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Jackson Close (Burleigh Heads/ Qld) had a great opening heat in WA at the annual National Longboard Titles
Sunshine Coast’s Grant Thomas
Christian Pimm looked at ease in the tricky conditions
Paul Thompson. Broken boards were the order of the day
Photos - Adam
Albertini
www.surfcds.com
Small onshore conditions throws no damper on day one of the 21st Annual Longboard National Titles at Yallingup Beach.
Onshore winds and a small inconsistent swell greeted competitors on day one of the 21st Annual Longboard National Titles at Yallingup Beach.
Onlookers crowded to witness the mixing of the waters being performed along with local indigenous representatives from the Wardan people blessing the location and competition in a traditional aboriginal ceremony.
Members from each state team from around the country were required to bring a bottle of ocean water from their particular location which was then poured together with the others into the Indian Ocean at Yallingup beach. The mixing of the waters is a traditional Hawaiian ceremony where the ritual is performed to create harmony, unity, good spirit and appease the gods of the sea and to also bring good surf conditions to the event.
A decision was made today to wrap up the event early with favorable forecasts predicting a rise in swell for day two, but not before competitors made an impression on judges during the round one heats. In the blue ribbon division of the event, the Open Mens division, Queenslander Jackson Close showed why he is regarded as one of the best longboarders in the country. Close showed no mercy on the inconsistent small swell which was on offer racking up the points in succession to see him easily account for Jason Belcher from Yallingup. “I love coming to WA, the scenery and diversity of being down south is amazing. There are so many good waves and people down here that it’s pretty hard to go home after visiting the place. I was pretty happy with progressing through and not bombing out into the repercharge rounds and with the surf picking up and getting better over the next few days, just makes you so amped”, said Close.
Josh Lee from Bonney Hills in NSW was also in fine form progressing to the next round of the open division and was also keen to see what Yallingup will deliver over the next few days.
West Australian Aurelien Meynieux from Perth flew the flag for the WA team winning his heat from fellow team mate Bret Merrifield from Yallingup to progress through to the second round of the main event.
Multiple National title holder Claire Finucane (Melville Western Australia) laid the ground rules early in her debut of the open womens division. Setting the pace from her opening wave Finucane made the other female competitors in the water and on the beach that she meant business. “It would be great to win another one on home ground again and with so much talent amongst the girls that are here for the event, it looks like I may have my work cut out for me. A solid swell forecast for the middle of this week should make things interesting”, said Finucane with smirk.
With a 7am start scheduled for day two the lights will be going out early on the sleepy picturesque town of Yallingup
