Davey Cathels claims his first Pro Junior victory for a perfect lead up to the upcoming World Junior Championship
Davey Cathels (Nth Narrabeen/Sydney) capped off the perfect preparation for the coming Association of Surfing Professionals World Junior Championships by winning the Quiksilver Jetty Surf Pro Junior at Jan Juc Beach in Victoria today.
Cathels was in sensational form on this final day, scoring 5 excellent to outstanding 8 and 9 point rides on his way to demolishing his opponents through the quarters, semi’s and final.
Final scores in the final saw 18 year old Cathels on a combined two wave tally of 13.60 to Queensland’s Mitch Crews (Currumbin) on 9:00.
“I came down simply hoping to win through a few heats and fine-tune myself for the ASP World Junior Titles and to win and score big today feels fantastic, I’ll go into the World Titles fully ready to give it my best” said Cathels.
“I have set an aim to win the Australasian ASP Pro Junior Series this year so this is the perfect start, it’s also the first Pro Junior win of my career which sort of gets the “monkey off my back” as I have had a number of final and semi-final results but to win today feels good.”
Mitch Crews performance at this event brought high praise from friends and fellow competitors including Cathels.
The 19 year old has battled a serious arthritis condition over the past six months and today’s return to form for Crews was an emotional triumph in his battle to beat the condition.
“My surfing late last year on the Pro Junior Circuit really suffered and over the summer I’ve worked with a lot of doctors to remedy my condition and I’m just really please to get a result like this today” said Crews.
“I won a Pro Junior two years ago and since then have not had great results but today’s result is fantastic for me and sets up my season to try and finish in the top five on the season ratings.”
Cathels strategy in the final was to surf the longer peeling left breaking waves and it paid off superbly when he scored an excellent 8 point ride early to set up his maiden ASP victory.
Some feared Cathels might have peaked early when he scored an impressive 17.90 which included a 9.40 ride in his massive semi-final win over Jack Freestone (Gold Coast).
Crews survived a much closer semi-final defeating Coffs Harbour surfer Billy Keane in the final minute when he came from behind scoring a 5.9 ride to advance to the final on his last ride.
Cathels now heads to his home in Sydney at North Narrabeen ready to take on the world’s best ASP Pro Junior surfers at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships which begin on Saturday.
Held at his home break at North Narrabeen Cathels is confident he can do well –
“It will be a big challenge, there’s some amazing surfers like Owen Wright and Brazil’s Jadson Andre and some great Hawaiian’s but at my home break I’ll take them on for sure – I’m looking forward to it!”
Quiksilver Jetty Surf Pro Junior Results:
Final
1st Davey Cathels (NSW) , 2nd Mitch Crews (Qld)
Semi-Finals
1st Davey Cathels, 2nd Jack Freestone (Qld)
1st Mitch Crews, 2nd Billy Keane (NSW)
