Surfing Western Australia

The Chill Pro Junior @ Trigg Point Presented by the City of Stirling

Thursday, 27 May 2010

Chill Pro Junior Brings the Big Names to Perth

The first weekend of June will see Trigg Point host some of Australia's best surfing talent for the Chill Pro Junior presented by the City of Stirling.

Last year's event marked the transition of junior star Owen Wright from the Pro Junior Series into the big time, qualifying for the World Championship Tour. Wright produced a scintillating display in near perfect conditions to win the 2009 Chill Pro Junior, which was his fourth consecutive ASP Pro Junior win at the time. Moving on to surf a handful of ASP World Tour events via wildcard entries, Wright underlined his enormous future by twice beating Kelly Slater at Bells Beach and also in Portugal.

This year, with current ISA World Junior Champion Dean Bowen (NSW) in the mix, the competition is set to be a stunner. The 19 year old surfer has been making waves in the pro surfing scene, turning his national title into a world title in the Quiksilver World Junior Surfing Championships in Ecuador in 2009.

Bowen will have some tough local competition from WA's highest rated ASP Pro Junior surfer Jerome Forrest and young talent Creed McTaggart, both from Margaret River. Forrest is currently rated 27 on the ASP Pro Junior tour, and McTaggart is one of WA's hottest emerging surfers, finishing 2nd at the U16's National Titles and taking out the Australian Rip Curl Gromsearch final.

2009 Chill Pro Junior winner Felicity Palmateer will be returning to compete in 2010, and will be hoping to take out the competition for the second year running. The 17 year old local girl caused an upset last year, defeating competition favourite Laura Enever and Angela Keighran in the finals to take home her first Pro Junior win. Since then Palmateer has enjoyed a strong start to the year highlighted by her 3rd placing at the 2010 Margaret River Drug Aware Pro and currently placed 4th on the ASP Junior Rankings.

WA surfers to watch in the boys competition include Matt Baldock (Margaret River), Darcy Maynard (Karrinyup), Jake Fawcett (Geraldton) and event wildcards Danny Williams (Geraldton), and Shaun Green (Margaret River) as well as Trigg beach local Mitch Taylor, who will be looking to use his intimate knowledge of Trigg to claim a maiden Pro Junior win.

Local representatives in the girls event include current ASP Pro Junior Series number 8, Laura Macaulay and sister Bronte Macaulay, from Gracetown, and Yallingup's Mikalea Greene.

If you missed the amazing action from the 2009 Chill Pro Junior be sure to check out ww.chillprojunior.com for video highlights, pictures and results from an amazing event.

The Chill Pro Junior is presented by the City of Stirling and is proudly supported by Surfing Western Australia, 92.9, Community Newspapers, West, The Wire Magazine, Waves Surfwear, Sorrento Beach Quality Resort, Power Balance, Nature Play WA, Department of Sport and Recreation and ASP Australasia.

For further information regarding the Chill Pro Junior at Trigg Point, please contact Surfing WA on (08) 9448 0004 or check out the event website www.chillprojunior.com

Media Contacts:

Erin Molloy (PR & Media) M: 0404073580 E: erin.molloy@surfingwa.com.au  

Jason Dover (Media & Marketing) M:0419892100 E: jdover@buzzmarketing.com.au

Steve Robertson (ASP Media) M:0407706874 E: stever@surfingaustralia.com