Billabong World Junior Surfing Championships
Event 3 of 3, ASP World Junior Tour
Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, AUS
January 21st – 29, 2012
www.aspworldtour.com
www.billabongpro.com

Leila Hurst (HAW) and Caio Ibelli (BRA), the 2011 ASP World Junior Champions. PIC: ASP/Kirstin

Leila Hurst (HAW) and Caio Ibelli (BRA), the 2011 ASP World Junior Champions. PIC: ASP/Kirstin

Caio Ibelli (BRA) and Leila Hurst (HAW) have claimed the Men’s and Women’s ASP World Junior Titles at the Billabong World Junior Championships.

The pair join a prestigious list of former ASP World Junior Champions, including: Adriano De Souza (BRA), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Andy Irons (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS). Wade Carmichael (AUS) and Alessa Quizon (HAW) were also amongst the winners today, taking out the third and final event of the ASP World Junior Title Series, the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.

The Men’s ASP World Junior Title race saw all the frontrunners bow out early today with Jack Freestone (AUS) eliminated by Medi Veminardi (REU) and Ian Gouveia (BRA) taken out by Wade Carmichael (AUS) in the Quarterfinals. Carmichael had a sensational outing at Burleigh Heads this week, gaining entry into the event with a win at the Von Zipper trials and then sticking it to the world’s best junior surfers with a win at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.

Another frontrunner, Garrett Parkes (AUS), needed to advance out of today’s Quarterfinals to clinch the 2011 ASP World Junior Title, but was halted by South American sensation Filipe Toledo (BRA). Parkes’s ousting in the Quarterfinals resulted in a tie with Caio Ibelli (BRA) for the top spot on the ASP World Junior Title rankings, requiring a “Surf-Off” to determine the champion.

Caio Ibelli (BRA) started the Surf-Off with a couple of minor scores, it was clear that he was going for something big. Garret Parkes (AUS) on the other hand started chipping away at the lead, posting some scores in the good range to give him an early lead.

Ibelli found a wave that linked up and unleashed some solid carves and a massive air-reverse to score an 8.67 (out of a possible 10), to swing momentum his way and take the lead. Parkes had a last minute chance to claim the prestigious ASP World Junior title, needing a 7.58 (out of a possible 10), but fell less than a point short after he too landed a nice air-reverse.

Parkes, who missed out on qualifying for the ASP World Junior Tour in 2010, finished his junior career on a high at number 2 in the world. Parkes now has been given a priority seeding into the ASP Star and Prime events to help his chances of Qualifying for the elite ASP World Tour.

Wade Carmichael (AUS) and Nathan Carvalho (HAW) were perfectly matched and put on an exciting Final at the Billabong World Junior Championships that won’t soon be forgotten. As the clock was counting down the final seconds, Carmichael was left needing a mid-range score, he took off on a smaller wave and blasted one of the biggest fins-free turns of the event. The siren went and both surfers were floating in the lineup waiting for the scores to be announced. Carmichael only caught 2 waves in the 30 minute final, but that’s all it took for him to claim an epic come-from-behind victory.

“I’m over the moon right now, this is the best day of my life!” Carmichael said. “I’ve been training for this for the last few months, I wanted to have a big year and this is unbelievable. I wasn’t nervous that whole heat, even though I was sitting waiting for that second wave for a long time. But I was really nervous and freaking out after the heat while I was waiting for the score to be announced. Then they said I won and it was the best feeling.”

Leila Hurst (HAW) was one of three surfers in the running for the ASP Women’s World Junior Title this morning, but was the last one standing after front-runner Joanne Defay (FRA) lost her Quarterfinal clash. Then Philippa Anderson (AUS) bowed out of the race when she finished runner-up in the event, as she needed to win the final to claim the crown.

Alessa Quizon (HAW) handed the ASP World Junior Title to fellow Hawaiian when she defeated the last contender in the Final of the Billabong World Junior Championships. Quizon had been a standout performer all event, using her vertical backhand snaps to build up some big scores in each round, punctuating her performance with a solid 7.50 (out of a possible 10) in the final to win the event.

The top four surfers on the ASP World Junior Ratings get priority seeding into all ASP Prime and Star event in 2012.

1. Caio Ibelli (BRA)
2. Garrett Parkes (AUS)
3. Davey Cathels (AUS)
4. Jack Freestone (AUS)

2011 ASP WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPION SURF-OFF RESULTS:
Caio Ibelli (BRA) 14.74 def. Garrett Parkes (AUS) 14.00

BILLABONG WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S FINAL RESULTS:
Wade Carmichael (AUS) 11.17 def. Nathan Carvalho (HAW) 10.63

BILLABONG WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 11.84 def Medi Veminardi (REU) 8.66
SF 2: Nathan Carvalho (HAW) 16.50 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.26

BILLABONG WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN’S FINAL RESULT:
Alessa Quizon (HAW) 13.67 def. Philippa Anderson (AUS) 8.67

BILLABONG WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Philippa Anderson (AUS) 15.10 def. Nage Melamed (HAW) 9.34
SF 2: Alessa Quizon (HAW) 13.80 def. Leila Hurst (HAW) 6.94

Check the Billabong World Junior Championships Gold Coast highlights via www.billabongpro.com. For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com.

Source: Press release ASP EURO News