Jack Freestone. Photo: Hennings

Freestone, who also won the ASP World Junior Title in 2010, joins current ASP WCT No.1 Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Pablo Paulino (BRA) in an elite club of three surfers to have claimed multiple men’s ASP World Junior Titles.

“It’s amazing to follow in Joel [Parkinson's] footsteps,” Freestone said. “He’s my favorite surfer and we’re both from Coolangatta, so it feels amazing right now. He’s on the Men’s ASP World Championship Tour, that’s where I want to be so hopefully this gives me the confidence to know that I can get there.”

This year’s ASP World Junior Champion was decided at a standalone event, the Oakley World Pro Junior Championship in Bali. Freestone is truly a deserving winner after battling through a stellar field of the world’s best junior surfers and an array of conditions ranging from shifty beachbreaks at Canggu, massive tubes and windy, rampy Keramas on the Final day.

Jack Freestone. Photo: Hennings

“When I won the ASP World Junior Title in 2010 it was just luck,” continued Freestone. “I was out of the event and had to sit and wait for certain people to win and lose. This event was much different because it’s the only one, but I never put pressure on myself and it must have worked. I feel amazing right now.”

Lau, the powerful Hawaiian surfer, was in fine form throughout the event logging impressive wins heat after heat. The caliber of his surfing carried straight through to the final round. The Final was a chess match between two powerful and progressive surfers each equipped with the skill and style to claim the title as their own.

“I came here to win, not come second,” Lau said. “But Jack [Freestone] was in rhythm and caught the best waves in the Final so congratulations to him. You just have to move on. I have the Triple Crown coming up soon in Hawaii, so I’ll be back.”

Andrew Doheny (USA) was eliminated by Lau in Semifinal 1, finishing equal 3rd, one spot short of his runner-up finish at the Oakley World Pro Junior Championship last year. Doheny was one of the most exciting surfers to watch for the duration of the event, using his unpredictable style to keep competitors and onlookers guessing what he would do next.

“I thought I’d be bummed,” Doheny said. “But I’m actually really stoked! Even though I finished second here last year, I didn’t expect to get as high as third this year. Ezekiel [Lau] did what I like to do, he caught a bunch of waves and got into rhythm.”

Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) fell victim to a raging Freestone in Semifinal 2, finishing the heat with just 2.17 [out of a possible 20] to Freestone’s 19.53. Boukhiam was the last goofy-footed (right foot forward) surfer remaining in the draw and he really struggled in the difficult conditions today.

“I didn’t want to waste my time going for airs,” Boukhiam said. “I’m not an air guy. If the surf is big I can post 9-point-rides too. I’m happy to finish third. I came to win, but third is okay.”

Jack Freestone. Photo: Hennings

Freestone went on a tirade in that heat, posting multiple scores in the excellent range. Oakley World Pro Junior Championship Head Judge Glen Elliot described the heat as “One of the best displays of technical aerial surfing in one heat in ASP history. Jack [Freestone] landed two stalefish grabs, a slob grab and full rotation Kerrupt grab air-reverse. People will be talking about that heat for a long time.”

Thus concluded another successful Oakley World Pro Junior Championship in Bali. Congratulations to both World Junior Champions, Jack Freestone and Nikki Van Dijk on their first class performances.

OAKLEY WORLD PRO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP MEN’S FINAL RESULT:

Jack Freestone (AUS) 13.83 def. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 13.77

OAKLEY WORLD PRO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP MEN’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS:

SF 1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 15.20 def. Andrew Doheny (USA) 7.50
SF 2: Jack Freestone (AUS) 19.53 def. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 2.17

OAKLEY WORLD PRO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP MEN’S QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:

QF 1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 16.37 def. Wade Carmichael (AUS) 10.26
QF 2: Andrew Doheny (USA) 14.77 def. Cooper Chapman (AUS) 12.67
QF 3: Jack Freestone (AUS) 15.0 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 14.27
QF 4: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 14.00 def. Frederico Morais (PRT) 8.37

Keramas pumping out the goods two days ago, hopefully it looks the same tomorrow. Pic ASP/Dunbar

“We’ve got a couple more days in the waiting period and the forecast is looking good,” said Contest Director Beau Emerton. “We’ll come back at the same time tomorrow and make another call. Surfline are calling that the swell should be picking up, an who knows we could be crowning a Men’s ASP World Junior Champion tomorrow.”

The Oakley ASP World Junior Championships Bali will run from October 6 – 17. For LIVE webcast, Heats on Demand, event videos and more check www.oakleyprojunior.com.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

UPCOMING OAKLEY ASP WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:

QF 1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) vs. Wade Carmichael (AUS)
QF 2: Cooper Chapman (AUS) vs. Andrew Doheny (USA)
QF 3: Jack Freestone (AUS) vs. Conner Coffin (USA)
QF 4: Frederico Morais (PRT) vs. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)

KERAMAS, Bali/Indonesia – The 2012 Oakley World Pro Junior Championship was treated to another stellar day of competitive surfing at Keramas. Competitors reveled in the 3-to-4 foot right-handers running down the reef at the world famous reef break. From a field of 48 surfers, just eight remain in contention for the 2012 Men’s ASP World Junior Championship Title.

