Taylor Jensen (USA), Reigning two-time ASP World Longboard Champion is still in red hot form. Pic ASP/Luke Sorensen
KINGSCLIFF, NSW/Australia (Wednesday, March 20, 2013) - With challenging 2 foot waves and shifting winds on offer, surfers really had to rely on smart wave selection and some creative surfing for day one at the Australian Longboard Surfing Open at Kingscliff, NSW today.
Taylor Jensen (USA) Reigning two-time ASP World Longboard Champion, excelled in the tricky conditions cruising through his Round 1 heat and absolutely destroying his opponents in their Quarterfinal scoring an amazing near-perfect heat total of 19.57 (out of a possible 20), the highest of the day.
“It’s funny but the waves that look good aren’t really that good, the smaller ones kind of double up and run further so I just looked for those runners and I found two of them and it worked out,” said Jensen.
Japanese surfer Shohei Akimoto also advanced to the Semifinals in second position behind Jensen.
2009 ASP World Longboard Champion Harley Ingleby (Emerald Beach, NSW) looked unstoppable all day posting two big heat wins to also advance through to the Semifinals. Ingleby held off local surfer Jackson Close (Tweed Heads, AUS) who scored four waves over 7.00 in an entertaining affair where the waves turned on for all surfers.
“That was a really close heat!” Ingleby said. “It’s always a really tough draw at the Australian Open, the world champ (Jensen) has set the bar pretty high but of course it’s my goal to win it.”
Yallingup surfer Justin Redman (AUS) was the last surfer of the day to win through to the Semifinals alongside Ray Lawrence (AUS) finishing 1st and 2nd respectively in their Quarterfinal. Redman who has managed to sneak under the radar so far surfed two smart heats in slow conditions, but is focused on achieving a big result.
“I’m pretty stoked to get through,” Redman said. “I’ve made it to a few Semifinals here before but never a Final, so I’m definitely focused on making that extra step!”
In the Cancer Institute ASP LQS Women’s event, ASP World No. 5 and the highest ranked surfer in the draw, Georgia Young, snuck through in a low-scoring affair over Samantha Suendemann (AUS) and Kirsty Webster (AUS), who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
“It was a tough heat,” Young said. “I wasn’t where I wanted to be sitting for that heat but I managed to get one good wave and an ok backup which is all I needed in the end. The bank is there but it’s a challenge just finding those really good ones that allow you to link up a few manoeuvres but I managed to sneak through.”
Young will face Crystal Dzigas (HAW) who won her heat comfortably as well as Rosie Locke (AUS) and Suendemann in the first semi final on Saturday.
The pros will enjoy a few days off now with the Noserider, SUP Pro Surf and Illusions SUP Amateur Surf divisions hitting the water tomorrow.
The Australian Longboard Surfing Open the 2013 event will be staged from 20th – 24th March at Kingscliff NSW Australia. It is set to take Australian Longboard Surfing to a new level of fun and entertainment with ASP LQS Man’s & Woman’s divisions, a noserider event, SUP Surfing & Racing and amateur surfing divisions. On the land there will be a music festival, lifestyle market stalls, art, cooking demonstrations and movies.
Cancer Institute NSW:
The Cancer Institute NSW is Australia’s first State-wide Government supported cancer control agency. The Cancer Institute NSW is responsible for reducing cancer incidence, increasing cancer survival, improving quality of life for cancer patients and their carers and providing expert advice on cancer. For more information visit www.cancerinstitute.org.au
The 2013 Australian Longboard Surfing open is proudly supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, through the Regional Flagship Events Program.
