Jesse Mendes and Michael February claim top honours in Round 1 of CHIKO Pro Junior – Surfing News
Brazil’s Jesse Mendes and South Africa’s Michael February emerged triumphant in their respective Round 1 (Round of 112) heats of CHIKO Pro Junior during Newcastle Surfest that continued at Merewether in New South Wales, Australia, on Thursday, March 8.
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 4-Star Men’s Junior Qualifying event had brought some of the best emerging talent from around the globe to Merewether to put them in a battle for the prize money of $20,000 as well as coveted ASP Junior rating
points.
The opening day of the competition started off in challenging six-foot waves, bring the skills and presence of mind of the surfers to a test. Catching waves and getting big scores was evidently proving to be tough for the surfers.
Facing Australia’s Jack Duggan and his compatriot Beau Foster in the fifth heat, Mendes showed his class as he tamed the challenging surfing conditions to find a couple of juicy waves and showcased his array of tricks to get to a heat-total of 13.50 points.
The score remained unbeatable until the end and eventually paved the way for the Brazilian to walking into Round 2 (Round of 96).
Duggan seemed pretty lost out in the sea, something that he could not be blamed for considering the nature of the waves and wind. However, he was still able to successfully extend his life in the event after finishing in runner-up place with a heat-total
of 5.00 points only.
Foster got eliminated from the competition after managing to get to a mere 4.25 off his two business-waves.
The sixth heat turned out to be an even more exciting contest, courtesy of a phenomenal performance by February. The South African surfer showed absolutely no discomfort during the course of the battle and conveniently navigated his way to lock promising
waves and eventually finishing with a heat-total of 15.15 points.
Australia’s Bodi Smith successfully made the Round 2 cut after finishing in second place with a heat-total of 7.75 points.
The heat served to eliminate the local Kalani Ball and Jordan Lawler from the competition as the two finished in third and fourth place respectively. Ball scored a heat-total of 7.00 points, while Lawler finished with a two-wave total of 6.70 points.
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