COOLANGATTA, QLD, Australia (Friday, February 28, 2014)
Young Australian surfers Matt Banting (19 year/Port Macquarie) and Keely Andrew (20 years/Sunshine Coast /Qld) have won wildcards into the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro respectively.
Both surfers convincingly won the trials finals today held in building 1 meter ( 3 Feet) swell at Snapper Rocks and both posted numerous excellent rides to secure victory.
Banting’s 9.10 out of a possible 10 mid final proved decisive as he went on to an easy victory over Marc Lacomare from France while Keely Andrew found an excellent 8.25 mid final which also opened up a big lead that would eventually prove too much for her fellow competitors with fellow Sunshine Coast surfer Isabella Nichols finishing in 2nd place.
Both surfers head into the main event and both will face high seeds, Banting faces Kelly Slater/Matt Wilkinson and Keely Andrews faces current womens world champion Carissa Moore and Malia Manuel.
The swell forecast is strong and there’s an excellent chance the event will commence over the weekend with building swells that should run well into next week providing much anticipated excellent surf for the opening event to the 2014
