Difficult surf for local Title

WA’s best longboarders weren’t deterred by tricky surf at the weekend during the third and final event of the State Longboard and SUP Titles at Secret Harbour.

Competitors braved chilly conditions for the final opportunity to compete in the State Longboard Titles and get the chance to represent WA at the Longboard National Titles in Port Macquarie in August.

The open men’s final saw the four form surfers of the series meet in one of the best heats of the weekend. Dan Corbett, who now lives in Yallingup, surfed with precision and flare to grab first place and the State Title from Jarryd Foster.

Foster, who is always innovative with his repertoire of new and old school manoeuvres missed out by less than one point.

Mandurah local Nick Jenkins and Cottesloe resident Mark Mattisons finished third and fourth.

“I’m really stoked with the result, to beat your best mate and claim a State Title all at once is pretty awesome,” Corbett said.

“Everyone is looking forward to the National Titles with what looks to be a really solid WA team.”

Corbett and Foster will spearhead a 28-member team that heads to Port Macquarie in about six weeks for the combined nine days of longboard and SUP competition.

In the open women’s final Swanbourne’s Georgia Young edged out her fellow finalists in an extremely close competition. Young took authority of the final from the start, leaving Scarborough’s Sam Vanderford in second, Melville’s Claire Finnucane finishing third and Swanbourne’s Bronwyn Fricke in fourth.

The result was enough to push Young into State Team qualification, finishing in third place on the ratings behind Finnucane in second with Vanderford claiming the Open Women’s State Title.

The standard remained high in the stand up paddle divisions, with the new and rapidly developing side of the sport reaching another level with the inclusion of Gracetown brothers Rick and Jake Jakovich in 2012.

The two showed their mastery of the paddle with a win for Jake and a second place finish for Rick. Jake managed to take out brother Rick by a narrow margin, leaving Crawford Olney (Hamilton Hill) in third ahead of Mike Galvin (Cottesloe) in fourth.

The result secured the State Title for Jake Jakovich and left his brother in second, with both qualifying for National Titles.

After surfing for the best part of 50 years, Yallingup’s Nigel Coote claimed his maiden State Longboard Title in the over-60 men’s division.

Local winners were Paul Burke in the over-35s and the over-40s, Steve Cockbain in the SUP competition, Brett Merifield for the over-45s, in the over-60s Nigel Coote and over-65s Dave Ellis.