JAMES McMORLAND GOES BACK TO BACK IN THE PORT STEPHENS BURTON AUTOMOTIVE TRIALS

Birubi Beach, Port Stephens, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA (Sunday, February 1, 2015)

Surfest organisers and competitors in the Burton Automotive Pro Men and Women’s Trials, the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior and in the Sanbah and Dalton Lawyers Cadet Cup Trials were confronted with very solid 2.5 metre waves charging into Birubi Point this morning.

More than 64 competitors in the Burton Automotive Pro, the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior, Sanbah Cadet Cup and Dalton Lawyer Girls were jumping out of their skin to get into the water.  Contest conditions like this are rare for these competitors.

Surfers were contesting for wildcards in the Burton Automotive Pro, the Burton Automotive Women’s Classic and the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior while the U/16s and U/14s were competing for free entry into their divisions in the Sanbah Cadet Cup and the Dalton Lawyer Girls Cadet Cup.

Hosted by the Bay Area Boardriders for the past six years, the Port Stephens Burton Automotive Trials has competitors from around the nation.

Due to the challenging conditions organisers decided to only run the Burton Automotive Men’s and Women’s event and the Men’s Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Juniors.   The Sanbah and Dalton Lawyers Cadet Cup and women’s Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior were moved to nearby One Mile Beach where the conditions were smaller but safer for the younger surfers.

The 2015 Men’s Open saw 16 competitors surfing the 2.5 metre offshore waves.   From the outset surfers were scoring rides in the excellent range.   Surfing prodigy Jack Robinson from Margaret River in Western Australia scored two10’s and a 9.50 on one wave from the judges in his first round heat.

Exciting 19 year old Caves Beach surfer, James McMorland convincingly won the Burton Automotive Pro wildcard trials for the second year in a row on Birubi Beach, Port Stephens this morning.   James has earned a spot in the World Surf League (WSL) 6 star Burton Automotive Pro round of 96 on Merewether Beach from February 16 to 22.   James will again meet Burton Automotive Pro top seed and 2012 WSL World Champion and 2013 Surfest champion Joel Parkinson (Snapper Rocks, QLD) in the round of 96.

In the women’s competition virtual unknown surfer Nakia Fleuren (Thirroul, NSW) needed only an 8 point ride to easily win the Burton Automotive Women’s Classic wildcard into the round of 48 where she will also meet the top seed in that event.

The Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior will see Ryan Slattery (Toukley, NSW) in the men’s and Danielle Hancock (Merewether, NSW)  in the women’s elevated into the business end of the competition.

Results of the Burton Automotive Trials at Birubi Beach and One Mile Beach on Sunday 1 February 2015:

Men’s Open

1.  James McMoreland (Caves Beach, NSW)
2.  Jack Robinson (Margaret River WA)
3. Nathan Cook (Forresters Beach NSW)
4. Kelly Norris (Coolum Beach, QLD)

Women’s Open

1. Nakia Fleuren (Thirroul, NSW)
2. Casey Martin (Thirroul, NSW)
3. Danielle Hancock (Merewether, NSW)
4. Nicola Black (Nelson Bay, NSW)

Junior Men’s

1. Ryan Slattery (Toukley, NSW)
2. Morgan Cibilic (Merewether, NSW)
3. Josh Burrows (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
4. Kieran Conway (Caves Beach, NSW)

Junior Women

1. Danielle Hancock (Merewether, NSW)
2. Kasey Martin (Thirroul, NSW)
3. Tiarna Reid (Narrabeen, NSW)
4. Bella Wilton (North Steyne, NSW)

U/16 Boys                                                                                         

1. Noah Munro (Noraville, NSW)
2. Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW)
3. Josh Stoddart (Redhead, NSW)
4. Lucas Hill (Boat Harbour, NSW)

U/16 Girls

1.  Sophia Fulton (Morisset, NSW)
2.  Bella Wilton (Manly, NSW)
3. Chelsea Green (Manly, NSW)
4. Ruby Voyzey (Boat Harbour)

U/14 Boys

1. Joel Buxton (Buff Point, NSW)
2. Jamie Thomson (Narrabeen, NSW)
3. Joey Voyzey (Boat Harbour, NSW)
4. Dylan Platford (Shortland, NSW)