Thomas Woods (Gold Coast, QLD/AUS) competing at last year’s Oakley World Pro Junior Bali. Pic ASP/Robertson.
COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Australia (Monday, September 10, 2012) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Australasian qualifiers have been selected for the up-and-coming Oakley ASP World Junior Championships Bali, the event that will decide the Men’s and Women’s 2012 ASP World Junior Champions. Australasia’s best surfers under 21-years-old have been competing throughout the year on the ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series, with the top four rated men and top two rated women earning their chance to compete for the ASP World Junior Title. A further two spots are available to the two highest rated Australasian junior male surfers on the ASP World Rankings.
Wade Carmichael (Avoca, NSW/AUS) was the clear standout performer on the 2012 ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series, winning three of seven events throughout the year. Carmichael’s powerful gouges and progressive aerials will see him head to Bali as one of the event favourites, especially since he’s already tasted success at Keramas after winning a Pro Junior event at the famed right-hander back in 2010.
“I’m feeling really good going into the event,” Carmichael said. “The last time I competed in Bali I won, and I’m comfortable in all conditions out there and I know the waves pretty well. I’ll be going into the event giving it all I’ve got and trying my hardest to win. I’ve been preparing for the last couple of months, focusing on my training, and I’ve been working with my shaper Nigel Annesley, trying to get the best boards to suit all conditions.”
Cooper Chapman (North Narrabeen, NSW/AUS) is competing at the Oakley ASP World Junior Championships Bali for his first time, but is quietly confident after finishing second on the ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series. Chapman won his first ASP Pro Junior event at Cloud 9 in the Philippines last year and fancies his chances at Bali’s similar reef breaks.
“I’ve been to Bali a lot in the last few years and feel really confident over there,” Chapman said. “I stayed at Canggu for 10 days last month and scored great waves, and as for Keramas, I’m staying there for the week before the competition. I’ve also posted my best two results on our series at Cloud 9 and Rangiroa, French Polynesia which are very similar waves to Keramas. I think it’s good that the ASP World Junior Champion will be crowned after just one event, it means everybody has to be on their game and you can’t hold anything back, I know I won’t be!”
Thomas Woods (Gold Coast, QLD/AUS), 2011 ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series Champion finished 3rd on the ratings this year, but has his sights firmly set on performing well at his sponsor’s event – the Oakley ASP World Junior Championships Bali.
“I’m happy that the ASP World Junior Champion will be crowned in Bali,” Woods said. “Canggu and Keramas are both high performance waves and I feel that they suit my surfing. Oakley have a great setup in Bali and I’m lucky that I have their pit crew behind me to help me out. It’s my second time competing at the ASP World juniors and I’m feeling way more confident and relaxed this year than last year. I have a new shaper JR who has been making me some really good boards, I just need to be surfing at my peak, choose the best waves and have a bit of luck to win.”
Nikki Van Dijk (Phillip Island, VIC/AUS) won two of three events on this year’s ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series to easily take the top spot on the ratings. Van Dijk has also gained some valuable competitive experience this year after receiving wildcards into the elite ASP Women’s World Championship Tour events, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and the Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic.
“I’m super excited to go to Bali!” Van Dijk said. “I’ve never been there before and this is my first time at the ASP World Juniors! I’m confident about competing there, I’m feeling really good about the whole event and I’ll just do my best, but I’m definitely going for gold.”
The Oakley ASP World Junior Championships will run from October 6 – 17, 2012.
ASP Australasia Men’s Qualifiers:
Wade Carmichael (Avoca, NSW/AUS)
Cooper Chapman (North Narrabeen, NSW/AUS)
Thomas Woods (Gold Coast, QLD/AUS)
Soli Bailey (Byron Bay, NSW/AUS)
Jack Freestone (Gold Coast QLD/AUS)
Matt Banting (Port Macquarie, NSW/AUS)
ASP Australasia Women’s Qualifiers:
Nikki Van Dijk (Phillip Island, VIC/AUS)
Ellie-Jean Coffey (Gold Coast QLD/AUS)
