Wimpy/Rossi - First Day Wrap Up

Sally Mellish
27th April 2007
27 April 2007 � 1st day of Wimpy/Rossi



Competitors were greeted with a decent 3 ft wedging wave this morning. The expected rain and gailforce winds stayed away for most of the day and 19 heats were held while the good conditions prevailed. With the higher miday tide pushing in, waves lost their form and the contest was called off until Saturday morning. The finals are expected to be run on Sunday when a light wind with bigger swell is expected.

As could be expected there were many upsets already. Phillip Rodriguez, Jared Houston, Rob Gray and Marc McCarthy have all failed to make it through the 1st round of the Pro division. Daniel Worseley did a huge invert in his opening heat convincingly securing 1st place and advancing to the next round. Local boy Derek Footit also advanced through the 1st round together with Jonathan Oliff, Mark Watts, Justin Lindsay, Charles Pass, Dane Beales, Ian Campbell, Ian Kruger, Wesley Fischer and Vaughn Harris. Bare in mind that some of the riders making it through are normally in the Junior or boys division. Terence Pieters managed to win his 1st heat in the Pro division, but couldn�t keep it together in the next heat. Look out for him in the Dropknee and junior division.

There was only one opening heat for the Dropknee division so far where Craig Geddes and Terence Pieters advanced through to the quarter finals, which will be surfed tomorrow morning.

Jared Houston might be knocked out of the pro division but made it through his junior heat. Ian Campbell, Jonathan Mellish, Justin Zietsmann, Dane Beales and Keegan Fourie all followed suit.

Holding thumbs for the weather tomorrow as predictions of storm swell and gale force winds are swirling around in the media. We will keep you updated