Surf Tech Open Women’s WLQS semi are from 1pm.

The last heat on Saturday afternoon will in fact be the first final of the Hyundai Malfunction Surfing Festival, the Pacific Concrete Pumping Over 65s featuring the real pioneers of the sport of surfing.  79 year old and former Malfunction winner Barry “McGoo” McGuigan (Norah Head) who started surfing in 1942 at Bondi learning how to surf on the 16ft single skies.  Barry who is the oldest surfer competing at this years Hyundai Malfunction Surfing Festival 2008 will come up against one of surfings professional founding fathers Doug “Claw” Warbrick co-owner Ripcurl.  Claw just managed to scrap in to the new and oldest division of the competition and their final will follow the Surf Tech Open Men’s WLQS semi’s and the Pacific Concrete Pumping Over 65 Mens Final will be the last heat of the day on Saturday at 2.20pm.

Day 5 for Sunday 27^th starts 8am at Main Beach Kingscliff in front of the Cudgen Surf Club.  9ft Amateur Men’s 8am, 9ft Amateur Women’s 8.30am, Abood Crane Trucks Sea Master Fishing Charters/Aussie Under 18 Boys 9am and Abood Crane Trucks Sea Master Fishing Charters/Aussie Under 18 Girls 9.30am, Golden Breed Retro Open 10am, Golden Breed Retro Under 18 10.30am, Golden Breed Old Mal 11am, Honolua Stand Up Paddle Boards 11.30am, Robert August Longboards Over 60s 12noon, Duke’s Longboards Over 50s 12.30pm, ANZ Kingscliff Over 40s 1pm, Surf Tech Women’s Professional WLQS 1.30pm, Surf Tech Men’s Professional WLQS 2pm.

Friday launches Nat Young’s new book “The Complete History of Surfing from Water to Snow”, which is open to all at the Sand Bar, Barclay Drive, Casuarina, 5pm. 

A Luau Dinner and Von Weirdos surf memorabilia auction will follow Nat’s book launch. To purchase tickets for the occasion contact Casuarina office on 02 66749999 or 0414569208.

The Domain Casuarina Beach Resort Art Exhibition on the Conference Centre, Barclay Drive Casuarina open to the public from 10am Friday.

For all video highlights of the Hyundai Malfunction Surfing Festival 2008 check Craig Halstead’s vision on www.go211.com . 

For further information regarding heat draws, results, and photos check out www.malfunction.com.au .

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