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The 2006
Dunes NSW State Junior Titles will go down in history as one of best contests
we have seen at state level, with the electrifying standard set from the opening
rounds at Coffs Harbour showcasing what a force NSW is when it comes to the junior
ranks. 
The
first three days of competition saw some amazing surfing as the grommets went
for broke in their quest for glory with some massive heat scores going down and
while most of the East Coast was getting hammered by fierce rain and wind, Coffs
Harbour turned on clear blue skies and good waves. After four
days of enthralling competition, event organizers headed to Diggers Beach for
what was sure to be an exciting final day of event. The waves had backed off a
tad from the previous day and the bad weather had finally arrived but it didn’t
seem to upset the rhythm of those still searching for that elusive win. 
The
finals kicked off with the Under 14 Girls paddling out in 1.5 metre waves and
they showed no fear as they went for broke during the heat. All four took some
big drops but it was Ali Kelly from Avalon who found the best waves and she really
looked the goods as she carved her way to an impressive victory. Kelly worked
hard for the win though with Cloudy Rhodes (Palm Beach), Claudia Ashton (Crescent
Head) and Sophie Hardcastle (Cromer) pushing her until the final hooter sounded.
The mini grommets again took centre stage with the Under 14
Boys next up and they didn’t disappoint as they tore into the rip-able waves.
Their ability to pull off huge maneuvers was mind-blowing and by the half way
mark of the final Cooper Chapman North Narrabeen), Damien Norman (Casurina), Jake
Sylvester (Bar Beach) and Jack Girdler (Avalon) all had good scores under their
belt. The final was up for grabs until young Cooper
Chapman paddled into a good looking wave where he executed a series of radical
turns which sealed the deal for the North Narrabeen powerhouse. These kids are
the future of surfing in this state and if what we saw at Coffs was anything to
go by, the future is in safe hands. 
The
Under 16 Girls knew when they paddled out for their final that there were only
two spots in the state side for the Australian titles up for grabs and you could
tell from the opening minute they were all desperate to make the team. Laura Enever
(North Narrabeen) wasted no time getting into rhythm blasting off a series of
aggressive turns that impressed everyone on the beach including the judging panel.
With so much talent in the line-up you knew that the
final was far from over and it was Culburra surfer Tyler Wright who made the biggest
move with an amazing ride where she put together a string of critical turns to
the cheers of her support crew on the beach. It was great to see the girls going
for it and again we had a final that was sure to go down to the wire. Merewether’s
Phillipa Anderson and Tyler’s sister Kirby also looked at home in the solid
waves but in the end it was Enever’s solid second scoring wave that won her
the Title with Tyler a mere point behind in second place. 
The
Under 16 Boys champion was always going to be hard to pick with Dean Bowen (Gerroa),
Garrett Parkes (Byron Bay), Davey Cathels (Narrabeen) and Justin Turk (Arrawarra)
four of the hottest young surfers in this country. Between them they have won
nearly every major age title in the state and going into the event Bowen had just
come off a win at the Quiksilver King of the Groms in France. It just made for
essential viewing and from the outset it was a real battle royal. Some
went looking for waves early and others like Parkes just sat out the back waiting
for a good set to come through. Bowen, Turk and Cathel’s opened their accounts
with minor scores but it was becoming hard to find good waves out there and the
big scores that everyone had posted in the Semi-Finals looked worlds away as the
clock ticked past the ten minute mark. 
With all but Parkes holding scores around the 5 point mark,
it was still anyone’s guess who would jump from the pack. Try as they may,
but no-one really got anything that would give them a big lead. With time running
out Parkes paddled into a bomb set and set the place alight throwing his board
through a series of massive turns which netted him a score of 8.65. The only problem
for the talented Byron Bay surfer was he didn’t have a decent second scoring
wave. Watching it unravel was exciting as Cathels
had two scores in the five point range with Turk and Bowen not far behind, so
as the final hooter went it was in the hands of the judges to separate the four.
All four exited the water unsure of the result with Parkes looking upset he had
not gotten the backup he needed. At the presentation
the Byron Bay Grommet stood on the podium thinking he had blown it but when the
sheets were tallied, his high scoring wave and his back up of 2.15 points won
him the title. Cathels was unlucky finishing second with Turk third and Bowen
fourth. The scores tell the story that only 1 point
separated 1st to 4th which is a true indication of just how tight it was. The
Under 18 Girls saw some exciting surfing taking place during the early rounds
and there was a number of upsets leading into the final day. South Coast surfer
Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa) stepped up into the 18s this year with ease and she
stamped herself as the one to beat posting a couple of ten point rides during
her Quarter and Semi Finals. In the Final she took on a charging Ashleigh Smith
(Cabarita Beach), Emma Allen (Hallidays Point) and Brittney Nichol (Cabarita Beach).
The girls really had it hard with a changing tide making it harder to pull a wave
that opened up, but in the end it was the style and class of Fitzgibbons that
won the day with Smith second, Nichol third and Allen fourth rounding out a high
quality heat. The Under 18 Boys division was mind blowing with
all competitors taking their surfing to another level. 64 surfers entered the
draw and after four days it was down to four amazing surfers who had truly earned
the right for a place in the final. Leading into the final it was Sam Lendrum
from Nords Wharf who really looked the goods after posting a series of high scoring
heat wins. Lendrum has really taken his surfing to another level in recent months
but knew he would have to be on his game with the likes of Jesse Adams (Merewether),
Chris Salisbury (Newport) and Brett Burcher (Ulladulla) ready to bring his run
to an end. The Final started with Salisbury firing the
first couple of early shots that included an amazing ride where the natural-footer
threw his board into a series of vertical turns. Newcastle’s Jesse Adams
was not going to be outdone however, exploding into a series of high performance
moves to put the pressure back on his rivals. Lendrum sat a little wider looking
for the right-handers that has served him well during his earlier heats but they
didn’t come his way and by the tem minute mark he was behind the eight ball.
Burcher looked strong but it was Salisbury who put the issue beyond doubt when
he executed a series of solid moves with only a couple of minutes remaining. Adams
wasn’t far behind in second place with Burcher and Lendrum rounding out a
quality heat. For Salisbury the job was done and he now joins
an elite group who have won a State Title in all three age groups. Salisbury
was elated after the Final saying, “I’m so stoked I can’t believe
it. I was really pumped up before the final and just went out focused on getting
the job done. I felt great leading into the final and knew my boards where working
well for me which gave me that extra confidence.” “The
Northern Beaches team traveled together and having all my team mates cheering
for me really helped me through. My coach Hamish Nelson and I watched where the
best waves were and our plan really worked out well.” “The
standard of surfing was so good during the whole event and I knew I would need
to lift if I was going to win. The State Titles are such an important event for
everyone and to know that I have won it in all three divisions in the juniors
is a pretty amazing feeling. Its hard enough to win one but to win three is something
that I will be forever proud of.” Salisbury will head
up what promises to be a very strong NSW Junior team at the 2006 Quiksilver Australian
Grommet Titles, which are being held at Ballina in late November. The
Dunes NSW State Junior Titles is proudly supported by Dunes International, Coffs
Coast Holiday Parks, AH Designs, Coffs Harbour United Boardriders Club, Banana
Boat and Surfing NSW. | 
