VOLCOM OZ/NZ EVENTS: December 2009

Second stop on Volcom Stone’s VQS Crustaceous Tour 2009/10 was always going to be an exciting one. The contest was a Qld event and situated at the famous beach break, D-bah. We awoke on Saturday morning, 12^th December 2009 to a building 2-3ft fun park of peaks, and with the talent that had entered the draw we knew we were in for a very exciting day.

Chris Friend getting barreled off his head in the early rounds

The weather was below average with frequent showers, but the contestants and crowds were not to be deterred. All the divisions – grommets, juniors, opens and girls filled up fast with some of the best talent Qld and Northern NSW has to offer.

First up were the grommets with one of the youngest boardriders in VQS history – a 6 year old, who paddled out making the 3ft waves resemble the Eddie Aikau in Waimea Bay. Next up we had the juniors, followed by the opens and finishing up the first round of heats with the women’s division.The beach games drew a big crowd with everyone excited at the amount of prizes that were on offer to everyone that participated.

Grommets lining up for the wheel burrow run

The sun finally came out from behind the clouds that had plagued us all morning, the waves started to peak and it was just in time for the grom’s final and these guys didn’t hold back. Luke Hynd got the nod from the judges and took out 1^st place, coming a close second was Kelly Norris who was surfing with a lot of power for such a young age, 3^rd was Ed Hatcher and 4^th was Kalan Whybird.

Luke Hynd smashing the lip in the final of the Groms

The Ladies finalists were ripping and taking top honors and a spot in the VQS Champs was Dimity Stoyle. Taking second place was Emma Allen, in 3rd was Mischa Davis and in 4th was Wini Paul.

Dimity Stoyle impressed the judges and took home first place in the final.

Next up was the junior final with the lead changing with each wave ridden. It was a barrel fest with 9 point rides going down with all four finalists, but taking out the winners trophy with a 9.2 on his last wave ridden was Gold Coast surfer Sol Ryan, in second place was Dusty Payne look-alike Mitchell James, 3^rd place was funny man Jack Scollard and in 4^th was QLD junior champ Noa Deane.

Sol Ryan on his winning wave in the final.

The Pro-Am division was packed once again with 36 competitors signing up. Breaking out of the pack and absolutely smashing the final was the Brazilian surfer Alex Chacon, in second place was Chris Friend, with local ripper Dru A’dler coming in third and forth was the surfer from Sth Australia Teal Vanner.