Queensland’s budding surf stars are anxiously waxing their boards in anticipation for the opening round of the Quiksilver Queensland Junior Series (QQJS) that kicks off on the Gold Coast this weekend.
A 100-strong field of the state’s brightest junior surfers have entered the tournament across the U/18 and U/16 divisions, with contestants vying for state crowns and a spot in the Queensland team to compete at the Quiksilver Australian Grommet Titles in 2007.
A new wave of future hotshots including Chris Friend, James Woods, Blake Ainsworth, Jasper Endersby, Noa Deane, Thomas Woods, Naomi Stevic and Dimity Stoyle will line-up in the three-day tournament.
Friend, who finished runner-up in the under 18 boys division at the recent Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Portugal, is Queensland’s highest ranked junior surfer going into the opening event of the series. Although an individual world title narrowly eluded him, 17-year-old Friend has clearly benefited from the state selection process.
James Woods, 16, is another budding star who has taken full advantage of the state-based qualification series. After taking out the under 16 boy’s state crown in 2006, Woods went on to place a highly credible 9th in Portugal. Woods will jump up a division in ’07 to battle it out with the under 18 boys.
Series winners will join a who’s who of the Queensland surfing scene that have netted state junior titles including current world No.1 Mick Fanning, world No.4 Joel Parkinson, world No.5 Bede Durbidge and world tour competitor Dean Morrison.
The 2007 Quiksilver Queensland Junior Series (QQJS) is a three events series, which continues to assist Queensland stamp its dominance not only on the Australian junior surfing scene, but also the surfing world.
Top seeds from events 1 and 2 will be eligible to compete in the final event on the Sunshine Coast on September 8th-9th. The top 24 rated – U/16 and U/18 year old boy surfers and the top 8 – U/16 and U/18 year old girl surfers will be invited to contest the final event. The 2007 QQJS will be decided from a surfer’s best two results from the three event series.
The dates and locations for the Quiksilver Queensland Junior Series (QQJS) are:
Gold Coast – June 9-11
North Stradbroke – June 23-25
Sunshine Coast – Sept 8-9
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