LOCAL surfer Ethan Ewing, 17, has delivered a standout performance at the 2015 Surf Dive ‘n Ski Australian Junior Surfing Titles, which are being held on North Stradbroke Island this week.
A Surfing Australia spokesman said Ethan’s performance was “the highlight of round one” after the Under 18 Boys Division started competition on Monday at Main Beach.
“Ewing put on a clinical display of modern surfing, taking to both the rights and lefts on his way to a heat total of 17.65,” he said.
“Fellow Queenslanders Quinn Bruce and Aaron Kelly also got off to a winning start, scoring heat totals of 14.50 and 13.50.”
Ethan, who has grown up on Straddie, said he was happy with how he surfed on Monday.
“I was excited to surf,” he said.
“The waves were fun and I was at my home break where I mainly surf.
“It was sunny with offshore winds, which made it calm, but the waves were still really good.”
Ethan’s performance on Monday has qualified him for the quarter finals, which will be contested on a day this week to be decided according to surf conditions.
In other results from Monday, the Surfing Australia spokesman said competition on the day began at Main Beach with the Under 19 Boys and Girls contesting the MR Shield, named after four-time world champion Mark Richards.
“Queensland pair Aaron Kelly and Davey Wallace, from Sunshine Beach, were the highest scoring team of round one, taking down Aidan Martin, who surfed solo for Immanuel College in South Australia (22.15 to 5.85),” he said.
“In the Under 19 Girls side of the draw, Western Australia’s Mia McCarthy and Phoebe MacGregor top scored on the way to victory for Margaret River State High School over Victoria’s Bonnie Mullins and Shayla Paterson from Wonthaggi Secondary College (22.75 to 6.25).”
The spokesman said the Under 16 Boys MR Shield contestants “hit the water as well”, with Mikey McDonagh and Josh Van Niekerk “getting over the top of Tasmania’s Darcy Edwards and Keenan Wilcox to give New South Wales the first win of the round (30.00 to 9.50)”.
The titles, in which six states are represented across Under 14, 16 and 18 age groups in both boys and girls divisions, will continue on the island until Saturday, December 5.
