March 17, Silver Sands Beach, CH CH, Barbados:There was no tree in the lineup this time, but Silver Sands Beach held its promise and the waves delivered for a successful start to the 2012 Barbados Junior Surfing Club’s Burkie Junior Surf Series contests. Following on the first successful event to be held at the location in 2011 the contest director made the call based on a shifting East swell and the junior surfers got to demonstrate their abilities in the high performance beach break. The first event of the 2012 season was sponsored by longstanding supporter of the Club and surfing in Barbados Lynch Insurance Brokers, and the turnout on the contest day was outstanding with many new faces to the sport, their families, and supporters showing that the sport of surfing in Barbados is more vibrant than ever.
In the premier Under 18 Open, Dane Mackie (Lost Enterprises, Arnette, Jada), who has been on a roll lately taking three of the Club’s 2011 titles, and started the year with another divisional three-peat at the Barbados Surfing Association’s first event of 2012, would come out blazing to take the win in the division and start his 2012 campaign year on a solid note. Mackie would post a 10.60 two wave total over Josh Burke (Billabong, Von Zipper, Nixon, X-Trak, Reef, Future Fins, Reef, Burkie Boards) with a 7.00
who would take second. The groms would trade off an exhibition in fins free flare in their quest to dominate the opening of the series. Not to be out done Che Allan who would feature in three of the event’s finals would attack the beach break’s left with a vengeance and post a two wave total of 6.00 to finish 3rd over the lone female finalist Chelsea Tuach with 5.43 and a 4th place result.The Under 18 Girls would see the challenge for top female rider between Chelsea Roett (Oakley, Lime) and Chelsea Tuach (Roxy, Red Bull, 69 Slam, Dragon) enter a new year for the top spot overall. The two girls controlled the heat with Tuach throwing her front side slashes and Roett countering with her vertical approach, however it was Roett who would seize this day with a win and divisional lead. Vying for the future girls crown were Gylla Mackenzie who would take 3rd and rising new junior girls riders Gabriella Gittens 4th and Valentine Meniaud 5th starting their first year on the series and developing to take the future reins
of the division.In the youngest division the 10 & Under groms, Zander Venezia would take control of the season with a first place finish on the day. Venezia, who was recently signed by US based surf company Hurley, would dominate the final with some solid hacks followed by Caleb Raspon in 2nd who would link some nice cutbacks through to the inside of the challenging beach break Darrian Pitcher would take 3rd in the division and Charlie Jenkins making his first event final and starting his run for the 2012 divisional podium would finish 4th. The division would also see some new faces and young talent entering the competitive arena this year including Matteo Capasso, Cesar Meniaud, Ayden Vido and Joshua Tempro. It is great to see the pure stoke in these youngsters and we look forward to bearing witness to their progress in the years to come.
Che Allan (Quiksilver) would kick off his season with a narrow victory in the 12 & Under over Andrew Rose (Volcom, Arnette, Burkie Boards). Allan would demonstrate great flow linking his quick fins free turns through to the inside for a 7.33 two wave total, whereas Rose would get the heat’s highest wave sco
re landing one of the event’s few airs and finishing just short with a 7.10 two wave total and second place. Evan Moll would launch a flurry of vertical re-entries and take 3rd place with a 6.40 two total followed by Zander Venezia (5.20) in 4th, Jacob Burke (RVCA, Indo Board, Burkie Boards) in 5th (4.97) and Yuri Scutt in 6th (3.30). The 12 & Under division would also grow through new competitive interest in the sport. Some of the very young competitors would pitch their skills up against the older boy, but new faces like Zachary Cook, Andrew Gill, Christian Armstrong and Kobi Talma would all make debut starts in 2012.
The Under 16 division title race would kick off with Joshua Burke staking his claim on the 2012 divisional lead with another fins free and aerial exhibition finishing with a 9.60 two wave total over Andrew Rose (6.10) who was solid throughout the event finishing second and making a solid run for 2012. Josh Galt would only finish narrowly behind Rose (6.03) and also takes home valuable points for his divisional run with Che Allan finishing 4th (3.93) on the day.
Finally the 12 & Under Girls would start the year with many new faces to the Club. Jodie Burke not to be outdone by her brothers would stake her own claim on the Barbados surf arena with a win in event one. Burke who like her brothers and father can be found surfing most evenings would make her competitive debut and commence with a bang. Last year’s divisional winner Giselle Allan who
also is making her own name in the sport and charting a similar path of success to brother Che would finish 2nd on the day. Gabriella Gittens and Valetine Meniaud who were repeat finalists for both girls divisions would take 3rd and 4th respectively with Roma Bellori last year’s divisional runner up finishing 5th, and Melanie Massey 6th.The Club has shifted its focus in 2012 by adding variety to our contest schedule and limiting our Burkie Junior Surf Series events to three prime events this year. Our goal is to provide our juniors with a broader competitive experience by adding some expression session events to showcase our surfers’ most progressive maneuvers, provide some training events to enhance their development and prepare them for overseas competition, and add to our Family Fun Day events that always bring the joy of surfing to new faces and great a great environment to share the love of the sp
ort with kids and their families. Our first event of the year, sponsored by Lynch Insurance Brokers, has been a great success brining many new junior members into the sport and we hope to build on this success through 2012. See you at our next event the BJSC Family Fun Day to be held on May 5th 2012 at Surfers Point, Inch Marlow, Christ Church, Barbados.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, Under 16 and Under 18 Open, 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 .
RESULTS FOR BJSC BURKIE JUNIOR SURF SERIES – 2012 EVENT #1
10 & UNDER
1 ZANDER VENEZIA
2 CALEB RAPSON
3 DARRIAN PITCHER
4 CHARLIE JENKINS
12 & UNDER
1 CHE ALLAN
2 ANDREW ROSE
2 EVAN MOLL
4 ZANDER VENEZIA
5 JACOB BURKE
6 YURI SCUTT
12 & UNDER GIRLS
1 JODIE BURKE
2 GISELLE ALLAN
3 GABRIELLA GITTENS
4 VALENTINE MENIAUD
5 ROMA BELLORI
6 MELANIE MASSEY
UNDER 16
1 JOSHUA BURKE
2 ANDREW ROSE
3 JOSHUA GALT
4 CHE ALLAN
UNDER 18 GIRLS
1 CHELSEA ROETT
2 CHELSEA TUACH
3 GYLLA MACKENZIE
4 GABRIELLA GITTENS
5 VALENTINE MENIAUD
UNDER 18 OPEN
1 DANE MACKIE
2 JOSHUA BURKE
3 CHE ALLAN
4 CHELSEA TUACH
