Sylvester, Scollard among final six surfers at the Rangi Pro
It turned out to be yet another exciting day at Rangiroa, French Polynesia, as the up-and-coming surfing talent got through the Round of 16 and first two quarter-finals of the Rangi Pro, an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Australasia Pro Junior
Series 3-Star rated event, on Sunday, April 7, 2013.
The razor sharp reef offered some pretty good waves on the latest day of the competition, setting up a nice stage for the young surfers to put their skills on display.
The day kicked-off with the Round of 16 heats, offering eight surfers an opportunity to make their way through into the quarter-finals.
The first heat of the day saw Australia’s Jake Sylvester get the better of his fellow countrymen Jack Scollard and Brendan Hay, as well as French Polynesia’s Vehiatua Prunier to advance alongside second-place finisher Scollard into the quarter-finals.
Both the Australians managed to register a win in the first and second quarter-final respectively, with Sylvester downing Australia’s Jake Scott in the first quarter-final, while Scollard downed French Polynesia’s Mihimana Braye in the second quarter-final
to make their way through into the semi-final.
Braye and Scott had earned their place in the quarter-finals after finish on top of Australia’s Matt Williams and French Polynesia’s Enrique Ariitu in the second heat.
Australia’s Soli Bailey and Australia’s Kai Hing rounded out the top-two positions during the third heat of Round of 16, eliminating French Polynesia’s Kevin Bourez and Australia’s Nathan Specht in the process.
The last-two two remaining spots in the quarter-finals were clinched by Australia’s Mitchell Parkinson and his fellow countryperson Kurtis Herman after they finished on top of Australia’s Nic Jones and Ryan Hunt in the fourth heat of Round of 16.
“I’ve already equalled my best Pro Junior result so I’m stoked,” Parkinson said. “I only caught two waves in my heat but they were both eights so that was enough. I injured my ankle earlier in the year and it’s still a little sore, I just have to make sure
I do all my warm ups and it feels ok to surf. I’ve been to Tahiti a couple of times before, but this is my first time to Rangiroa and it is unreal. The waves are fun and it’s paradise, to have a junior comp at a place like this is unbelievable.”
While the fate of the first two quarter-finals has been decided, the remaining two quarter-finals are to be decided on the next day of the competition.
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