| 
 Dion
Atkinson (Seaford, Aus.) took down the Oakley Pro Junior today in clean six-foot
surf at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, California.
The
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Grade-Two event was the final contest
of the 2006 ASP North America Pro Junior series serving as the National Championships. Atkinson,
who was a standout in the O’Neill Cold Water Classic before being eliminated,
went absolutely mad in the Oakley Pro Junior final. After opening with a solid
wave, Atkinson waited nearly 15 minutes before striking again. The big Australian
tore into an overhead set wave with searing carves netting him a 9.33 out of a
possible 10 to takeover the lead. “I got that first one
under my belt and I kind of sat for a bit,” Atkinson said. “Alex (Gray)
really took over about midway through the heat and I knew I had to wait for a
good one to really open up on. I’m a little bigger guy so these waves suit
me a bit better.” Atkinson, who finished third in the
ASP Australasia Pro Junior series, will meet up against some of his fellow competitors
in next January’s Billabong ASP World Junior Championships. “The
level of competition is really high here – it’s just as high as Australia,”
Atkinson said. “Winning here has given me a really good confidence boost
and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again at Narrabeen (ASP World
Junior Championships).” Alex Gray (Palos Verdes, Calif.)
surfed extremely well in the finals holding the lead for the majority of the heat
before Atkinson took over relegating Gray to second. “Congratulations
go out to Dion (Atkinson) – he’s been absolutely ripping all week,”
Gray said. “That’s what is so cool about this event is that there is
a huge international contingent really pushing the rest of us out there. It’s
been an amazing event.” | 
