MEREWETHER BEACH, Newcastle, NSW / Australia (Thursday, March 14, 2024) - A huge day of action at the Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 5000 event was gifted with yet another day of pumping surf. The clean, three-to-five foot lines of swell were groomed by offshore winds, lighting up the Merewether Beach lineup and providing an incredible day of top level surfing. The entirety of men's Round of 64 was held before the first four heats of women's Round of 32 rounded out the day.
Vaughan Brothers - WSL / Darren Anderson
Joel Vaughan (AUS) and Hughie Vaughan (AUS) almost shared a Final in last year's SURFEST, with Joel winning the event and Hughie making the Semifinals. Today, the brothers found themselves together in a four-man heat in the Round of 64, raising the performance level significantly as they turned the morning into a mind-blowing airshow.
Joel's solid rail work kept him in an early lead before Hughie launched a giant alley-oop, landing exceptionally clean and earning a 9.33, the highest single wave score of the event so far. Not to be outdone, Joel almost pulled off a massive straight air, before tweaking out a forehand air reverse, for which he picked up an 8.77. Joel's two-wave combined heat total was the highest of the event so far, 14.47, delivering him the heat win over his little brother, who progressed alongside him into the Round of 32.
"That was a fun heat," Joel said. "I saw (Hughie) go for (an alley-oop) at the start of the heat and fell off, and I was like, ‘Yes!' and then I saw him do that one and I was like, ‘Oh, that's going to be a big score,' and he came back out staring straight at me and was just laughing and then was like, I gotta try something now. Then I went for the straighty on that next one, and then I did that air and got the score. When we're both home we pretty much just surf together."
Oliver Ryssenbeek - WSL / Paul Danovaro
Back-to-Back Buzzer-Beaters See Local Wildcards Progress in Subsequent Heats
Two local wildcards, Manning Gregory (AUS) and Oliver Ryssenbeek (AUS), were able to find buzzer-beaters to progress through their subsequent heats. Gregory whipped through a tail-high air reverse to bring Marlon Harrison's (AUS) quest to qualify for the Challenger Series to an end and moved the 18-year-old forward in the draw alongside on-fire fellow Novocastrian Morgan Cibilic (AUS). Meanwhile, Ryssenbeek found himself emerging from a long barrel into a long wait on the sand for the score that would determine his fate. Hearing the announcement of a 6.67, when requiring a 6.37, saw a wave of excitement rip through the crowd, none more so than Ryssenbeek himself.
"The emotions, you're unable to describe them," Ryssenbeek said. "That was one of the best moments of my life by far. I knew I needed a score and I was not even thinking about a barrel. Then this thing popped up and I was like, I'll just do a big hack, because the boys before the heat were telling me, ‘Don't get barrels, don't get barrels.' Then this little wedge came and I took off and just went over the foam ball and it spat and I was like, ‘Let me out, let me out!' and it just slowly let me out. I think I over-claimed it a little, but I was pretty happy."
Though Ryssenbeek's progression saw George Pittar (AUS) eliminated, Pittar's 2024 Challenger Series qualification is already secure due to placing in the top 20 of the 2023 Challenger Series.
Joh Azuchi - WSL / Darren Anderson
Rankings in Flux as Top Seeds Go Down, Lower Levels Rise
As the co-sanctioned final regional QS event for the season for both the Australia / Oceania and Asia regions, the results determined here will have a huge bearing on the future of many surfers in the draw. Whether seeding points for next season, or the all-important Challenger Series qualification, this event counts.
The biggest name to fall today was Olympian Hiroto Ohhara (JPN), who was joined in elimination by Keijiro Nishi (JPN), Shohei Kato (JPN), John Mark Tokong (PHI), Tenshi Iwami (JPN) and current Asia region rankings leader Kian Martin (SWE). While Kato, Tokong and Iwami's chances of qualifying are now dashed, Ohhara, Nishi and Martin will have nervous moments as they wait to see the fates of Riaru Ito (JPN), Ketut Agus (INA) and Raiha Onou (JPN), who have the chance to move up and claim one of the five Challenger Series qualifying positions available for their region.
Dane Henry - WSL / Paul Danovaro
It came right down to the wire for Martin and Dane Henry (AUS) in the battle for an advancing position behind Sheldon Simkus (AUS). Henry was hunting a 3.70 across multiple attempts, hassling together with Martin as priority switched between the two. In the final seconds, right after Martin had blocked him for a wave, Henry launched a small air reverse. After waiting on the sand for minutes, the score came through, a 3.80, moving the standout Australian junior into the Round of 32, and eliminating the Balinese surfer, who represents Sweden.
