January 29th 2012, South Point, Barbados:
Barbados’ hottest groms took to South Point for the fifth and final event of the Barbados Junior Surfing Club’s 2011 Burkie Junior Surf Series. The Club’s final event was to be mobile and was hopeful of a North swell to host a new event location much like the Friars Well event of 2010. The swell did not materialize in what has been a quiet season for our island’s West coast, but relocation of the event to South Point did not disappoint, and the waves were firing for our young groms.
In the Club’s premier division, the Under 18 Open, Dane Mackie (Lost Enterprises, Arnette, Jada) was charging at his home break. Comfortable in the conditions does not adequately describe the goofy footer’s onslaught against South Point’s reeling lefts, Dane demonstrated a progressive repertoire of maneuvers, hacks, airs and reverses on route to a 1st place finish and clean up of three divisions, in particular a prestigious over
all victory in the premier division Under 18 Open. Joshua Burke (Billabong, X-Trak, Vonzipper, Nixon, Reef, Futures Fins and Burkie Boards) who was chasing Mackie down to the wire in the overall ratings would take a second place finish on the day, and second place overall for the season. Burke was also electric on the day and to the delight of the spectators threw himself into a number of technical air reverses on the Point’s puntable rights. Chelsea Roett (Oakley, Lime) would demonstrate her great skill, not just as a top female rider, but a top caliber junior surfer that can mix it up with any group of surfing talent, Roett launched a furious backside attack on the Point’s lefts to take home the bronze and a fourth place overall finish in the Under 18 Open division. Daniel Edghill would also showcase his talent heaving gallons of water with his patented hack and taking to the air with ease, Edghill would take the fourth place finish on the day and the bronze in the division overall.
In the Girls Under 18 division Chelsea Roett would close out an impressive year with her fourth win in the division for a fantastic season finish. Roett would finish with an 11 average two wave total with Chelsea Tuach (Roxy, Red Bull, 69Slam, Dragon)finishing in second with a 9.1 average two wave total and closing the year in second overall. Gylla Mackenzie who is leading the charge for the next generation of young female groms, would cap her year with a third on the day and overall, with newcomers to the division mini girl groms Roma Bellori and Giselle Allan taking their skills to the old guard and finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
In the Club’s youngest division the10&Under a back and forth battle throughout the year between two young stars, Jacob Burke (Billabong, Indo Board, Burkie Boards) and Zander Venzia, would come to a definitive close with Burke taking the win on the day and the overall division gold. Burke would hunt and find Point’s barrels on route to an impressive victory amassing an average of 12 points on the two wave score. Venezia the young goofy footer would demonstrate great feel for the wave and link great combinations of snaps and cutbacks through to the inside of the break. Liam Grant who is rapidly progressing with good coaching and love for the sport would take third on the day to boast his overall standing to fifth, we expect a solid charge from Grant in 2012. In a long awaited return Jack Degruchy would return to surf competition to the acclaim “Jack is Back”, a brief sojourn from competition did not dampen his competitive drive and Degruchy found himself back in the winner’s circle with a fourth place on the day. Notable was seven year old Matteo Capasso who fearlessly charged wave faces three times his height and into the hearts of his many fans on the beach.
In the 12& Under division Che Allan (Quiksilver) would cement his overall victory for 2011 by overwhelming the field with an 11.5 two wave total. Allan has staked his claim at South Point and the young goofy footer relished in the long lefts combining his repertoire of fins free lips and massive floaters to a solid win. Jacob Burke would take the second on the day and the silver for the overall 2011 season. Zander Venezia was a repeat finalist and would take the third place finish in the division and fifth overall in the series. Evan Moll another Point local would round out the finalists. Moll would take some progressive lines in his quest for the finals and land a front side reverse in front of the crowd, he would take fourth place at Point and move himself up to a fourth place finish overall for the year.
The 14 & Under saw the rivalry between Joshua Burke and Dane Mackie continue, however Mackie in what would be a close final, would again take the win in Event 5 and the overall division again. Finishing second was Daniel Edghill, with Burke taking third and closing out second overall for the season. Fourth was Che Allan who would take third overall and Andrew Rose (Volcom, Arnette, Burkie Boards) in fifth on the day and a fourth place overall finish in the 14 & Under division. Jacob Burke rounded out the six man final with a six place at Point. Dane Mackie would also take first in the Under 16 division and again stomp the field with another overall victory for the year. Che Allan would take silver at Point and solidify third overall on the season. Joshua Burke would finish third on the day and second overall in the series with Calum Blandford finishing fourth in the panel of finalists at Point.
Finally the Girls 12 & Under division had not been run since the Club’s first event of the year. It was fantastic to see new interest from a talented group of young female surfers. Taking gold in her first event of the year was Roma Bellori with close friend Giselle Allan finishing in second, and Gabriella Gittens heading home with the bronze. Giselle Allan with her second won the overall division for the year. The Club supports the development of our young female groms and looks forward to these great surfers taking over the baton from the Chelseas as they move on to great things on the international junior female circuit.
The Club will now close off 2011 with our greatly anticipated Annual Awards Party which will take place at Ocean Spray Hotel, the home of Burkie Surf School, on the 17th February 2012. We look forward to a great time with parents, friends, family and most of all our great group of young surfers. Congrats to all and see you there. Overall divisional standings can be found online at http://www.bdosjuniorsurfing.org/pages/standings.php .
About Us
The Barbados Junior Surfing Club was established in 2010 with a mission to develop junior surfing in Barbados. The Club assists its members in developing their surfing skills through structured surfing events, advice and training on matters such as surfing competition, judging and all other areas particular to the development of our sport in Barbados. The junior divisions that the Club runs at its surfing events are 10& Under, 12& Under, 14& Under, Under 16 and Under 18, as well as a division specifically for the 12& Under Girls and Under 18 Girls in our quest for our future Barbadian girls champions.
For further information please visit our website at http://www.bdosjuniorsurfing.org or our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/bdosjuniorsurfing .
BJSC BURKIE JUNIOR SURF SERIES – EVENT # 5 – CONTEST RESULTS
10 & UNDER
1 JACOB BURKE
2 ZANDER VENEZIA
3 LIAM GRANT
4 JACK DEGRUCHY
12 & UNDER
1 CHE ALLAN
2 JACOB BURKE
3 ZANDER VENEZIA
4 EVAN MOLL
12 and UNDER GIRLS
1 ROMA BELLORI
2 GISELLE ALLAN
3 GABRIELLA GITTENS
14 & UNDER
1 DANE MACKIE
2 DANIEL EDGHILL
3 JOSHUA BURKE
4 CHE ALLAN
5 ANDREW ROSE
6 JACOB BURKE
UNDER 16
1 DANE MACKIE
2 CHE ALLAN
3 JOSHUA BURKE
4 CALUM BLANDFORD
UNDER 18 GIRLS
1 CHELSEA ROETT
2 CHELSEA TUACH
3 GYLLA MACKENZIE
4 ROMA BELLORI
5 GISELLE ALLAN
UNDER 18 OPEN
1 DANE MACKIE
2 JOSHUA BURKE
3 CHELSEA ROETT
4 DANIEL EDGHILL
Join the Barbados Junior Surfing Club at our Annual Awards Party to be held at Ocean Spray Hotel, Inch Marlow, CH CH (home to Burkie’s Surf School) from 7:00pm on Friday February 17th 2012. Come out in support of our young surfers as we present the awards for the 2011 BJSC Burkie Junior Surf Series.
