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Currumbin’s
Jackson Close has upstaged newly-crowned World Longboard champion Josh Constable
(Peregian beach) to secure the blue ribbon open men’s title at the Na Papa
Queensland Longboard titles held at Southport ‘Spit’ today.
Additionally,
32 of Queensland’s finest longboard surfers across 11 hotly contested divisions
have qualified for the Golden Breed Australian Longboard Titles to be held at
Yallingup, Western Australia (WA) from the 15th – 22nd October, 2006.
In shifty 3-4ft left and right-hand peaks, it was Close who
dominated, leaving his fellow open men’s finalists Constable, Harrison Roach
(Sunshine beach) and Cade Vigors (Palm beach) to fight it out for minor placings.
Close,
former Australian Longboard champion (2000) and multiple Queensland title winner,
opened the final with a super strong 6.5 ride. With 3-minutes remaining Close
executed a copybook display of modern and traditional surfing to post the final’s
highest wave score, an impressive 8.25 ride. Despite
a late rally by Constable (7.9 & 6), it was Close who was victorious. Roach
(11.75) and Vigors (7.6) finished 3rd and 4th respectively. ‘It’s
always great to be surfing against guys like Josh (Constable) and Harrison (Roach).
I have been trying to beat him for a while. I thought I had beaten him at the
Whalebone event in Western Australia early this year, but he got the better of
me. I’m just pleased to finally get one up on him,” explained Close. 
In
the open women’s division, Maroochydore’s Debbie Allan (7.65) narrowly
defeated Rani Bryant (Caloundra), Rosie Locke (Bundaberg) and Sharon Jackson (Maroochydore)
to snatch her first Queensland title Damien Coulter,
longtime Sunshine Coast surfer and current over 35 men’s Australian Longboard
champion, proved unstoppable in the over 35 men’s division, posting two high
scoring rides (8 & 6.5) in the early stages of the twenty-minute final to
secure a exciting victory. 
In
a nail-biting under 18 boys final, Glenview’s Bowie Pollard upstaged more
fancied rivals Ben Fesselet (Agnes Water), reigning under 18 boys Australian Longboard
champion Harrison Roach (Sunshine Beach) and Ashley Oneal (Maroochydore) to claim
his maiden Queensland title. In sweet revenge, Roach
clinched the Coastalwatch ‘Classic Wave of the Contest’ prize of $500,
for an impressive 9.5 ride posted in early rounds. In
the over 40 men’s final, Mark McNamra’s heat total, an impressive 13.5
points (7.25 & 56.25) was easily enough to capture yet another Queensland
title. The elder statesman of Queensland’s longboard
fraternity faired well with Agnes Water’s Paul Milroy clinching the over
45 men’s division, Coolangatta’s Phil Shaw taking the honors in the
over 50 men’s division and Bargara’s Greg Wolff securing victory in
the over 55 men’s division. Rip Curl co-founder
Doug Warbrick (Currumbin) was victorious in the over 60 men’s division.
Currumbin’s Bianca Anstis claimed her maiden Queensland
title in the under 18 girls title, while a dominant display of surfing by Sharon
Jackson saw her claim the over 35 women’s title. The
’06 Na Papa Queensland Longboard Titles has under 18 boy’s, over 35,
over 40, over 45, over 50, over 55, over 60 and open men’s divisions, as
well as under 18 girl’s, over 35 and open women divisions. The
’06 Na Papa Queensland Longboard Titles is a mobile event throughout the
Gold Coast. | 
