Taylor Jensen (USA), Reigning two-time ASP World Longboard Champion is still in red hot form.
Pic ASP/Luke Sorensen
Taylor Jensen (USA) Reigning two-time ASP World Longboard Champion, excelled in the tricky conditions cruising through his Round 1 heat and absolutely destroying his opponents in their Quarterfinal scoring an amazing near-perfect heat total of 19.57 (out of a possible 20), the highest of the day.
“It’s funny but the waves that look good aren’t really that good, the smaller ones kind of double up and run further so I just looked for those runners and I found two of them and it worked out,” said Jensen.
Japanese surfer Shohei Akimoto also advanced to the Semifinals in second position behind Jensen.
2009 ASP World Longboard Champion Harley Ingleby (Emerald Beach, NSW) looked unstoppable all day posting two big heat wins to also advance through to the Semifinals. Ingleby held off local surfer Jackson Close (Tweed Heads, AUS) who scored four waves over 7.00 in an entertaining affair where the waves turned on for all surfers.
“That was a really close heat!” Ingleby said. “It’s always a really tough draw at the Australian Open, the world champ (Jensen) has set the bar pretty high but of course it’s my goal to win it.”
Yallingup surfer Justin Redman (AUS) was the last surfer of the day to win through to the Semifinals alongside Ray Lawrence (AUS) finishing 1st and 2nd respectively in their Quarterfinal. Redman who has managed to sneak under the radar so far surfed two smart heats in slow conditions, but is focused on achieving a big result.
“I’m pretty stoked to get through,” Redman said. “I’ve made it to a few Semifinals here before but never a Final, so I’m definitely focused on making that extra step!”
In the Cancer Institute ASP LQS Women’s event, ASP World No. 5 and the highest ranked surfer in the draw, Georgia Young, snuck through in a low-scoring affair over Samantha Suendemann (AUS) and Kirsty Webster (AUS), who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
“It was a tough heat,” Young said. “I wasn’t where I wanted to be sitting for that heat but I managed to get one good wave and an ok backup which is all I needed in the end. The bank is there but it’s a challenge just finding those really good ones that allow you to link up a few manoeuvres but I managed to sneak through.”
Young will face Crystal Dzigas (HAW) who won her heat comfortably as well as Rosie Locke (AUS) and Suendemann in the first semi final on Saturday.
The pros will enjoy a few days off now with the Noserider, SUP Pro Surf and Illusions SUP Amateur Surf divisions hitting the water tomorrow.
TODAY’S RESULTS
MEN’S ROUND OF 24
HEAT 1- 1st- Taylor Jensen 15.47, 2nd-John Mcdonald 8.07, 3rd- Kimihiko Nishizaki 6.50
HEAT 2- 1st- Shane Morton 12.66, 2nd- Patrick O’Leary 9.27, 3rd- Michael Cottier 7.04
HEAT 3- 1ST Jared Neal 13.27, 2nd Shohei Akimoto 11.27, 3rd Dane Pioli 9.00
HEAT 4- 1st Thomas Kibblewhite 10.50, 2nd Beau Nixon 8.5, 3rd Tony Silvagni 8.47
HEAT 5- 1st Harley Ingleby 13.60, 2nd Justin Redman 12.60, Clinton Guest 8.63
HEAT 6- 1st Matt Aldridge 10.76, 2nd Heith Norrish 10.17, 3rd Michael Young 8.63
HEAT 7- 1st Ray Lawrence 11.83, 2nd Nick Fargo 9.57, 3rd Jack Entwistle 9.34
HEAT 8- 1ST Nic Jones 14.20, 2nd Jackson Close 11.93, 3rd Lawrence Harkness 10.24
MEN’S QUARTERFINALS
Q1- 1st Taylor Jensen 19.57, 2nd Shohei Akimoto 13.10, 3rd Beau Nixon 11.83, 4th Shane Morton 9.20
Q2- 1st- Thomas Kibblewhite 15.30, 2nd Jared Neal 15.00, 3rd John Mcdonald 12.64, 4th Patrick O Leary 10.27
Q3- 1st Harley Ingleby 16.04, 2nd Jackson Close 15.27, 3rd Matt Aldridge 11.03, 4th Nick Fargo 9.67
Q4- 1st Justin Redman 11.67, 2nd Ray Lawrence 11.33, 3rd Heith Norrish 11.03, 4th Nic Jones 10.23
WOMEN’S QUARTERFINALS
Q1- 1ST Georgia Young 12.24, 2nd Samantha Suendermann 8.60, 3rd Kirsty Webster 8.07
Q2- 1st Crystal Dzigas 15.67, 2nd Rosie Locke 10.63, 3rd Hiroka Yoshikawa 9.80, 4th Roisin Carolan 6.90
Q3- 1st Alice Melissa Limoi 11.40, 2nd Erin Dark 9.33, 3rd Claire Norman 8.1, 4th Wen Ling Chou 5.60
Q4- 1st Melissa Combo 11.26, 2nd Fernanda Daichtman 10.9, 3rd Geodee Clark 7.17, 4th Lucy Small 6.60
For more information visit www.australianlongboardopen.com
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