CHALLENGING surf saw a bevy of young surfers tough it out at Bar Beach today as swell from Tropical Cyclone Winston that devastated Fiji on Saturday night started belting into the east coast.
Seventy-eight young surfers from as far away as the Sunshine Coast contested the 16-and-under girls, as well the 14-and-under and 16-and-under boys divisions over two days.
Finals on Sunday afternoon saw waves up to two metres combine with a low tide to provide some very testing conditions.
16-and-under winner Ryan Donohoe from Collaroy is a member of the North Narrabeen boardriders club. The Narrabeen Sports High student bettered a previous third placing at this competition said conditions today were really hard.
“It was rippy and windy out there for sure,” he said. Donohoe will next line up in the 16-and-under division at Manly in the Australian Open.
14-and-under winner winner Finn Hill from Avoca beach blitzed the final with all judges declaring him a standout winner. The 13-year-old who attends Kincumber High School and surfs for Avoca board riders backed up his national Rip Curl GromSearch crown that he won last month with a victory here today. He’ll also next surf at Manly.
Girls division winner Alyssa Lock from Tweed Heads also enjoyed the full confidence of the entire judging panel. The 15-year-old, who surfs for Snapper Rocks boardriders, bettered her second placing in last week’s Avoca Pro Junior by taking out this event. Not only that, but Alyssa also made the quarter-finals in the nib Pro Junior at Merewether Beach today. She’ll next surf in the Roxy Pro trials at Snapper Rocks next month
Results: 2016 Sanbah Cadet Cup and Dalton Lawyers Cadet Girls
Girls Division 16s
1. Alyssa Lock
2. Sophia Fulton
3. Zoe Ifield
4. Jessie Van Niekirk
Boys Division 14s
1. Finn Hill
2. Jamie Thompson
3. George Pittar
4. Joel Vaughan
Boys Division 16s
1. Ryan Donohoe
2. Harry Carpenter
3. Luke Glover
4. Finn Askew
