Windy Conditions Fully Test Australia’s best Longboarders on Day 1 of the SOUL Australian Longboard Titles.
Harley Ingelby (Emerald Beach) was round one’s biggest scoring heat winner on day 1
Day one of the SOUL Australian Longboard Titles at Port Macquarie saw Australia’s top longboard surfers call on all their skills to battle windswept conditions at Town Beach with just 0.5m surf on offer.
Defending Australian Open Men’s champion Josh Constable (Noosa) opened the day with a convincing heat win posting moderate scores of a 6.25 and a 6 to defeat NSW surfer Dan McComb.
Constable is already a three time Australian Champion and last year won the ASP World Professional longboard title and while he comes into this event as the favourite he’s far from over confident and after his heat win today said – “ This will be a really hard event to win, there’s about 5 guys in the open that I consider are really close in ability and then there’s a few of the younger emerging surfers like Harrison Roach and Bryce Young who are great surfers – Maybe the younger guys need another year to develop their strength but you can’t take them lightly because they are coming through fast.”
Both Bryce Young (Angourie) and Harrison Roach (Sunrise Beach) posted strong round one heat wins. Young has a hectic schedule as he’s surfing both the open and junior divisions.
“I’m keen to do well in both divisions, I guess especially the juniors as I placed 2nd in them last year and would love to go one better but basically I’ll do my best and try and win both!”
The top scoring round one heat winner was Coff’s Harbour/Emerald Beach surfer Harley Ingelby who posted an impressive 14.50 to easily win. Ingelby displayed his characteristic smooth carving style with clean bottom turns into drop knee cut backs despite the small windy waves and his performance today certainly justified Surfing Australia’s decision to wild card him into the event when a position became available.
Ingelby last year placed 2nd in the ISA World championships and he’s certain to be one of the top contenders as the week unfolds.
There were no real surprises today with top seeds progressing consistently. Sunshine Coast surfer Grant Thomas looked like finishing last in his heat as he struggled to find a decent wave and was in 4th place with just 5 minutes remaining. The experienced Maroochydore surfer increased his urgency and found two strong rides, the last with just 30 seconds remaining to go from 4th to 1st and progress straight to round three.
“I was lost at sea out there and really lucky to find those late waves, I simply couldn’t find a decent wave early in the heat but then I paddled wider and I think I just got lucky – It’s never fun not having a decent wave late in a heat because the other guys can sit on you but fortunately I found waves.”
Open Women’s round one saw defending champion Claire Finucane (WA) post a strong win along with former two time Australian Open Women’s champion Chelsea Williams (Tweed Heads).
Williams won this event in 2004 and 2005, missed last years event due to overseas competitive commitments and is keen to win again this year but commented on her chances saying “ I’d love to win but with these strong winds it will be really hard, It sort of gets down to who picks off the best waves out there and you really don’t know whether the wave will be any good until well after you’ve caught it .”
Local Port Macquarie surfer Cath Perry advanced through her Opens Women’s heat by placing second and commented on today’s conditions saying “I was hoping for a local advantage but really when the winds are this strong no one has an advantage – I normally wouldn’t surf on days like this but we’re all out there in the same surf so we just have to do our best and fortunately I got through today.”
No surfers were eliminated today with 1st and 2nd placed surfers going through to round three while 3rd and 4th go to requalifying round two.
Over 35, 40 and 45 Men’s divisions were also surfed late in the day and tomorrow will see surfers meet again at Town beach at 7:00 to decide the day’s venue for day 2.