Registered or Premium Member? LOG IN | Become a Member: TRY PREMIUM FREE
|
UNDERDOG'S DAY
Kai Barger wins Billabong ASP World Junior Championships
By:
Col Bernasconi
Photos: All photos: ASP/Robertson
|
January 6, 2009
12992 visits
|
|
There were bags of upsets on the final day of competition at the Billabong World Junior Championship at North Narrabeen on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Firstly, it was the Narrabeen locals faced with the prospect of watching (and not surfing) another day of super-fun waves. Followed closely was the winner of the Von Zipper trials and hot favourite Julian Wilson going down to a busy Tahitian Tamaroa McComb in Round Four.
|
|
The day's early morning damage had the underdogs licking their lips and big name team managers milling around in the VIP stand shocked to the core. The body count of favourites had been piling up since Round Three, where almost Triple Crown winner Dusty Payne and Australia's great white hope Owen Wright had stumbled into the abyss. But as tears were wiped away in the car park by the losers, their posse's attention turned to those still in the running. History shows it's the international visitors, not the Aussie locals, that take the coveted World Junior Title and this year's event was shaping up to be a repeat offender. The fact the women's title had (for the first time in the events history) gone to a visiting surfer the previous day was another ominous sign. French natural-footer Pauline Ado clinched a tight win over the inspirational Hawaiian Bethany Hamilton. With former greats Tom Carroll, Rob Bain and Rabbit Bartholomew just a few of the famous faces in the crowd for the men's quarterfinals it was all eyes on the prize. And for these young shredders left another chance to rip into some pumping head-high waves minus the normally stupid crowd. "But they say every dog has his day, and I guess today is mine. Yeow!"
-- Kai Barger, Billabong ASP World Junior Champion
Tanner Gudauskas was clinical in his approach to the roping lefts in the first quarter against Tamaroa McComb and posted an impressive 17.23. Making the most noise in the quarters however was the number-one-seed Brazilian Jadson Andre (18.30) and Hawaiian powerhouse Kai Barger (17.60). Both went on to leapfrog their competitors (Frenchman Marc Lacomare and Tanner Gudauskas) in the semis and continue on their merry way into the final. Jadson, tasted first blood scoring an 8.17 but it was the Hawaiian, backing himself on a beautiful looking wave and squaring off into-the-lip from take-off and blasting his fins skyward, that was to walk away with the highest scoring wave (8.67) and with a back up score of 6.67, the win. Once crowned the champion by ASP President Rabbit Bartholomew and handed a check for $6,500, Kai was quizzed by former top 45 surfer and event co-commentator Toby Martin on how he felt? "I had little confidence heading into this event with such an amazing field," said the modest Hawaiian. "But they say every dog has his day, and I guess today is mine. Yeow!" And with that classic quote and Kai's quick acknowledgment of his boys back home in Hawaii, we were done. All that was left to do was to soak up the atmosphere, drink a few cold ones and laugh at the now ridiculously crowded line-up (I count 68 dudes). Time to reflect on how lucky and how good these damn kids are nowadays. Aloha. NOTE: The finals proved too much for one of the hard working judges. Tim Marshal unfortunately went down with a suspected heart attack (unconfirmed) and was rushed to the hospital in worrying condition. Perry Hatchet (head judge) and his staff were unaware of his state at time of writing and we are obviously hoping it was not too serious. RESULTS: BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (MEN) FINAL: 1 - Kai Barger (HAW) 15.34 2 - Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.67 BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (MEN) SEMIFINALS: SF 1: Jadson Andre (BRA) 18.00 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 14.34 SF 2: Kai Barger (HAW) 16.73 def. Marc Lacomare (FRA) 8.84 BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (MEN) QUARTERFINALS: QF 1: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 17.23 def. Tamaroa McComb (PYF) 14.50 QF 2: Jadson Andre (BRA) 18.30 def. Kiron Jabour (HAW) 12.60 QF 3: Marc Lacomare (FRA) 14.00 def. Maxime Huscenot (REU) 13.77 QF 4: Kai Barger (HAW) 17.60 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.16 BILLABONG ASP WORLD JUNIORS (MEN) ROUND 4 RESULTS: Heat 1: Tamaroa McComb (PYF) 13.17 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 8.57 Heat 2: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 14.60 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 11.33 Heat 3: Kiron Jabour (HAW) 13.16 def. Lincoln Taylor (AUS) 12.16 Heat 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) 16.50 def. Granger Larsen (HAW) 14.17 Heat 5: Maxime Huscenot (REU) 13.00 def. Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 9.53 Heat 6: Marc Lacomare (FRA) 12.83 def. Jayke Sharp (AUS) 10.50 Heat 7: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 17.83 def. Nat Young (USA) 10.17 Heat 8: Kai Barger (HAW) 14.46 def. Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 14.00 ASP REGIONAL POINTS BREAKDOWN: 1 - Hawaii 2,752 points 2 - Australasia 2,664 points 3 - South America 2,642 points 4 - Europe 2,428 points 5 - North America 2,296 points 6 - Africa 1,455 points 7 - Japan 900 points MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |