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  • 29 Apr 2008 - WA State RND 1 Results & Lewy takes 1st
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Funkshen Bodyboards` Lewy Finnegan picked up his new custom team machine on his way to victory in the 1st WA State Rnd last week

 

EBB STATE BODYBOARD SERIES PRESENTED BY UNITE.

ROUND 1 – 19th & 20th April 2008. LANCELIN WA

SUPPORTED BY Exclusively Bodyboarding, Unite Clothing, SunSmart & Surfing WA    

 

Quality performances shine through in wintery conditions at Lancelin, with down south competitors dominating.

 

The sleepy fishing town of Lancelin, located 127km North of Perth provided the location for the first EBB State Bodyboard Series event for 2008. With a pretty lean summer surf wise in the Metro area, back beach provided some welcome shape and contestable peaks which competitors relished in.

 

The preliminary round one heat’s were run on Saturday with waves in the 1.0m - 1.5m range. Although cross shore winds strengthened during the day the waves still allowed the Cadet Under 16 Boys, Junior Men, and Open Men’s division to impress the judges with their progressive and innovative manoeuvres. Surfers who made the most of the conditions early Saturday were Aiden Stampalia (Joondalup) Dane Robbilliard (Scarborough) and last years under 14’s National Champion Lewy Finnegan (Ocean Reef) in the Under 16 Boys division, as well Ben Vietch (Margaret River), Lee Sczepanski (Margaret River), Ian Fergusson (Scarborough) and Ryan Hands (Mandurah) in the Open Men’s division.

 

Sunday morning greeted surfers with an increase in swell size and clean offshore winds. The early heats were held in near perfect conditions with some head high sets rolling through. The Open Men’s final, considered the blue ribbon division of the event was hotly contested between four of the states best bodyboarders. With all four having surfed well over the weekend and looking in tune with the ocean. In the end it came down to individual skill and wave selection to split the pack. In the end only 2.09 points split first to fourth place showing how high the level of surfing between all four finalist was.

 

Ben Vietch (Margaret River) utilised his powerful style to set the pace early in the final posting a 6.83 point ride on his first wave, and never looked back from that.  As the other finalists tried desperately to match the level that Vietch had set it from the open siren, it was clear that his early ride had rattled the other competitors.  Not one to be out done Lee Szcepanski (Margaret River) took the challenge up to Vietch and opened his account with a 6.40 point ride and came within 0.43 of a point in knocking him from his first place perch, but Bryce Nettle (Scarborough) and Ryan Hands (Mandurah) were not going to let their fellow competitors off with any easy win as all four gave it all they had in what was without a doubt the most hotly contested final of the day. Vietch held down the lead until the final siren taking victory narrowly from Szcepanski, Nettle and Hands.

 

“I’ve been training really hard for this one, I’ve never won a State Series event before and it’s a huge relief to finally do so. Im looking to consolidating on this win and hopefully taking out the State Championship and make over East for the Nationals later this year.” said Vietch.

 

In the Drop Knee division down south charger and all round ambassadors for the DK crew, Kim Feast (Gracetown) put on a one man show destroying any section that came his way. Although it was a far cry from his much loved North Point, Feast displayed the talent that holds him in such high regard across the world. Feast displaced huge buckets of water on each turn and lead from start to finish with a typically polished performance. Following closely behind in second place was Chad Abbott (Mandurah), Liam O’Keefe (Trigg) third and Mark Boehm (Scarborough) fourth.

 

“I’d like to dedicate this win to my dad who’s pretty sick at the moment, and this one means a lot to me”, said Feast.

 

An impressive display from the competitors in the Junior and Cadets division also kept the judges busy. In the Junior division a total of 44 waves were caught, with Ryan Hands (Mandurah) and Ryan Donovan (City Beach) leading the charge. But in the end Donovan’s 7.83 ride was enough to secure victory ahead of Hands by just 1.76 points with Tom Morris (Duncraig) finishing third and Charlie Carter (Dianella) fourth.

 

In the Cadets division Lewy Finnegan (Ocean Reef) was unstoppable in the final after posting a seven point ride and a 6.77 as his two scoring rides.  Finnegan is touted as one of WA’s next big things was to good for Dane Robilliard (Scarborough) in second Dylan Brand (Dawesville) in third and Aiden Stampalia (Joondalup) fourth. Radical and committed manoeuvres were the highlight of this division with some seriously huge rolls and inverts being brought to the table.

 

The Open Women’s was won by Kirby Smith (Lansdale), while Calvin Best (Cottesloe) had a win in the Grommets Under 14 final. WA Bodyboarding representative and event contest director Ian ‘Goldy’ Goldthorpe (Cottesloe) had an impressive win in the Senior Mens division, and Stephen Atherton (Spearwood) nailing the Masters final.

 

The 2008 EBB State Bodyboard Series is a 3 event series that determines the State Bodyboard Champions and the 2008 State Bodyboard Team. Round two of the series will be held at Scarborough Beach on the 5th & 6th of June.

 

 

THE 2008 EBB STATE BODYBOARD SERIES IS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY, EBB, UNITE CLOTHING, SUNSMART & SURFING WA.

 

FINAL RESULTS

 

Open Mens final

  1. Ben Vietch (Margaret River), 2. Lee Sczepanski (Margaret River), 3. Bryce Nettle (Scarborough), 4. Ryan Hands (Mandurah).

 

Open Women final

  1. Kirby Smith (Lansdale)

 

Drop Knee

  1. Kim Feast (Gracetown), 2. Chad Abbott (Singleton), 3. Liam O’Keefe (Trigg), 4. Mark Boehm (Scarborough)

 

Junior Mens U/18 final

  1. Ryan Donovan (City Beach), 2. Ryan Hands (Mandurah), 3. Tom Morris (Duncraig), 4. Charlie Carter (Dianella).

 

Cadets Under 16 final

  1. Lewy Finnegan (Ocean Reef), 2. Dane Robbilliard (Scarborough), 3. Dylan Brand (Dawesville), 4. Aiden Stampalia (Joondalup)

 

Grommets U/14 final

  1. Calvin Best (Cottesloe), 2. Davis Blackwell (Mandurah), 3. Mark Shearman (Clarkson).

 

Senior Mens final

  1. Ian Goldthorpe (Cottesloe), 2. John Barker (Mandurah), 3. Lee Szcepanski (Margaret River), 4. Chad Abbott (Singleton)