Jack Freestone. Photo: Marshall

Jack Freestone (AUS) scored the Oakley World Pro Junior Championship’s first perfect 10-point-score for a monster full-rotation ally-oop aerial. “I already had a couple of good scores and thought it was time to do a big air,” Freestone said of his heat strategy. “I stood up, saw the section and the rotation felt good then I landed. It felt really good.

Freestone had a couple of shaky heats earlier in the event, but was back to his devastating best today. He posted multiple scores in the excellent range to finish with a two-wave heat total of 18.17 (out of a possible 20) and secure his spot in the Quarterfinals.

Ezekiel Lau (HAW) posted yet another impressive heat win in Round 4 scoring a two-wave total of 17.27 over Carlos Munoz’s (CRI) 15.76. It was by no means an easy heat for Lau. Munoz fought him wave for wave, with both surfers throwing down massive maneuvers, but in the end the Hawaiian came out on top to end the Coasta Rican’s championship title campaign.

“It’s great to win that heat,” Lau said. “But you can’t think about it too much because you’ve got another one coming up. Also when the conditions are this good you can’t get over excited either.”

Andrew Doheny (USA) was another of the day’s top performers, eliminating Hawaiian powerhouse Keanu Asing (HAW) 15.57 to 13.10 in their Round 4 bout. “That heat was gnarly,” Doheny said. “I know that Keanu [Asing] is good with heat tactics so my plan was to get the first good wave of the heat and it must have worked.”

Doheny’s classic California style impressed the judges and earned him a spot into the Men’s Quarterfinals where he’ll face Cooper Chapman (AUS) in what will inevitably be a hard fought battle for a Semifinal berth. “I came second here last year and I want to do as good, if not better, because this is my last year in the Juniors,” concluded Doheny.

Cooper Chapman (AUS) came flying out of the gates and laid down some of the day’s most impressive turns to score a 14.93 two-wave total, which would prove to be just enough to punch his ticket into the Quarterfinals over Caue Wood’s (BRA) 14.33.

“I kept falling on the end sections,” Chapman said after his heat. “It’s good to know I can still get a good score without completing the wave. This is my first year at the ASP World Junior Championships so it feels great to make it into the Quarterfinals.”

Connor Coffin (USA) advanced to the Quarterfinals against the odds after scoring an interference in the first minute of the heat. Coffin paddled for a wave when Kalani David (HAW) had the inside position. When David stood up, Coffin pulled back, but it was too late and he collapsed a section of the wave ahead.

“I didn’t think [Kalani David] was going to make it onto the wave, but as soon as I saw that he did I pulled back. It must have been too late though because I got the interference. I just thought, ‘oh well at least I get to surf Keramas for another 29 minutes with no one out,’ but then I found a couple of waves and still made it through the heat.”

His interference penalty was the loss of half of his second scoring ride. The contest savvy Coffin was however able to keep his cool and draw on experience to come back and score a 12.17 two-wave heat total which would prove to be enough to knock the high flying Kalani David (HAW) out of the competition.

Frederico Morais (PRT) won the closest heat of the day, eliminating Brazilian Italo Ferreira (BRA) by a mere 0.50 points. Morais will now face Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) in Quarterfinal 4 when competition resumes.

“I feel like Keramas really suits my surfing,” Morais said. “That heat was close, but I’m in the Quarterfinals now and I’m feeling confident. I’m looking forward to the surfing my Quarterfinal, hopefully we have some more great waves.”

Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) from Morocco defeated Australian Thomas Woods (AUS) in the final heat of the day. Boukhiam is the last goofy-footed [right foot forward] surfer left in the event, using his powerful backhand attack to secure a Quarterfinal berth.

“That heat was really hard,” Boukhiam said. “The conditions changed just before I paddled out. I’ve been training hard, I had a really European season and I’m just trying to keep the same mind-set at this event.”

Contest directors have called a lay day for tomorrow. A call will be made Monday morning, Oct. 15, at 6:00 AM for a possible 6:30 AM WITA start to the Men’s Quarterfinals.

OAKLEY WORLD PRO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S QUARTERFINAL:

QF 1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) Wade Carmichael (AUS)
QF 2: Cooper Chapman (AUS) Andrew Doheny (USA)
QF 3: Jack Freestone (AUS) Connor Coffin (USA)
QF 4: Frederico Morais (PRT) vs. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)

OAKLEY WORLD PRO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP MEN’S ROUND 4 RESULTS:

HEAT 1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 17.27 def. Carlos Munoz (CRI) 15.76
HEAT 2: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 12.50 def. Evan Thompson (USA) 6.50
HEAT 3: Cooper Chapman (AUS) 14.93 def. Caue Wood (BRA) 14.33
HEAT 4: Andrew Doheny (USA) 15.57 def. Keanu Asing (HAW) 13.10
HEAT 5: Jack Freestone (AUS) 18.17 def. Arashi Kato (JPN) 10.33
HEAT 6: Connor Coffin (USA) 12.17 def. Kalani David (HAW) 8.86
HEAT 7: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.00 vs. Frederico Morais (PRT) 12.50
HEAT 8: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 13.63 vs. Thomas Woods (AUS) 12.40