Defending Whalebone Classic event champion Georgia Young (WA/AUS) started her 2012 campaign off with a heat win.
COTTESLOE, WA/AUS (Saturday, July 14, 2012) ? Competition commenced at Isos Reef, Cottesloe, WA in pleasant, but small waves this morning. The 190 competitors from as far a field as Taiwan, Spain, Hawaii and New Zealand were greeted by the small but contestable waves and are looking forward to a promised increase in swell tomorrow.
Defending Women’s champion Georgia Young (WA/AUS) used her local knowledge to the full extent as she posted a win in the opening heat in the ASP 3-Star LQS division. Lucy Small (QLD) started slowly but went on to finish 2nd, while Taiwan’s Wen Ling Chou scored the heat’s single highest wave score of 6.75 (out of a possible 10) but could not find a decent back up wave and was eliminated.
“There wasn’t many waves in my heat but it was so good to be able to share the waves with the other two girls,” said Ling Chou after she was eliminated.
In heat two Hawaiian Miku Uemura notched the day’s highest wave score of 8.50 (out of a possible 10) executing turns and nose rides all the way to the beach. She then backed up with a 6.5 to also have the day’s highest heat total to take the heat win and progress to tomorrows Semifinal.
The final heat suffered from a lack of waves but still saw former ASP shortboard competitor Wini Paul (NZ) catch eight waves to dominate with a two wave total of 9.90 (out of a possible 10) points. Fellow competitors Kirsty Webster (NSW) 9.5 points and Nava Young (NSW) 7.35 were wave starved having to share 3 waves each. Webster advanced with Paul to the Semifinals that will run tomorrow.
A full program of surfing was completed in the small conditions today. Organisers are confident of a bump in swell for tomorrow for the completion of the ASP 3-Star LQS Men’s division and Finals of all other pro and amateur divisions.
About the Whalebone Classic
The “Be Kind, Be Calm, Keep Smiling” Whalebone Classic is one of the premier events among the Australian professional longboard community. Staged annually at Iso’s Reef at Cottesloe nearly 200 longboard surfers and their supporters are expected to converge for another gathering of the tribes on July 14th & 15th July2012. Now into its fifteenth year, the Whalebone has always attracted some of the Australia’s best longboarders.
Location: Cottesloe, WA/AUS
Date: Sat 14-Jul-2012 to Sun 15-Jul-2012
