PORTE 13, AIN DIAB, Casablanca - Morocco (Sunday, May 7, 2023) - Today, Tim Elter and Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri) won the Morocco Mall Junior Pro Casablanca, Stop No.1 on the World Surf League (WSL) European Junior Qualifying Series (JQS), in 2-to-3 foot surf at Ain Diab beach, Casablanca.
It was a short but intense finals day in Casablanca as 7 out of 8 semifinalists were fighting for a first-ever event title on the WSL tours. Another busy day at the beach under the Moroccan sun culminated with the crowning of the winners around lunchtime.
Tim Elter (DEU) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Tim Elter Breaks Through with Maiden WSL Win
The 19 year-old German who was born in the Canary Islands and resides part time in France has been a known face on the junior tour for over 5 years now but was yet to make a real impression. An extremely consistent week and 6 consecutive heat wins later and Tim Elter is now a winner on tour, and an early leader in the race to become the next European junior title winner.
"Honestly it's a bit surreal," Elter said. "I've been doing this for a while now and I've had a few good results but was never able to move past the two-surfer heats. Once I got through the Quarters I think I started to believe I could actually go all the way, so I'm extremely happy to get it done today."
The Final was pretty much his all the way as the tall and powerful surfer led from the get-go and managed to improve his scoreline throughout the heat to come out victorious when the 30-minute bout was over.
Afonso Antunes (POR) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Afonso Antunes' Glass Ceiling Remains Intact
It was the fourth Final the Portuguese surfer from Caparica reached on the junior tour but once again it was not meant to be for Afonso Antunes. One of the standouts all week in Casablanca, Antunes' surfing was on point up until the last heat of the event where he unfortunately struggled to find his rhythm and the right sections to let his powerful turns do the talking.
"I have to admit I'm not very happy with myself," Antunes stated. "It's my fourth final and I couldn't get it done. I've had a great week still and I love coming here to Morocco. I know this is a good result in the long run and for my goal to make the world juniors qualifying spots, it just stings a little for now."
Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri Keeps Casablanca Event Title in the Family
The only surfer in the draw on finals day to have a win on her resume came through with her experience and claimed the 2023 event win, a year after her older sister Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri won in Morocco. A 16 year-old from the Basque Country, Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri has been impressive in the last couple of seasons as she continues to rack up big results and now leads the regional rankings after Stop No.1.
"I'm super happy to win a junior event again," Gonzalez Etxabarri said. "Especially because my sister won this event as well last year so it's cool to have both won it. I finished 3rd last year in the rankings and missed out on the qualification for the world juniors so this is going to be my focus this season and I'm happy with a great start."
The Final was a low-scoring affair unfortunately as the lineup didn't distill many waves with potential, but when both surfers were keeping things tight with below-average scores, the young Basque found a good wave at the 5-minute mark and milked it for all its worth to eventually take the win.
Maria Salgado (POR) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Maria Salgado Claims Career's Biggest Result with Runner-Up Finish
The 16 year-old from Santa Cruz, Maria Salgado reached the Final of a pro junior event for the first time and confirmed she's one to watch in the coming years. The dynamic regular foot has been putting some great combinations of turns in the previous heats but couldn't quite find the right waves in the Final.
"I'm very happy to make the Final for the time," Salgado said. "This is a great result for me and it was really fun to surf here all week. I can't wait for the next events."
Lilias Tebbaï (MAR) - WSL / Laurent Masurel
Moroccan Youth Takes on Europe's Best in Casablanca
12 Moroccans entered this year's Morocco Mall Junior Pro Casablanca and among them, Lilias Tebbai and Ayman Gougali placed highest in equal 9th and equal 13th respectively.
This week of professional surfing has been yet another opportunity for the local surfers to gauge their level against Europe's best on home turf before taking on the remaining two events of the season, coming up in France and Spain this September.
With the completion of the Morocco Mall Junior Pro Casablanca, the 2023 European Junior Qualifying Series are now officially underway, here are the early rankings:
2023 European Men's Junior Qualifying Series Top 5:
1 - Tim Elter (DEU)
2 - Afonso Antunes (POR)
3 - Francisco Ordonhas (POR)
3 - Paco Alonzo (FRA)
5 - Lukas Skinner (GBR)
5 - Iker Trigueros (ESP)
5 - Sam Piter (FRA)
5 - Moises Dominguez Requena (ESP)
2023 European Women's Junior Qualifying Series Top 5:
1 - Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK)
2 - Maria Salgado (POR)
3 - Sarah Leiceaga (FRA)
3 - Nahia Milhau (FRA)
5 - Gabriela Dinis (POR)
5 - Uxue Dominguez (ESP)
5 - Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (ESP)
5 - Hina-Maria Conradi (FRA)
The second stop on the 2023 European Junior Qualifying Series will be in La Torche, France from September 13-17, 2023.