2008 PIER PRESSURE

Uncategorized - June 3, 2009 - 16:07

2009 SURFER MAGAZINE COVERAGE:  Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure
by: Brendon Thomas

Post Game: Aussies Dominate the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure Presented by Jack’s

Why are the Aussies so much better than the Americans?  It’s the sort of question that would be considered a PR nightmare for the average Australian teenager who had just won the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure presented by Jack’s.  But not Julian Wilson.  Julian laughs, takes a deep breath and pauses, choosing his words carefully before answering.  “Uhh,” he humbly stammers, “I don’t know, well, we probably have a stronger Junior series in Australia—there are a lot more guys that do it.”

Despite their numbers back home, the Aussies were clearly outnumbered when they arrived at the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure.  In fact, they were grossly outnumbered.  The four Australians that entered the event faced 76 of the best young surfers in the U.S.

And they utterly dominated the proceedings.

Of the four Aussie competitors, Julian Wilson, Stuart Kennedy, and Chris Salisbury, finished one, two, and three respectively.

Andrew Doheny was the lone American who ventured into the great unknown of the final at a windswept, albeit contestable, Huntington Beach.

“I felt no pressure at all going into the final.  I was just so happy to make my first (Pro Junior) final,” said Doheny a few weeks later, “Those guys are older than me, and I never really gave myself a chance.  I should have.”

Indeed, fresh off an Open Junior victory two days earlier at the NSSA Nationals, Doheny was on fire throughout the event, but struggled to fina a high-scoring wav in the final.

“We surf so many contests now,” said Doheny, “ so maybe everyone was feeling a little bit tired, but I felt pretty good.”

If anything, the field should have been warmed up coming off the NSSA Nationals at Lowers.  With all that youthful energy, it’s hard to believe that the groms of America were burned out.  If so, blame must fall on their diets.  If not, then where?  How did three Aussies show up and surf to the top three spots from the first round a that is considered the very nucleus of American surfing.  “I think it’s a little bit tougher back home in Australia,” Julian reiterates.  “I was shocked when the top seeds came into the event and they surfed one heat and they were in the quarters.  We have to surf like four rounds at home just to get anywhere!”

That, and the Aussies have meat pies.

Results:
1.    Julian Wilson (AUS) $3,500
2.    Stuart Kennedy (AUS) $2,200
3.    Chris Salisbury (AUS) $1,800
4.    Andrew Doheny (USA) $1,300