Youth Fly Flag For Newcastle In Mattara Classic

Newcastle Herald

Thursday September 11, 2008

JOSH LEESON BREAKING NEWS

IT will be Newcastle's young brigade leading the local charge at the prestigious Mattara Surf Classic at Merewether Beach this weekend.

Merewether teenagers Jesse Adam and Wes Bainbridge and Fingal Bay's Mitch Noonan are the Hunter's best hopes in the opens on Saturday.

Jake Sylvester, Ryan Callinan (Merewether) and Sam Lendrum (Catherine Hill Bay) will vie for the under-16 title.

Former World Qualifying Series campaigner and 2006 Mattara Surf Classic champion Travis Lynch is expected to be Newcastle's only experienced surfer competing.

The event also doubles as the NSW Championship Circuit fourth round.

Merewether's Craig Anderson was the NSW Championship Circuit runner-up last year, but no Newcastle surfers have competed in the opening three rounds in 2008.

However, Surfing Newcastle president Dan Frodsham said it was an ideal opportunity for up-and-coming surfers.

"The reason they've started it up is because it's a stepping stone from junior surfing," Frodsham said.

Adam is an early favourite after finishing third in the Port Stephens Pro Junior at One Mile Beach on Sunday.

"I don't think it's as prestigious as a pro junior win, but saying that, the surfers who are going to be here are guys who do the WQS, so it's not going to be an easy comp for Adam," Frodsham said.

"A win here means a hell of a lot for junior surfers especially, because it'll show where they stand out there against the big guys."

? The junior surf-lifesaving season kicks into gear with the Super Surf Camp at Nobbys Beach on October 7 and 8.

The camp will be run by Dixon Park SLSC and features national high-performance coach Brett Dowker and world rescue and world ski champion Downie Langthorne.

Langthorne this year competed at Rescue 08 in Germany with the Australian lifesaving team, who defended their No.1 world ranking.

Last year was the first season of the Super Surf Camp concept, which helps juniors wash off the winter rust and learn skills to assist them in the summer ahead.

"The kids attending will definitely be at an advantage leading into the new season, improving their confidence in the water and honing surf skills in the local conditions," Dowker said.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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