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Saturday 17th February 2007 (Macauleys Headland): KIWI surfing
import Airini Mason (Tugun, QLD) has won the Billabong Pro Junior Series event
on the NSW Mid North Coast. 
The
defending 2006 ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) Australasian series
champion secured her first elite junior title win in over 12 months, defeating
French surfer Alize Arnaud in the final. Mason, 16, dominated
the 25-minute decider, making the most of the clean 1m conditions to score a 5.50
early in the match and take the lead. A 6.65 two waves later secured the lead
for the smart surfing teen who then used priority to hold her opponent off for
the last five minutes. 
French
natural footer Arnaud struggled to find a decent scoring ride for much of the
encounter, her two top rides of a 5.15 and a 4.50 not enough to see her steal
victory. “I’m just so stoked with this win, it’s
been a while and I have just wanted it so much,” said Mason. “This is
a huge shot of confidence for me because all the other girls are just so good
at the moment, the international girls are ripping and the level has just been
boosted sky high in the last year.” Mason defeated event
favourite and ASP ratings leader Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa) in the semi final
after a crucial mistake saw Fitzgibbons rack up an interference. Only
being judged on one scoring wave, Fitzgibbons still notched up an 8.50 single
ride but made it too easy for Mason who only needed two mid range 5.00 scores
to take out the penultimate final. “It wasn’t an
easy road to take to the final but I’m just happy that I got there,”
said Mason. “In my semi final Sally got two eights and if she hadn’t
have got that interference I would have been combo’d and never would have
won.” “After surfing the semi I was out of
sync and didn’t do too good,” said Mason. “In the final I just
tried to surf a smart heat and wait for the good waves.” The
win saw Mason fly back into second place on the ratings with Fitzgibbons retaining
the top spot. Back to back ASP series titles are now not out of the question for
Mason, who is on track after a poor start to the 2007 competitive year. “I
needed that win to get me back up there on the ratings, it is going to be interesting
now. I definitely want to defend that ASP title, I don’t
want to be second place, I just want to be first for the rest of the year.”
Finishing equal third in the Billabong Pro Junior Girls division
was Fitzgibbons and Sunshine Coast surfer Rebecca Oakley. | 
