(Newcastle, NSW, Australia, Saturday, 15 February, 2014)
ITALIAN Leonardo Fioravanti again racked up the day’s highest score and now holds the top three highest wave scores in the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior at Merewether beach.
In the junior mens, the round of 64 was completed, along with four heats in the round of 32.
Fioravanti waited until the last heat of the day to score a 9.25 on waves that were constantly less than one metre and affected by a light onshore breeze.
Earlier in the day, Fioravanti lost a fin on the near-exposed Merewether rock shelf.
“I felt it go but my coach Jake Patterson fixed it and it was ready for the last heat,” he said.
The man who narrowly beat Fioravanti in the final of the Hurley Pro Junior just a couple of days ago in Sydney won’t bother Fioravanti in Newcastle.
Jacob Wilcox (WA) finished last in his heat when he could not buy a wave, but tomorrow he will contest the Burton Toyota International Trials in an attempt to gain one of four berths on offer to a field of 32.
The number one seed in this event Soli Bailey from Byron Bay also trailed the other three surfers in his heat and he too will also contest tomorrow’s trials after being eliminated from the Pro Junior.
Fioravanti will meet a trio of goofy-footers in his heat in tomorrow’s round of 16.
Locals still in contention include Anna Bay’s Kurtis Herman (NSW) and Caves Beach surfer James McMorland (NSW). The duo will come up against each other in the last heat in the round of 32.
Merewether’s Jackson Baker was eliminated in the round of 64 after needing a 4.41 to progress during a heat where the surf was affected by the high-tide.
Baker, along with his Merewether mate Jesse Adam, is the only local surfer to contest tomorrow’s trials for a spot in the Burton Toyota Pro.
Other internationals remaining in contention include last year’s runner-up in the same event, Kanoa Igarashi (USA) as well as Dylan Lightfoot (ZAF), Ariihoe Tefaafana, Keoni Yan and Mihimana Braye (PYF) and Andy Criere (France).
Australians who progressed to tomorrow’s round of 32 include Harry Bryant, Luke Hynd, Kalani Ball and Jackson Giles.
Round two of the women’s Pro Junior was completed today and the standout surfers included Bronte Macaulay and the wildcard into next week’s Hunter Ports Womens Classic Holly Wawn.
Highest wave scorer of the event to date, Barbados’s Chelsea Tuach, who racked up a 9.25 in the first round, remains in the contest after winning her round 16 heat.
Action recommences tomorrow at Merewether beach with heat five in the round of 32 at 7.30am.
