2008 Billabong World Juniors: Day 2

SURF: 6 feet and rising
EVENTS HELD: Men’s Round 2
NATURE’S CALL: Could be too big tomorrow
PREDICTED: Watch out for the lead foots, it’s going to be all about power surfing at this one

Think surfing against one other guy in a heat is easy? Try doing it in a building cyclonic swell, a raging current sweeping up the beach, a twenty mile an hour onshore wind making the waves look like a plate of ribs, and a world title on the line. Not fun and definitely not easy. The name of the game today was find a wave amidst the torrent, try and manage a couple turns and hope for the best. The strategy worked great for a guy like Oxnard’s Nick Rosza who compared the conditions to a big blown out day at Silver Strand. He nailed a series of huge backside snaps on a solidly overhead growler to post the highest single wave score of the day. “If you aren’t ready to paddle your heart out, it’s definitely not for you,” said a winded Rosza afterward on the beach.

Brazil’s not so apply named Wiggolly Dantas was also a standout. Dantas, whose sikly smooth style is anything but wiggly, dropped into a bomb and deftly carved around the Billabong floatie which had broken from its moorings and drifted into the lineup right in the middle of the best wave of his heat. Watch out for Wiggolly, he’s a former national and King of the Groms champ who could be a dark horse contender here.

The upset of the day had to be the loss of top Aussie junior and Billabong poster boy for the event, Heath Joske, to another oddly named Brazilian, Charlie Brown. Joske, a powerful regularfoot, found himself lost at sea for most of the heat – a fate that befell many surfers today.

With even bigger waves forecast for tomorrow and heavy match ups from lined up from start to finish, contest director Luke Egan has two choices: call a lay day or allow for jet ski assists. Wait, are you kidding me, is that even a choice? Bust out the skis and tell the boys to get out there and charge!

For more on the Billabong World Junior Championships, visit BillabongPro.com

 

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