(Phillip Island, VIC – Sunday February 19, 2012): Carl Wright has been crowned Victorian Open Champion, after back to back wins at the Toll IPEC Open Titles at Gunnamatta and then Woolamai at the weekend.
Wright continued his domination of Victorian Open Surfing at his home break of Woolamai on Sunday, winning all of his heats en-route to the final.
Finn Barry (Torquay) came out of the blocks firing in the twenty minute final, locking in a 4.33 (out of a possible 10) in the opening seconds.
Wright swiftly responded with a 6.67 scoring ride and backed it up with a 5.90 to lock in an unassailable two wave total.
Sandy Point’s Derek Bassed finished in second position with a two wave total of 11.54 (out of a possible 20) ahead of Caiden Fowler (Blairgowrie) on 10.40 points. Despite his rapid fire start, Barry finished in fourth position.
In the Open Women’s division, Jan Juc surfer Zoe Clarke continued her run of form, taking out both the U/16 division of the Victorian Junior Titles on Saturday and the Open Title on Sunday.
Clarke announced her intentions early in the final, locking in a series of forehand lip line re-entries, scoring a 7.17.
In her return to competition after several years of injuries, Phillip Island local Jess Laing answered back, locking in the highest single scoring ride of the final, an 8.33.
In a see sawing battle that saw Clarke and Laing trade several waves, Clarke found a long right breaking wave and put the final out of reach of Laing who finished in second position.
Third went to Kelly Laity (Sandy Point) with Tiffany Riggs (Torquay) finishing in fourth.
Clarke’s win at Woolamai means that the Victorian Open Women’s title will be decided at the final event of the year, the Toll IPEC West Coast Open Titles presented by VB.
Both Clarke and Laity have one win each in the best two of three series, setting up an exciting showdown at Bells Beach later in the year.
The Toll/IPEC Victorian Open Titles is Presented by VB and Supported by Surfing Victoria.
