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Competing in his first State Longboard Title Darren O'Rafferty from Bonny Hills won his opening heat in the open men's division and moves straight through to round 2. PIC: Renee Miller / SNSW.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
A nice right-hander on the river mouth at North Haven was the venue as NSW best open men and women opened up their campaign, at the Australian Skin Cancer Clinics NSW Longboard State Titles.
With stacked Open men's heats on the board competition was tough. Ex ASP World tour surfers, past Australian Champions and defending NSW champions all vying for the prestigious titles on offer at the 6 day event.
Local surfer Darren O'Rafferty (Bonny Hills), who is no stranger to competition surfing, competing on the World Tour as a short board surfer and growing up riding a longboard around the Port Macquarie area won his round 1 heat in one of the toughest heats of the day.
"I've watched all of the heats in the opens and the surfing is a really high standard this year, so I'm stoked just to get though one heat given the talent out there.", said O'Rafferty.
Competing against three top longboarders in his opening heat; Corrimal surfer Nick Fargo, Craig Davies (Bondi) and Matty Cook (Cronulla), was a spectacle for onlookers in the early morning pristine winter conditions.
"It was great this morning when we rocked up it was pretty solid, as the tide filled in and it was offshore, the waves were awesome, all the guys were pretty stoked with the move down here to North Haven"
"During our heat the wind just started to come up, but there was still some really nice waves we could ride all the way through and get the connection on the inside, and its still some great waves out there this afternoon", said O'Rafferty who moved through to round 2 with Nick Fargo who placed 2nd.
Cook and Davies surfed again in the requalifying round to get through to round 2. Marlin Guihot (Anna Bay) and William Crowe (Collaroy) were up against Cook and Guihot was knocked out in yet another close heat spectators were whitnessing in the opening men's division.
Also doing well in the opening men's was Lennox Head surfer Ben Dickens, his big lay backs and nose rides propelled him to round 2 where he comes up against O'Rafferty and Gosford surfer Mitch Fraser tomorrow.
Defending open men's champion Jared Neal (Coffs Harbour) was on fire and judges awarded him the VB Slab of the day, for a combined heat total of 17.5 (out of a possible 20). His 8.83 ride consisted of two big open face carves on the early 4 foot waves and finished with a nice floater to take first place in his round 1 heat.
Making her mark for the second year running was defending open women's champion Erin Dark (Gerringong). In the last 20 seconds of her heat against Bondi Surfer Claire Norman, Dark took the lead on the hooter and won the first heat of the open women's.
Dark moves to round 2 with Norman, Scotts Head Surfer Kirra Perry and Roisin Carolan (Binna Burra), along with Jennifer Arnold (Port Macquarie) and Debbie Allan (Canton Beach).
Finishing the day on top was the Grand Kahunas (over 60's), Danny Bond from Blue Bay got the highest wave of the day; a 9.67 ride to win 1st place in the over 60's semi, with local Peter Hudson coming in a close second.
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