Australian Open of Surfing - Results

AUSTRALIAN OPEN OF SURFING - DAY 2

Day two wrapped up yesterday, with the field of over 100 of the best pro junior surfers reduced to just two finalists in the women’s draw and four semi finalists in the men’s.

Matt Banting (AUS) and Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) will battle it out in the first junior men’s semi final on Wednesday, while Jacob Willcox (AUS) and junior Australasian number 1 Soli Bailey (AUS) will feature in the second semi final immediately afterwards.

The junior women’s final is set to be held on Thursday, with Bronte Macaulay (AUS) and Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) battling it out for the title.

Round one of the men’s event is scheduled for today. You can catch the live action here.

Photo credit: Alen Žvokelj

PHOTOS FROM DAY 2

Photo Credit: Alen Žvokelj

DAY 3

Day 3 featured round one of the men’s division. The event ploughed through 24 heats of competition and saw 48 surfers eliminated and 48 advance into the seeded Round of 96 that will begin on day 4.

Some of the high seeded surfers to hit the water this week include Reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Carissa Moore (HAW), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Dane Reynolds (USA), Julian Wilson (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT) and many more.

Photo credit: Alen Žvokelj / Purple Collective

DAY 4

The fourth day saw some smaller swells, but round 1 of the women’s event and half of the men’s second round were still able to be completed. Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Julian Wilson (AUS) were two of the big names able to qualify through to the round of 48, while Nikki Viesins (USA) nailed a near-perfect 9.50 to lead the women’s scores for the day.

Photo credit: Alen Žvokelj / Purple Collective

Upsets and Celebrations at the ASP Hurley Australian Open of Surfing Today

MANLY BEACH, NSW/AUS (Thursday, 12th February, 2014) - The men’s and women’s Pro Junior champions were crowned and the women’s 6-Star field was reduced to just 12 surfers in a mammoth day of small wave action at the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing at Manly Beach.

Carissa Moore (Hawaii), reigning ASP Women’s World Champion, was the standout surfer at the ASP 6-Star Hurley Australian Open of Surfing today. Moore posted the highest single wave score of the event thus far - 9.60 out of a possible 10, for a series of devastatingly powerful carves. Reigning ASP Women’s World Junior Champion Ella Williams also advanced in 2nd position behind Moore.

“It’s hard work out there!” Moore said. “At least it’s a good warm up, I haven’t competed for five months so it’s great to get a jersey on and get back into it. You just have to find the treasures and gems out there which is really good practice.”

Leila Hurst (Hawaii), Alessa Quizon (HAW) and Malia Manuel (HAW) were three other Hawaiians who dominated proceedings in Round 4 of the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing today. The three surfers all used superior wave selection and power carves to post excellent scores and advance into Round 5 as the ones to beat heading towards the finals.

“You just have to paddle and stand up on anything and hopefully something will turn into a score,” Hurst said. “The standard of surfing at this event is next level! I haven’t done many QS events over the last couple of years, so it’s really nice to be doing well so far. I’m loving Manly, I could live here!”

Keely Andrew (Sunshine Coast, QLD/AUS), current No. 1 on the ASP Australasia Junior Qualifying Series has proven herself in the open ASP 6-Star division today, advancing through a tough Round 4 heat in 2nd position ahead of last year’s Hurley Australian Open of Surfing champion, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) and Silvana Lima (BRA) who were eliminated.

“Just to be in the water with some of the best surfers in the world was a huge experience for me,” Andrew said. “I’ve gained a lot of confidence from that heat and I’m looking forward to the next round. My friend Bronte (Macaulay) beat me in the pro junior and I just had to refocus and prepare for this event and it’s working so far.”

Jacob Willcox (Margaret River, WA/AUS) took out the Final of the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing Pro Junior over Leonardo Fioravanti (Italy) in a very evenly matched encounter. The pair finished the 30 minute final separated by only 0.60 of a point with a scoreline of 14.27 to 13.67. Willcox now moves to No. 1 on the rankings heading into the next event at Newcastle later this week.

“That was really close, I’m so stoked!” Willcox said. “Leo (Fioravanti) is a great surfer, he had a chance to overtake me at the end and fell just short, but he’s been on fire all event. I love surfing, I love competing and I’ve had a great time here at the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing in Manly. I’ve made the quarterfinals at a couple events already this year, so I’m really happy to take one out.”

Ellie-Jean Coffey (Gold Coast, QLD/AUS), last year’s ASP Australasia Junior Qualifying Series champion won the final of the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing Pro Junior over Bronte Macaulay (Margaret River, WA/AUS). This is Coffey’s first Pro Junior of the year and she moves to third on the rankings. She surfed three heats today, winning through her opening ASP 6-Star division in the morning, but was eliminated in Round 4 this afternoon, before paddling out for the Final.

“This is my first event of the year and it’s a great way to start 2014,” Coffey said. “I’m so tired after surfing three heats today, but it’s worth it. I didn’t want to over think anything, I knew that doing three good turns would win me the final and so that’s what I did. This year I’ll be focusing more on the ASP Qualifying Series events, but winning a pro junior is still a great feeling.”

