Crews top of heap again in final

CRUISEY Currumbin surfer Mitch Crews continues to prove unbeatable on the pro-junior circuit, clinching the grade two international Chiko Pro Junior in Newcastle last weekend.

The affable Queenslander defeated closest rival Davey Cathels in a hotly-contested final, Crews getting home by a margin of just over two points.

The difference was Crews’ shrewd wave selection ability in the north-easterly affected swell, and a nine-pointer Crews tallied for consistently smashing a right-hander and working the reformed wave all the way through to the beach.

“Newcastle was awesome,” he said.

“There was a lot of people watching and the waves were two feet and consistent so it was great fun.

“Davey and me are pretty close to the same level of ability and recent results reflect that.

“He’s more stylish than me but I’m more aggressive and that’s worked for me today.

“But we are sure to meet up again plenty of times and both of us are happy to push each other in the water.”

Crews will contest the 4-star Burton Toyota Pro in Newcastle this week and is likely to meet Cathels again this month at the Pakumotu Pro Junior in Tahiti.

In the girls event, an interference call on world junior champion Laura Enever in the first five minutes of her final showdown with Kiwi Arini Mason meant Enever was always going to find it difficult to take the trophy.

The North Narrabeen world champ seemed dispirited after the interference call, and it was pretty much a one-way street for Mason to be on top of the judges’ sheets when the siren sounded.

Enever was disappointed at herself for making such a rookie error in a Pro Junior final, but she was humbly apologetic at the presentation and appeared genuinely sorry for dropping in when Mason had priority.