Two surfers who desperately need to stay alive in the draw this week to keep their Challenger Series hopes alive progressed together in yet another tight heat. Ketut Agus (INA) and Oscar Berry (AUS) were able to hold on despite strong challenges from Nathan Cook (AUS) and Quinn Bruce (AUS). Agus found a buzzer-beater to take the heat win and keep himself in the qualification conversation. Berry's progression was especially necessary as all of the surfers above him on the rankings continued in the draw, while Dylan Moffat (AUS), Jack Thomas (AUS) and Xavier Huxtable (AUS) stayed hot on his heels.
Amelie Bourke - WSL / Kurt Polock
Olympic Bronze Medalist Amuro Tsuzuki Just Wants to Enjoy Herself
The first four heats of women's Round of 32 rounded out the day, with local Merewether Beach resident Amelie Bourke (AUS) hammering two big backhand turns to take a heat win, jump ten places on the rankings and keep herself in the running for a place on the Challenger Series.
Ellie Harrison (AUS), Sara Wakita (JPN) and Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN) also found heat wins this afternoon. While Harrison and Wakita are likely guaranteed positions on the 2024 Challenger Series, it's still an open question for Tsuzuki, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist. Having narrowly missed out on Paris 2024 Olympic qualification last week in Puerto Rico, the 22-year-old is determined to return to the Challenger Series for 2024, but wants to put it out of her mind and focus on appreciating her time in Australia.
"I want to qualify to the Challenger Series this year," Tsuzuki said. "I feel kind of pressured, but I just want to have fun every moment, enjoy myself and keep doing my surfing. I'll do my best. It was so tricky out there, so it was hard to catch good waves but I was trying to catch many waves. I'm so happy to make it through that heat."
While Tsuzuki was able to keep her qualification dreams alive, the opportunity was removed for Mirai Ikeda (JPN), Coral Durant (AUS), Charli Hately (AUS), Raya Campbell (AUS) and Nyxie Ryan (AUS), who were eliminated this afternoon.
The 2024 Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro QS 5000 will run from March 11 - 17, 2024.
Vaughan Brothers Highlight Epic Day of Surf at the Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro QS 5000
WSL
MEREWETHER BEACH, Newcastle, NSW / Australia (Thursday, March 14, 2024) - A huge day of action at the Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 5000 event was gifted with yet another day of pumping surf. The clean, three-to-five foot lines of swell were groomed by offshore winds, lighting up the Merewether Beach lineup and providing an incredible day of top level surfing. The entirety of men's Round of 64 was held before the first four heats of women's Round of 32 rounded out the day.
Joel Vaughan (AUS) and Hughie Vaughan (AUS) almost shared a Final in last year's SURFEST, with Joel winning the event and Hughie making the Semifinals. Today, the brothers found themselves together in a four-man heat in the Round of 64, raising the performance level significantly as they turned the morning into a mind-blowing airshow.
Joel's solid rail work kept him in an early lead before Hughie launched a giant alley-oop, landing exceptionally clean and earning a 9.33, the highest single wave score of the event so far. Not to be outdone, Joel almost pulled off a massive straight air, before tweaking out a forehand air reverse, for which he picked up an 8.77. Joel's two-wave combined heat total was the highest of the event so far, 14.47, delivering him the heat win over his little brother, who progressed alongside him into the Round of 32.
"That was a fun heat," Joel said. "I saw (Hughie) go for (an alley-oop) at the start of the heat and fell off, and I was like, ‘Yes!' and then I saw him do that one and I was like, ‘Oh, that's going to be a big score,' and he came back out staring straight at me and was just laughing and then was like, I gotta try something now. Then I went for the straighty on that next one, and then I did that air and got the score. When we're both home we pretty much just surf together."
Back-to-Back Buzzer-Beaters See Local Wildcards Progress in Subsequent Heats
Two local wildcards, Manning Gregory (AUS) and Oliver Ryssenbeek (AUS), were able to find buzzer-beaters to progress through their subsequent heats. Gregory whipped through a tail-high air reverse to bring Marlon Harrison's (AUS) quest to qualify for the Challenger Series to an end and moved the 18-year-old forward in the draw alongside on-fire fellow Novocastrian Morgan Cibilic (AUS). Meanwhile, Ryssenbeek found himself emerging from a long barrel into a long wait on the sand for the score that would determine his fate. Hearing the announcement of a 6.67, when requiring a 6.37, saw a wave of excitement rip through the crowd, none more so than Ryssenbeek himself.
