STRADBROKE Island surfer Ethan Ewing has risen to fourth ranking in Australasia in the World Surf League after winning the Burleigh Pro at the Gold Coast in January.
Ewing won his first WSL qualifying series in tough conditions with on-shore winds and small two-foot waves at the iconic point break.
The Straddie teen posted the highest single wave score of the contest, a near perfect 9.75 out of a possible 10, with three huge fin release turns.
He then backed it up with an 8.50 ride leaving his rivals needing huge scores to get back in the game.
He said he had not expected any greast scores as conditions were so poor.
"This is the biggest win of my career. I'm so stoked," Ewing told the WSF.
"I knew I had to get a good start and managed to find a couple of fun one's and get a couple of decent scores.
"When Blake (Thornton) got that last one I didn't know what score he needed so that was pretty nerve racking but fortunately for me he came just short."
After winning the Burleigh Pro Ewing was keen to continue his winning streak at the Open Mens final at Cabarita this month but ended up being content with runner-up behind WA's Jacob Willcox.
"I definitely would have liked to back up the Burleigh Pro with a win, but I knew it was a big ask to get two in a row," said Ewing.
"Jacob has won a lot of big events in the past, so I knew it was always going to be a challenge.
"Overall, I'm happy with the runner-up finish and I'll try and take some confidence into the Pro Junior in WA and the QS1000 events at Avoca and Great Lakes."
The NSW Pro Surf Series was developed for Australian and international surfers to gain ranking points and prize money on the WSL Qualifying Series.
