NORTH NARRABEEN, New South Wales/Australia (Tuesday, January 11, 2020) – South
African dark-horse Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), 17, won the Billabong ASP
Women’s World Junior Championships today in a hard-fought final over
French talent Justine Dupont (FRA), 19, in two-to-four foot (1 metre)
waves at North Narrabeen while Alizee Arnaud (FRA), 20, clinched the
overall ASP Women’s World Junior Title with her equal 3rd place result
in the event.
The Billabong ASP Women’s World Junior Championships is the second
and final stop on the inaugural ASP Women’s World Junior Tour, with the
first event unfolding at the Oakley ASP World Pro Junior in Bali.
Buitendag quietly navigated her way through the early rounds of
competition, tearing into several North Narrabeen lefthanders to
eventually see the South African goofy-footer eliminate Arnaud in the
Semifinals before topping Dupont in the Final to mark the biggest
result of the rising star’s career.
“I’m very happy,” Buitendag said. “I don’t know how to explain it. I
really wasn’t expecting this. I’m really happy about it and it’s the
best result of my life. I’m stoked. My Dad has been supporting me since
I was little, sitting on the beach and without him nothing would be
possible, so thanks to him.”
Arnaud, who clinched the ASP Women’s World Junior title due to her
combined performance in both ASP World Junior Tour events over the 2010
season, was elated to earn the prestigious title despite being
eliminated in the Semifinals.
“I’m so happy,” Arnaud said. “This is what I’ve wanted since the
beginning. Since I was 10 years old I’ve wanted to be World Champion
and to do it in my last event as a Junior, what a feeling.”
Arnaud, who marched to an impressive runner-up finish to Tyler
Wright (AUS), 16, at the Oakley ASP World Pro Junior in Bali, proved to
be the most consistent surfer on the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour,
notching an equal 3rd place finish at the Billabong ASP World Junior
Championships in Narrabeen, earning her the 2010 ASP Women’s World
Junior Champion title in her last year of eligibility on the series.
“Entering Bali, I was sure I could get a result because those are
the waves I like,” Arnaud said. “I knew it was going to be hard coming
here to Narrabeen, because I don’t usually do well in these conditions.
This is my best result ever in Narrabeen, so to get my best result now,
I’m just so happy.”
Dupont was also in razor-sharp form throughout the entirety of the
Billabong ASP Women’s World Junior Championships, eventually
eliminating defending event champion and local favorite Laura Enever
(AUS), 19, in the Semifinals to guarantee Arnaud’s title, but couldn’t
find the scores needed to surpass Buitendag in their Final matchup and
finished in 2nd place.
“Alizee (Arnaud) won because I won against Laura (Enever),” Dupont
said. “I’m so happy to have won in the Semifinals because Laura
(Enever) is such a good competitor and she won here last year. I’m so
happy for my friend (Alizee Arnaud). I told Alizee ‘you’re welcome’
after that heat.”
The Billabong ASP World Junior Championships holds a waiting period from January 8 through 16, 2011 and is webcast LIVE via http://www.billabongpro.com.