"The emotions, you're unable to describe them," Ryssenbeek said. "That was one of the best moments of my life by far. I knew I needed a score and I was not even thinking about a barrel. Then this thing popped up and I was like, I'll just do a big hack, because the boys before the heat were telling me, ‘Don't get barrels, don't get barrels.' Then this little wedge came and I took off and just went over the foam ball and it spat and I was like, ‘Let me out, let me out!' and it just slowly let me out. I think I over-claimed it a little, but I was pretty happy."
Though Ryssenbeek's progression saw George Pittar (AUS) eliminated, Pittar's 2024 Challenger Series qualification is already secure due to placing in the top 20 of the 2023 Challenger Series.
Rankings in Flux as Top Seeds Go Down, Lower Levels Rise
As the co-sanctioned final regional QS event for the season for both the Australia / Oceania and Asia regions, the results determined here will have a huge bearing on the future of many surfers in the draw. Whether seeding points for next season, or the all-important Challenger Series qualification, this event counts.
The biggest name to fall today was Olympian Hiroto Ohhara (JPN), who was joined in elimination by Keijiro Nishi (JPN), Shohei Kato (JPN), John Mark Tokong (PHI), Tenshi Iwami (JPN) and current Asia region rankings leader Kian Martin (SWE). While Kato, Tokong and Iwami's chances of qualifying are now dashed, Ohhara, Nishi and Martin will have nervous moments as they wait to see the fates of Riaru Ito (JPN), Ketut Agus (INA) and Raiha Onou (JPN), who have the chance to move up and claim one of the five Challenger Series qualifying positions available for their region.
It came right down to the wire for Martin and Dane Henry (AUS) in the battle for an advancing position behind Sheldon Simkus (AUS). Henry was hunting a 3.70 across multiple attempts, hassling together with Martin as priority switched between the two. In the final seconds, right after Martin had blocked him for a wave, Henry launched a small air reverse. After waiting on the sand for minutes, the score came through, a 3.80, moving the standout Australian junior into the Round of 32, and eliminating the Balinese surfer, who represents Sweden.
Two surfers who desperately need to stay alive in the draw this week to keep their Challenger Series hopes alive progressed together in yet another tight heat. Ketut Agus (INA) and Oscar Berry (AUS) were able to hold on despite strong challenges from Nathan Cook (AUS) and Quinn Bruce (AUS). Agus found a buzzer-beater to take the heat win and keep himself in the qualification conversation. Berry's progression was especially necessary as all of the surfers above him on the rankings continued in the draw, while Dylan Moffat (AUS), Jack Thomas (AUS) and Xavier Huxtable (AUS) stayed hot on his heels.
Olympic Bronze Medalist Amuro Tsuzuki Just Wants to Enjoy Herself
The first four heats of women's Round of 32 rounded out the day, with local Merewether Beach resident Amelie Bourke (AUS) hammering two big backhand turns to take a heat win, jump ten places on the rankings and keep herself in the running for a place on the Challenger Series.
Ellie Harrison (AUS), Sara Wakita (JPN) and Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN) also found heat wins this afternoon. While Harrison and Wakita are likely guaranteed positions on the 2024 Challenger Series, it's still an open question for Tsuzuki, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist. Having narrowly missed out on Paris 2024 Olympic qualification last week in Puerto Rico, the 22-year-old is determined to return to the Challenger Series for 2024, but wants to put it out of her mind and focus on appreciating her time in Australia.
"I want to qualify to the Challenger Series this year," Tsuzuki said. "I feel kind of pressured, but I just want to have fun every moment, enjoy myself and keep doing my surfing. I'll do my best. It was so tricky out there, so it was hard to catch good waves but I was trying to catch many waves. I'm so happy to make it through that heat."
While Tsuzuki was able to keep her qualification dreams alive, the opportunity was removed for Mirai Ikeda (JPN), Coral Durant (AUS), Charli Hately (AUS), Raya Campbell (AUS) and Nyxie Ryan (AUS), who were eliminated this afternoon.
The 2024 Burton Automotive Pro & Newcastle Racecourse Women's Pro QS 5000 will run from March 11 - 17, 2024.
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