Merewether Beach, NSW/AUS (Sunday, 16 February, 2014)
WEST Australian Bronte Macaulay has won the junior women’s competition in small, clean waves at the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior 1-Star event at Merewether beach.
In a final played out in a light offshore wind fanning small but glassy conditions, Macaulay (16.25 out of a possible 20) defeated Holly Wawn (13.9 out of a possible 20) from Sydney’s northern beaches.
Macaulay, a 20-year-old goofy-footer who hails from Gracetown around 20 kilometres north of Margaret River in Western Australia, was cheered on by friends and family including her coach, father and former professional surfer Dave Macaulay.
Despite the day’s competition being plagued by constant drizzle, small waves and long delays, Macaulay stayed focused on the task at hand and remained determined to go one better than her previous performance at last week’s Hurley Pro Junior in Sydney where she came second.
Interestingly, she was defeated at that event by Ellie-Jean Coffey – the reigning champ at this event.
In her quarter-final heat here today, Macaulay hardly bothered the judges, riding just a single wave.
But that individual ride was an impressive effort in an ocean lacking motion, and she racked up an 8.75 (out of a possible 10).
Macaulay tied that quarter-final heat with Kingscliff’s Ashlee Spence, but Macaulay progressed because she had the highest wave score in that heat.
“I don’t think they were the smallest waves I have surfed in a comp but they might have been the slowest.
“There was a bit of scrambling around but my third wave in the final sat up and gave me a good ride,” she said.
Macaulay was rewarded with a 9 (out of a possible 10) for that effort in the final. She also had the highest individual wave score of the entire competition – a 9.40 (out of a possible 10).
Macaulay said her next Pro Junior appearance is likely to be in New Zealand in June.
She will remain in Merewether for the moment, as she has a berth in the ASP 6-Star Hunter Ports Women’s Classic which commences at Merewether beach tomorrow morning.
