There was no shortage of fireworks when Julian Wilson and Jack Robinson met in their much-anticipated showdown at the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup presented by Corona.
The pair went toe-to-toe in their Round of 32 heat with Wilson drawing first blood at his adopted home break. Unleashing a flurry of slashing turns, he dropped a 7.00 to kick things off.
As the heavens opened and a rain squall added to the high-drama in the water, Robinson answered back with a tail-high reverse and a 5.67 to get himself back in the heat. With time running out, the 23-year-old streaked straight to the peak, aiming to secure the 6.00 required to turn the heat.
Taking off underneath Wilson without priority, Robinson delivered a searing combination as Jules threw his hands in the air gesturing to the judges that he was impeded on the last scoring opportunity of their heat.
As the clock ticked down, a fuming Wilson stared mercilessly at Robinson and the judges as he waited for an interference call. Robinson's scoring ride came in 0.47 points short of the required score before an interference was called against the West Australian, ending his campaign in the event.
Prior to the heat, Wilson had been on the receiving end of two losses in their previous matchups and didn't hold back in his assessment of the heat in the post-heat interview.
"It was a good heat, I'm stoked to see Jack has the fire to compete, he's obviously super talented. He beat me at Pipe [pause] no excuses but I was pretty injured and I was super bummed about that, so I wanted to get two back up on him. I had two opportunities this event," Wilson said.
Putting years of experience on Tour to good use, after a last-minute interference controversy, Julian Wilson held on for the win against Jack Robinson in Newcastle. - WSL / Cait Miers
"We'll have plenty more heats together, he's a good kid and he's obviously one of my favorite surfers to watch. He's got to get out of the way though if I've got priority and there's one minute left," he added.
Wilson's win in Newcastle only fanned the flames between the pair, who have been developing a solid rivalry with Robinson eliminating Wilson from the Pipe Masters in December and taking him out at the Tweed Coast Pro during the Australian Grand Slam series by a margin of 0.33 points.
Wilson was eliminated from the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup event by 2015 World Champion Adriano de Souza in the Round of 16. And despite Robinson taking home a 17th place finish in Newcastle, he showed the world that he's not afraid to take it to the world's best, rookie or not.
And surf fans should be rejoicing.
Veteran Julian Wilson already has rookie Jack Robinson looking over his shoulder when they paddle out for a heat. - WSL / Cait Miers
There hasn't been a heated rivalry in Australian surfing since lifelong friends turned rivals Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson were fighting for the 2009 Title. Mick edged out Parko to claim his second world title with Parko securing his maiden Title in 2012.
Perhaps Australia's internal battle for who's tops now will be a race between two former child prodigies at different points in their career.
For Wilson, now a CT veteran, he's been tipped as a future World Champion for years. While Robinson has proven he's a threat in everything from ledging slabs to hi-fi ramps following a similar trajectory to Wilson when he first jumped on tour.
For now, though, all eyes will be on Narrabeen, and with plenty of swell on the horizon, a heat between Wilson and Robinson just got a whole lot more interesting.
Could A Rivalry Be Brewing Between Julian Wilson and Jack Robinson?
Alex Workman
There was no shortage of fireworks when Julian Wilson and Jack Robinson met in their much-anticipated showdown at the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup presented by Corona.
The pair went toe-to-toe in their Round of 32 heat with Wilson drawing first blood at his adopted home break. Unleashing a flurry of slashing turns, he dropped a 7.00 to kick things off.
As the heavens opened and a rain squall added to the high-drama in the water, Robinson answered back with a tail-high reverse and a 5.67 to get himself back in the heat. With time running out, the 23-year-old streaked straight to the peak, aiming to secure the 6.00 required to turn the heat.
Taking off underneath Wilson without priority, Robinson delivered a searing combination as Jules threw his hands in the air gesturing to the judges that he was impeded on the last scoring opportunity of their heat.
As the clock ticked down, a fuming Wilson stared mercilessly at Robinson and the judges as he waited for an interference call. Robinson's scoring ride came in 0.47 points short of the required score before an interference was called against the West Australian, ending his campaign in the event.
Prior to the heat, Wilson had been on the receiving end of two losses in their previous matchups and didn't hold back in his assessment of the heat in the post-heat interview.
"It was a good heat, I'm stoked to see Jack has the fire to compete, he's obviously super talented. He beat me at Pipe [pause] no excuses but I was pretty injured and I was super bummed about that, so I wanted to get two back up on him. I had two opportunities this event," Wilson said.
"We'll have plenty more heats together, he's a good kid and he's obviously one of my favorite surfers to watch. He's got to get out of the way though if I've got priority and there's one minute left," he added.
Wilson's win in Newcastle only fanned the flames between the pair, who have been developing a solid rivalry with Robinson eliminating Wilson from the Pipe Masters in December and taking him out at the Tweed Coast Pro during the Australian Grand Slam series by a margin of 0.33 points.
Wilson was eliminated from the Rip Curl Newcastle Cup event by 2015 World Champion Adriano de Souza in the Round of 16. And despite Robinson taking home a 17th place finish in Newcastle, he showed the world that he's not afraid to take it to the world's best, rookie or not.
And surf fans should be rejoicing.
There hasn't been a heated rivalry in Australian surfing since lifelong friends turned rivals Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson were fighting for the 2009 Title. Mick edged out Parko to claim his second world title with Parko securing his maiden Title in 2012.
Perhaps Australia's internal battle for who's tops now will be a race between two former child prodigies at different points in their career.
For Wilson, now a CT veteran, he's been tipped as a future World Champion for years. While Robinson has proven he's a threat in everything from ledging slabs to hi-fi ramps following a similar trajectory to Wilson when he first jumped on tour.
For now, though, all eyes will be on Narrabeen, and with plenty of swell on the horizon, a heat between Wilson and Robinson just got a whole lot more interesting.
Jack Robinson
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