Round one kicked off in glassy conditions at the famed Canggu river mouth, seeing some solid 4-foot sets pulse with the incoming tide. In the under 12 division Ediana Putra, Nyoman Satria, and Mansyur from Sumbawa were the standout surfers. Ediana also surfed impressively in the under 14 division along with Surya Atmaja Putra and Koko Mitsua Antara. In the under 16 division there was no surprises as One Anwar, Putra Hermawan, and Gazali Hamzah won their heats. This trio were the top three ranked surfers of 2007 on the ISC Junior Tour.
As the rounds progressed and the midday sun cooked Canggu's black sand, competitors and spectators alike witnessed some awesome free surfing going down at the adjacent 'Sandbar'. Rusty's James Catto along with local pro's Garut and Mega raced the heaving left wedges, with Garut catching the wave of the session - a reeling Narrabeen-esque bomb that he tore apart from start to finish - sending the kids on the beach into a frenzy of hoots and high-fives.
When the horn blew for the semi finals the southerly wind picked up slightly, but the swell continued to pump as the groms took full advantage of the empty line-up. The under 12's charged from the outside peak all the way to the inside shore break, throwing buckets of spray. The under 14's were no different, showcasing more refined carves with better timing, while the under 16's mixed it up by pulling rad combo's and taking to the air with flair.
Guest judge Taylor Steele remarked, "I was really impressed by the standard of surfing today, the kids were ripping out there. It looks like the future of Indonesian surfing is in good hands.'
In the late afternoon the finalists hit the water as a large crowd of locals gathered to cheer them on. In the under 12 division Legian's Nyoman Satria wowed the judges with power surfing beyond his years. He unleashed a combination vertical snaps and massive floaters to clench the title, which is his first contest victory ever. Ediana Putra from Lembongan finished a close second, but won the under 14 title. The stylish regular-foot obviously has a lot of stamina, as he amazingly surfed a total of eight heats today !
The under 16 final was a close battle featuring One Anwar, Putra Hermawan, Gazali Hamzah, and Agus Frimanto. One, the winner of last month's Rusty Gromfest in Keramas, was looking to extend his ratings lead, but unfortunately couldn't find the right waves in today's final. Agus Frimanto let loose with a barrage of sweeping top turns and clean floaters. Gazali and Putra went blow for blow - Gazali going for razor-sharp power-hacks, while Putra combined radical fin-busts with lighting-quick carves, always finishing his waves with a bang. In the end it was Putra Hermawan who took top honors and was crowned the Rusty Gromfest Canggu Champ !
Thanks to Dakine, Von Zipper, and Kustom for supporting the event, and also our media sponsors Surftime, Magic Wave, Happen, Trax, Juice, and Jollie.
See you at Halfway on March 16th for the third and final stop of the Rusty Gromfest Series 2008.
Final Results:
Under 12
1. Nyoman Satria 'Blacky'
2. Edian Putra
3. Koming
4. Mansyur
Under 14
1. Ediana Putra
2. Surya Atmaja Putra
3. Koko Mitsua Antara
4. Arya Wijaya 'Blerong'
Under 16
1. Putra Hermawan
2. Gazali Hamzah
3. Agus Frimanto
4. One Anwar
The overall U/16 winner will be awarded a chance to compete against the best international junior surfers at the 13th annual Rusty Gromfest held at Lennox Head, Australia in July 2008. This event has enjoyed a rich history that has seen the likes of Mick Fanning, Bede Durbidge, and Julian Wilson crowned as champions. The overall U/16 and U/14 division champions will also be granted wildcard entry into the 6-star ISC Rusty Rumble In Da Jungle event at Sanur in May 2008.
Text by : Thai Little - Photos By : Tim Hain
Thanks,
Eka IRS
Sales & Marketing Manager
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