Wollongong|Dharawal Country, Tuesday 18th July:
Today was finals day at the 2023 Woolworths Junior State Titles presented by Ocean & Earth (13-18 July) in Wollongong held at Corrimal Beach. Winners were crowned and we now have our four NSW Champions.
Wollongong turned on the weather and waves for the final day of Junior Titles. Two-foot swell and an offshore wind groomed the waves for the finalists across the four division.
Harley Walters (Angourie Boardriders) had huge success this event, topped off with a State Title win today.
The north coast surfer scored four of the 26 excellent waves of the event and in the final found the waves he needed in 6.73 and a 6.53 to take out the Under 18 Boys final with a 13.26 combination heat total.
“I got second last year so this is my first State Title and I’m stoked,” said Walters after being ceremoniously chaired up the beach by fellow finalist Hughie Vaughan and Lennix Smith.
Harley Walters U18 State Champ – photo by Claudia Haworth
In the Under 18 women’s final, Bungan Boardriders number one lady was unstoppable. Milla Brown continued her State Titles success with a third consecutive win that comes just a week after she took out both the Skullcandy Oz Grom Open and World Surf League Pro Junior qualifier event at Lennox Head.
The superstar athlete has been consistent in her performance over the last 12 months and is hoping to have an opportunity to go to the World Titles in Brazil later this year.
Milla Brown U18 State Champ
Photo by Claudia Haworth
After a tough final in the Under 16 Boy’s division but event standout and one of Merewether’s finest junior surfers, Ocean Lancaster was crowned State Champion.
Lancaster is also running with momentum. The Newcastle surfer was the Regional Titles winner and like Brown has come straight from Lennox Head with a win in the Skullcandy event.
This was also back-to-back win for Lancaster after being crowned the Under 14 Grommet State Champion at Maroubra last year.
Ocean caught 29 waves total this event with an overall high performance and consistent high scores. His top score was 9.17, the second highest of the event, tied with Hughie Vaughan.
Ocean Lancaster U16 State Champ
Photo by Claudia Haworth
Celebrations continued with Grace Gosby who was lost for words as she took out her first ever State Title in the U16 girls final today.
Grace dominated the final finishing up with a 7.0 and backed it up with a 6.5. The Cronulla local performed well all competition but it was in the final where she gave it everything. Her highest scoring individual wave of the competition and her highest heat total of 13.5 saw her finish in top spot and chaired up the beach.
All State Champions qualify to represent team NSW at the Australian Junior Surfing Titles to be held on Phillip Island, Victoria from 25 November – 3 December 2023.
Grace Gosby U16 State Champ
Photo by Claudia Haworth
