Arch Rayner takes home U14 State Title

MAKING for an exciting but nerve-racking start for day two, the swell had filled in even more overnight with a pulse of 4–6 foot waves rolling onto the bank at Gunnamatta for the final day of Round

Three of the Woolworths Victorian Junior Surfing Titles. 

In the Under 16 Girls semi-finals Ava Holland (Dromana) and Sara Hickson (Rye) started out firing, using their home break knowledge to pick out the best wave in each of their semi-final heats. Holland scored the highest wave of the day, a 9.67-point ride, with a series of vertical backhand snaps.

On the other side of the draw in the Under 16 Boys, Rye Cicero (Sandy Point) was able to take the win and in doing so stop the winning streak of Jerry Kelly who had already secured the State Championship by claiming the first two rounds of the series.

Cicero, who showed that he wasn’t going to hold back on any section, started off strong out the back by hammering a range of turns all the way to shore. 

This put him in rhythm as he went back out to pick up another wave that winded back and forth on the bank with Cicero putting together a strong carve and solid backhand snap to finish the wave off. He went straight back out again and picked off another wave allowing for another series of solid manoeuvres to earn a combined heat total of 15.33 points (out of a possible 20 points). 

“It was a good final, I managed to find a few waves which were enjoyable to surf on,” Rye Cicero said. 

“I picked up a bit of a rhythm in this round which made the final really fun to surf,” he concluded.

In an incredible overall result, Arch Rayner of Inverloch took home first place in the U14 boys, whilst Eva Based (Sandy Point), Rye Cicero (Sandy Point) and Scarlett Rennie (Cape Woolamai) took home second place in their respective age groups for the Woolworths Victorian Junior Surfing Titles. 

Round 3 Finals Results:

U18 Girls: 1st - Sarsha Pancic (Blairgowrie), 14.73; 2nd - Mia Holland (Dromana), 9.54; 3rd - Sarah Seuren (Inverloch), 8.24; and 4th - Juliet Muscroft (Jan Juc), 1.90.

U18 Boys: 1st - Lucas Hickson (Rye), 17.93; 2nd - Isaiah Norling (Barwon Heads), 13.70; 3rd - Willem Watson (McCrae), 13.50 and 4th - Willis Droomer (Jan Juc), 12.97.

U16 Girls: 1st - Sara Hickson (Rye), 13.10; 2nd - Ava Holland (Dromana), 10.37; 3rd - Dune Pruvot (Torquay), 6.57 and 4th - Billie Cook (Ocean Grove), 5.36.

U16 Boys: 1st - Rye Cicero (Sandy Point), 15.33; 2nd - Remy Filer (Jan Juc), 10.16; 3rd - Oscar Kerr (Ocean Grove), 8.37 and 4th - Jerry Kelly (Barwon Heads), 7.73.

U14 Girls: 1st - Rose Holland (Dromana), 14.87; 2nd - Scarlett Rennie (Cape Woolamai), 7.53; 3rd - Evie Lutz (Cowes), 6.67 and 4th - Chloe Muscroft (Jan Juc), 6.07.

U14 Boys: 1st - Dusty Rayner (Inverloch), 14.84; 2nd - Harlem Pec (Jan Juc), 14.40; 3rd - Arch Rayner (Inverloch), 8.83 and 4th - Sunny Wouters (Victoria), 7.13.

Woolworths Victorian Junior Surfing Titles Overall Results:

U18 Girls: 1st - Sarsha Pancic (Blairgowrie), 2nd - Eva Bassed (Sandy Point).

U18 Boys: 1st - Willem Watson (McCrae), 2nd - Lucas Hickson (Rye)

U16 Girls: 1st - Sara Hickson (Rye), 2nd - Ava Holland (Dromana)

U16 Boys: 1st - Jerry Kelly (Barwon Heads), 2nd - Rye Cicero (Sandy Point)

U14 Girls: 1st - Rose Holland (Dromana), 2nd - Scarlett Rennie (Cape Woolamai)

U14 Boys: 1st - Arch Rayner (Inverloch), 2nd - Kai Coleman (Mount Duneed).