Australian Ransom Junior Tag Team Surfing Championships were held in 2-foot windswept surf at Cabarita with the NSW Champs Le–Ba and Kirra the Queensland champions winning their respective semifinals. It set up a final to decide the real Australian junior team champion.
Eight teams started the day, but only one could win and the Le–Ba groms took the early initiative. When coach Joseph Sandercoch sent double-whammy surfer and captain Michael Wright as lead surfer the pressure was immediately on Kirra after Wright locked in a 9-point whammy and a superb 8-pointer on his 2nd ride, in quick time.
Kirra needed to respond quickly but only could manage 10 points out of 30 for their first three rides, until Kirra’s second surfer Jake Cumberland’s double whammy 11 points. With the scores at 26 to 21 Le–Ba’s advantage, again Kirra falter and Tom Snellgrove, Le–Ba’s third surfer took full advantage with a wave brace of 12 points to Kirra’s 4-point brace despite Snellgrove earning a 3-minute time penalty in the sin bin for wave interference. The anchor surfers for Le–Ba were now in a position to close out the final. Josh Atkins, Kirra’s 4th surfer, put credibility back in the scoreboard with a tremendous 8-point score, the inaugural champions Le–Ba scoring a decisive win 52 points to Kirra 45 points.
Congratulations fellas - Aussie Champs
