Surfing Australia

Cathels looking to disengage Crews' control

Saturday, 6 March 2010

ASP Australasian Pro Junior tour rankings leader Mitch Crews looks set to increase his margin on the leader board after a solid display in the Chiko Pro Junior at Newcastle beach today.

But the number two in those same rankings,North Narrabeen's Davey Cathels, doesn't plan to let Crews relax.

Providing both surfers win their semi-finals tomorrow morning, the pair will meet in the final of this grade two international event.

Both surfers have claimed a victory apiece in 2010 Pro Junior finals, with Crews edging out Cathels at last month's Stradbroke Island event and Cathels toppling Crews at Bells Beach in the first event of the year,

Day three of the event saw dismal surf conditions on offer at Merewether beach, leaving organisers with little option but to move the event three kilometres to the north swell magnet of Newcastle beach.

Local hopes were extinguished today, with Catherine Hill Bay's Sam Lendrum and Merewether's Jake Sylvester both  bundled out of the competition. Both will be back next week to contest the 4-star Burton Toyota Pro.

Crews, who is in his last year as a junior, said he was disappointed with the lack of swell on offer, but was glad organisers moved the event to Newcastle.

"It was way better at Newcastle and there were some pretty fun peaks out there," he said.

The Gold Coast surfer, who was born on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, loves shooting hoops when he is not in the water. This evening he planned on kicking back and psyching up for tomorrow's business end of the Chiko Pro Junior,

Cathels, who will turn 19 this month, says Crews is a good mate but they share healthy rivalry.

A member of the legendary North Narrabeen club, Cathels was part of that club's team that recently won the national Jim Beam surf-tag competition.

As for tomorrow, Cathels was just hoping for some good waves.

"It'd be good to get some decent push in the swell," he said, echoing the thoughts of everyone at Merewether beach.

Crews will meet Jordin Watson from Currarong (NSW) and Cathels is up against Perth Standlick from North Bondi (NSW).

In the girls quarter-finals, Cabarita-based sisters Arini and Sarah Mason will meet up with Queenslander Naomi Stevie  and world junior champion Laura Enever from North Narrabeen respectively.