Swellnet Form Guide - Gold Coast Duo Claim Victory At The Brothers Neilsen Junior Surf Challenge

Talented Gold Coast surfers Eli Jacobs (Bilinga) and Tiana McNeven (Tugun) won the blue ribbon divisions at the Brothers Neilsen Junior Surf Challenge held in 2ft surf at Maroochydore beach last Friday, October 6th.

In its 13th year, the ’06 Brothers Neilsen Junior Surf Challenge paved the way for over 180 of Queenland and Australia’s most promising junior surfers to push the limits of their chosen craft.

With a stack of incredible prizes, trophies and not to mention kudos on the line, it was a flock of Queensland surfers who dominated, claiming eight titles out of the 9 divisions contested.

Leading today’s charge was little unknown Jacobs, upstaging highly rated Sunshine Coast surfer Chris Friend (Alexandra Headlands) to claim his first competitive surfing victory in more than a year.

Jacobs, 16, of Bilinga, employed a never-die attitude throughout the final, coming from behind to narrowly defeat Friend.

Opening with a strong 7.17 ride as well as a 7.10 in the first five minutes, Friend seamlessly took control of the 20-minute final.

Nevertheless, combining a light footed yet powerful approach, the small framed Jacobs took it to his more fancied rival, clinching a 7.83 ride followed by a solid 6.83 in the closing stages of the tight final to take victory.

A pleased Jacobs said, “It’s my first proper win in a Surfing Queensland rated event. I’m really happy about it.”

“I got a fourth in an event last year. I only needed a small score and didn’t get it. This time I did!

“Chris is such a good surfer. I needed a final wave to beat him. A smaller wave came through and I just worked it through to the beach,“ added Jacobs.

Coolum’s Sam Rhodes and Mermaid beach’s Matt Neilsen finished third and fourth respectively.

McNeven, recently crowned under 18 girl’s Queensland Junior champion, was another to impress on finals day, claiming victory in the under 18 girl’s division.

Using a mature approach, McNeven blasted her opponents Briana Lenton (Sunshine beach), Temma Lee (Coolum) and Hannah Van Druten (Burleigh Heads) right out of the water, posting a rock-solid total of 11-points.

Local Maroochydore surfer Ben Milgate busted-out-of-the-gates in the opening minute of the under 16 boy’s advanced division final, posting an impressive combined two-wave total of 14.57 (8 & 6.57) to run away with the twenty-minute final.

Buderim pocket-rocket Dimity Stoyle, reigning under 16 girl’s Queensland Junior champion, outclassed fellow Sunshine Coast surfers Quincy Moore (Castaways beach) and Naomi Stevic (Sunrsie beach) as well as lone Gold Coaster Amy Hubbard (Currumbin) to post an impressive victory in the hotly fought under 16 girl’s division final.

A dramatic under 14 boy’s final, saw all four finalists leading the 20-miunte final at one point. Despite a slow start, Caloundra’s Nicholas Edgerten out-edged Sunshine beach surfer Thomas Cervi, Caloundra’s Jake Fissenden and Copacabana’s (NSW) Joshua Hay in the final two minutes of the final to come away with a stellar win.

The dynamic Gold Coast duo of Brodie and Amiya Doyle yet again wrapped up the under 14 girl’s title, finishing 1st and 2nd respectively.

Incredibly, a slender .3 of a point split the sister’s final scores.

Similarly, the micro-grommets of the surfing world fearlessly contested the under 12 boy’s finals, madly surfing for chief supremacy in the first final of the day.

Adapting best to the marginal conditions on offer, Caloundra’s Eli Steele defeated Nicholas Doran (Caloundra), Will Morrison (Tweed Heads) and Harry Bryant (Sunshine beach) to take a well-deserved victory.

With the event also catering for intermediate surfers who have little or no competitive surfing experience, Queensland’s surfing upstarts did their state proud, reveling in the afternoon’s somewhat tricky conditions,

In a wave-catching bonanza of a final, with 40 waves rode over the four finalists, Skennar Head’s Luke Streader convincingly won the under 16 boy’s intermediate final, while Sam Horne (Maroochydore) was a richly deserved victor in the under 18 boy’s intermediate final.

Results:

Under 12 boys

1st Eli Steele – 11.1pts (Caloundra)

2nd Nicholas Doran - 10.46pts ( Caloundra)

3rd Will Morrison – 8.94pts (Tweed Heads)

4th Harry Bryant – 8.3pts (Sunshine beach)

Under 14 Girls

1st Brodie Doyle - 7.03 pts(Coolangatta)

2nd Amiya Doyle – 7pts (Coolangatta)

3rd Anneka Alberts – 6.13pts (Mudjimba)

4th Ashley Goodall – 3.36pts (Caloundra)

Under 14 Boys