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Big Upsets on Day One of Wimpy-Rossi Pro-Am

posted by Martin Otto on 25th April 2009

Light offshore conditions and improving waves are what greeted contestants on the 1st morning of the 10th Annual 4A Rated Wimpy/Rossi Pro Am at Margate Beach. It was decided to run the 1st round of the Junior and Pro divisions where some serious upsets occurred very early in the contest. Cave Rock Challenge winner and IBA World Tour competitor Mark McCarthy failed to make it through the 1st round. Local boys Derek Footit and World Surfing Games campaigner David Lee also failed to make it through the 1st rounds. All 3 contestants just didn't manage to pick up the better set waves with the outside being very inconsistent.

Advancing through convincingly in the Pro division is Storm Prestwich who busted out a massive air roll spin in the 1st minute of his heat. He's only 15 years old and hails from Scottburgh. Storm made people take notice of him earlier this year at The Cape Classic where he won wave of the contest and seems to want to capitalize on that once again. This is also his 1st year competing in the Junior and Pro divisions. Also making it through to the next round is Charles Pass, Dane Klusener, Dane Beales, Wesley Fischer and Reinhardt du Toit.

Next up was the Factory 7 DK round 1 followed closely by the quarters. Standouts this far are Terence Pieters and last years winner Sean Tickner. Unfortunately for local Derek Footit it doesn't seem to be his day as he failed to also advance in this division after being one of the hot favourites.

The Junior quarter finals saw Bradley Moys, Terence Pieters, Iain Campbell and Aden Kleve all winning their heats to advance.

The inside starting cooking and wedging on the spring high tide in the afternoon and the pro riders took full advantage of this with a flurry of mad maneuvers. Stand out was Wesley Fisher with a massive ARS scoring 9's.

It was then decide to run the Boys semis due to the cooking inside. They didnt failt to impress either. Your Boys finalists for tomorrow will be Murray van Vuuren, Stephen du Preez, Margate local Ashley Wheeler and Baz Koopmans.

It looks like we will finish up tomorrow and 1st heat kicks off 7.30am sharp. Still to come is the Factory 7 skimming contest as well as the coaching clinic. This should be round about lunch time if conditions are suitable.

The stage is set for an awesome day tomorrow.

Wimpy Rossi Pro-Am heats

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