[i]Saturday 31 December, 2005
Narrabeen Beach, Sydney, Australia (31 December 2005 8 January 2006)
THE ASSOCIATION OF SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) PREMIER JUNIOR EVENT
Contest Director Luke Egan
Live on www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com
Organisers of the Billabong World Junior Championships have placed the VZ Trials have opted to put a hold on an early start but will look at kicking off the event at around 11am (local time) today.
With conditions looking to improve toward the afternoon, Contest Director Luke Egan opted to wait before sending the first batch of youngsters out into the Narrabeen lineup.
The VZ Trials are an integral part of the event as they give two competitors the opportunity to join the elite pack already slotted into the main draw. The field will be narrowed down from 16 and there is approximately three hours of surfing.
Billabong will be hosting a full live webcast of the trials from 11am also.
Please see Fast Facts below for more information.[/i]BILLABONG WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONS FAST FACTS
Event Name: 2005 ASP Billabong World Junior Championships
Rating: ASP International World Junior
Location: North Narrabeen, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Event site: North Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club
Event information
VZ Trials: start date December 31st 2005
Formats: VZ Trials, 4 x 4 heats, 2 x 4 Semi Finals and 1 x 4 Final
8 Australasian Rating Seeds
2 Billabong/ VZ Wildcards
6 ASP International Selections.
Main Event window dates: January 1st to January 8th 2005
Main Event Formats: ASP World Championship Tour draws apply for the Boys and Girls divisions.
Judging: Association of Surfing Professionals judging panel will be utilized. Event rules as per Association of Surfing Professionals Rule Book. Mark Bannister (former top 44 WCT surfer) will be Beach Marshall to assist in explaining the priority rules which commence from Round 2 of the main events
Men’s Event: Total field of 48 surfers. Eight regions (Europe, South Africa, South America, North America, Hawaii, Australasia and Asia) plus a newly formed ASP International region. Four top regions on 2004 seedings to consist of 6 surfers, 3 back seeded regions to consist of 5 Surfers ASP Intl region to consist of 3 surfers: 1 Tahiti, 2 To be decided by ASP. Teams to be made up from top 5/4 seeds from regional junior events plus highest seeded WQS surfer from that region.
Three full days are required to finish the junior mens event.
Wildcards: Billabong will have 2 sponsor wildcards, 2 to the ASP and 2 from the trials.
Billabong Wildcards: Billabong has selected Wade Goodall (Caloundra, QLD) and Jordy Smith (South Africa) as their sponsor wildcards.
ASP wildcards are Tuamata Puahini (Tah) and Edson Camacho (Peru)
Womens Event: Total field of 18 surfers in the inaugural Billabong Girls World Junior Championships. 7 Regions (Europe, South Africa, South America, North America, Hawaii, Australasia, Asia) plus four wildcards. Two Billabong sponsor wildcards and two decided by ASP. Only two full days are required to complete the womens.
Wildcards: Billabong have selected Lyndsay Noyes (Cronulla, NSW) and Airini Mason (Tugan, QLD) as event wildcards. ASP wildcards include Stephanie Gilmore (Kingscliff NSW) and another to be confirmed.
Contest Director: Luke Egan will be contest director for the third consecutive year. The recently retired 21-year WCT veteran who finished number two in the world in 2000 has now taken up a marketing position at Billabong. Offering valuable insight into man on man competition and the WCT event format, Egan has great influence in deciding whether the competition will run each day and providing the ideal setting for the junior surfers to compete in.
Television Media: Daily highlights VNR available on each day of competition in Australia via Foxtel.