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Maitland and Port Stephens Toyota wildcard trials set for Surfest Newcastle Australia

Merewether, NSW, AUSTRALIA 16 January 2017
SURFERS are heading to Birubi beach for an opportunity on Saturday 21 January to secure a wildcard entry via a win in the the Maitland and Port Stephens wildcard trials. A victory in the trials will see the winners catapulted into the World Surf League’s men’s and women’s world qualifying series 6000 point events at Merewether beach – the jewels in the competitive crown of the 2017 Surfest Newcastle Australia.

Besides the winners of those trial events being able to skip the early rounds of the men’s Maitland and Port Stephens Toyota Pro or the Anditi Women’s Pro, there is also a wildcard spot up for grabs in the nib Pro Junior.

Cadets are also well catered for at the trials, with a number one seed contest jersey available for the trials winners in the three divisions (boys 16 years-and-under, boys 14 years-and-under, and girls 16 years-and-under) in the Sanbah Cadet Cup boys and Dalton Lawyers girls presented by Arcbuild.

Merewether’s Jesse Adam, Jake Sylvester and Morgan Cibilic, along with James McMoreland (Caves Beach) and Chris Michalak (Anna Bay), are the top local contenders to take the wildcard for the Maitland and Port Stephens Toyota Pro.

Also surfing on Saturday for a wildcard into the nib Pro Junior and the Anditi Women’s Pro are Norris sisters Sabre and Sockie. Sabre etched a mention in surfing history when she became the youngest surfer ever awarded a wildcard into a major Australian event when she lined-up last November in the Sally Fitzgibbons world qualifying series Sydney Pro at Cronulla.

Since then, Sabre – who celebrated her 12th birthday less than a fortnight ago – achieved world wide attention when she appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show as a special guest. Her seven-year-old brother Biggy will also surf in the trials and is aiming for the top seed spot on offer in the Sanbah Cadet Cup division for 14 years-and-under surfers.

Surfing will get underway at Birubi beach at 7.30am.

The 2017 Surfest Newcastle Australia will be the 32nd running of the men’s event, making it one of Australia’s longest running professional surfing competitions. Beyond the Maitland and Port Stephens Toyota Pro and the Anditi Women’s Pro, Surfest Newcastle Australia will host the nib Pro Junior, the ORICA Surfboard Club Team Challenge, the Sanbah Cadet Cup boys and Dalton Lawyers girls presented by Arcbuild, the Wandiyali ATSI Indigenous Classic, the Maitland and Port Stephens Toyota High School Teams Challenge, the Surfaid Cup and the Lake Mac Festival of Surfing.

For further information call Warren Smith on +61 412127525.