Pumping Surf Pushes Big Performances at the Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro QS 5000

MEREWETHER BEACH, Newcastle, NSW / Australia (Tuesday, March 12, 2024) - Another stunning morning greeted the huge field of international competitors at the Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 5000 event. The clean, groomed three-to-four feet swell pouring into Merewether Beach saw scores coming predominately from long, left walls. Women's action debuted with the Round of 64 taking place, while the afternoon saw the first eight heats of the men's Round of 96 completed.

Coming off her best result on the QS so far, a Quarterfinal finish at the Ryde Central Coast Pro QS 3000, Oceanna Rogers (AUS) opened strong in the Round of 64. The 19-year-old from the South Coast of NSW utilised her backhand on the rights and forehand on the lefts to absolutely devastating effect in both directions. Late in the heat Rogers found an absolute gem, tagging the section twice on a reeling left to earn a 7.83, the highest single wave score of the day for the women.

"It was pretty fun," Rogers said. "I think I had two alright scores to start with, but thought I could maybe better my advantage with it and it ended up being a really fun wave. We'll see how the rest of the event pans out and hopefully I can get a few more of those waves come through. I know starting in the first round everyone's a little bit kind of anxious with it all, but I just think of it as more heats to surf, more practice into it, and I'm just happy that the waves are really fun."

Tayla Green - WSL / Darren Anderson

Two huge backhand hits on two different waves was enough to see Tayla Green (NZL) rack up one of the highest heat totals of the day. The Kiwi, who now lives on the Sunshine Coast, has had a successful start to the year, winning the 2024 Burleigh Single Fin Classic over some big names and the confidence gained is aiding results on the QS.

"There was a couple fun ones out there," Green said. "Watching the heat before there was some sick inside ones coming through that you could get a couple turns in, but I couldn't find them. But I managed to get some with just one turn, which was good. The support from (the New Zealand crew) was good. Just taking it comp-by-comp and hopefully get a few good results under my belt."

Freshly returned from an Olympic Skate qualifier in Dubai, Ruby Trew (AUS) also found a Round of 64 heat win, as did Isabella Caldow (AUS), Isabel Higgs (THA), Sage Goldsbury (AUS), Alysse Cooper (AUS) and Gabi Spake (AUS).

Noah Arkfeld - WSL / Darren Anderson

Siargao Island's Noah Arkfeld (PHI) earned the only excellent score of the day, and the first of his QS career, for a speedy full rotation air reverse that judges quickly awarded an 8.00. Surfing in only his second QS on Australian soil, the normally reserved Filipino junior couldn't contain his excitement after landing the move of the day.

"It felt so good," Arkfeld said. "I was stoked to make that air. I usually don't claim in competitions, but that one I just had to, I had to let it out because it felt so good. I'm having a lot of fun here and excited."

Jay Occhilupo - WSL / Darren Anderson

Conditions changed right as a super-heat of sorts was hitting the water. Low scores didn't reflect the intensity of the battle between two second-generation professional surfers, Jackson Dorian (HAW) and Jay Occhilupo (AUS), who came up against Sean Gunning (ESP) and recent viral sensation Dane Henry (AUS). Coming right down to the wire, with barely a point separating the top three surfers and Occhilupo trailing, the son of 1999 World Champion Mark Occhilupo floated a huge end section on his backhand to earn a 5.40, the best number of the heat, and slot himself into second behind Henry, eliminating Dorian and Gunning. Henry was lapping up the challenge and stoked to take an early win.

"I'm feeling really good momentum-wise," Henry said. "I'm keen to get into a couple big heats, and to get into that heat with Jay Occ, Jackson Dorian and Sean Gunning was a huge one because it's round two and you expect to have somewhat of a cruisier heat, but that was a super gnarly one to get straight off. It's definitely a bit of a confidence booster to get the win in that one and move through."

Hughie Vaughan (AUS) and Xavier Bryce (AUS) took their second heat wins of the event so far to move into the Round of 64, while Tim Bain (AUS), Joshua Stretton (AUS), Quinn Bruce (AUS) and Brett Dorrington (AUS) earned their first to do the same.

The 2024 Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro QS 5000 will run from March 11 - 17, 2024.