ASP Australasia Junior Qualifying Series Top 5 Men
1 Jacob Willcox (AUS) 1632
2 Soli Bailey (AUS) 1491
3 Kelly Norris (AUS) 1244
4 Kalani Ball (AUS) 852
5 Cooper Chapman (AUS) 844

ASP Australasia Junior Qualifying Series Top 5 Women
1 Keely Andrew (AUS) 1876
2 Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 1382
3 Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) 1000
4 Laura Poncini (AUS) 978
4 Grace Styman-Lane (AUS) 978

Adriano De Souza and Carissa Moore Crowned Hurley Australian Open of Surfing Champions

Adriano De Souza (Brazil) and Carissa Moore (Hawaii) have taken out the ASP 6-Star QS divisions at the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing at Manly Beach today. The best waves of the event set the stage on the final day, with three foot (1.5 meter) runners rolling into the Manly shoreline that was packed with dedicated surf fans, braving the rain with umbrellas, towels and raincoats. 

De Souza shut the door in the final in the first few minutes, nailing a pair of 8-point-rides that would stay in his scoreline until the Final siren sounded. De Souza put himself in the perfect position, put pressure on Wilson and most importantly when the waves came through he surfed fast and hard and with loads of flair.

“It feels amazing to be the first Brazilian to win the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing!” De Souza said. “I’ve got so much respect for Julian Wilson, he’s number six in the world and the best guy in the event. I was lucky that he fell off a few times in the final. It’s great to have the support from the Brazilian guys in the event and the fans on the beach. It’s the perfect start to my year.”

Wilson has had the spotlight on him from Day 1 of the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing, he’s the number one seed, it’s his sponsor’s event and his surfing has been near-flawless. In the Final it all fell apart, De Souza got two quick scores and then a massive southerly wind squall came through, bringing wind and heavy rain. Wilson never gave up, knowing he had to go big he attempted multiple big aerials, but wasn’t able to land them.

“I fell a few times out there and I couldn’t shake it off,” Wilson said. “I was so frustrated. I just couldn’t build any momentum and I just felt like I was rushing. There’s a lot of positives to take out of the event - I had a really fun week in challenging conditions, I had some good heats and I was only one spot from the win. If I came here and lost early it wouldn’t have done me any good, but I’ll take a lot of confidence into the rest of the year.”

Moore, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion was teetering in second position in the mid-way point of the Final, needing a good score to steal first place from countrywoman Alessa Quizon (HAW). A super clean right hander popped up and Moore made her move, and executed an ultra stylish rail-grab floater and then built up speed and unloaded a beautiful, yet explosive finishing turn. The wave scored a 9.43 (out of a possible 10), and from there the final was done.

“I didn’t come here expecting to win,” Moore said. “It’s been a while since I had a jersey on and it was good to get back into it, then this morning I started getting nervous and I just had to tell myself to relax and have fun. The conditions really smoothed out and the waves were super fun today. I got that 9.43 in the Final and it was such a nice wave, but I didn’t expect to get that score. I did a speed floater and then tried to push the last turn as hard as I could and I’m just stoked that I popped back up after it.”

Quizon is having a breakthrough year, next month she will make her debut as one of the Top 17 surfers on the ASP Women’s World Championship and today she made the Final of an ASP 6-Star QS event for the first time. Quizon is in great form posting two scores in the 7-point-range in the Final, but unfortunately for her she just ran into a rampaging Carissa Moore and had to settle for second.

“I’m super happy to have had a final against Carissa (Moore),” Quizon said. “We grew up surfing with each other and have surfed against each other our whole childhood. I’m so happy for her, and I’m happy that I made it this far. I feel like I’m building momentum and I’m looking forward to the first WCT event at Snapper. I’m being positive and focused, but I’m also having fun. Hawaiian girls rip!”

For more event information log on to http://www.AustralianOpenofSurfing.com

HURLEY AUSTRALIAN OPEN OF SURFING RESULTS:

MEN’S
FINAL: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 17.20 def. Julian Wilson (AUS)

SF 1: Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.00 def. Tomas Hermes (BRA) 14.33
SF 2: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 17.40 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 10.53

QF 1: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.63 def. Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 13.03
QF 2: Tomas Hermes (BRA) 13.33 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.17
QF 3: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 15.77 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 14.33
QF 4: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 16.53 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.16

WOMEN’S
FINAL: Carissa Moore (HAW) 17.10 def. Alessa Quizon (HAW) 15.80

SF 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 9.94 def. Maud Le Car (FRA) 9.56
SF 2: Alessa Quizon (HAW) 14.90 def. Malia Manuel (HAW) 12.60

QF 1: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.33 def. Leila Hurst (HAW) 5.10
QF 2: Maud Le Car (FRA) 12.70 def. Georgia Fish (AUS) 12.67
QF 3: Alessa Quizon (HAW) 15.50 def. Nage Melamed (HAW) 12.60
QF 4: Malia Manuel (HAW) 17.90 def. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 12.00

It was a pity about the waves they had.