Kennedy’s CWC Champ

by Magicseaweed on Monday 29th March, 2010 29258 Views

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In some of the best conditions this competition has seen so far, Stuart Kennedy took out the 2010 O'Neill Cold Water Classic Tasmania in emphatic style with the highest combined heat total of the event. "I guess I just got super confident towards the end," said Stuart who was surfing in his first ever 6 Star ASP event final. "I was really nervous out there," he said. "But I was almost crying when I got that 9.5" The 20-year-old from Lennox Head, Australia scored 18 points in the final heat to beat the sublime talent that is Wiggolly Dantas and formally announce his arrival on surfing's world stage. © 2013 O'Neill CWC Tasmania

Brazilian Wigolly Dantas had been in superb form all week but in the final simply couldn't find the right waves to match the in-form and confident Kennedy. "It's been a fantastic week here in Tasmania and I'm very pleased with the result today - Stuart surfed a great final today and he deserved to win for sure" said Dantas.

"I've been training really hard recently," said Stuart. "I guess I thought it was time to grow up and start trying to win." As well as doing just that and walking away with the $20,000 prize money, Stuart also picked up the Tasmanian Tiger trophy - a carved wooden sculpture that every surfer has been eyeing up over the week. And to top it off, Stuart now sits in the in the lead on the Cold Water Classic Series in line for the $50,000 prize money for the series winner. "I am definitely going to Scotland for the next event on the series," said Stuart. "Then after that I will have to see where I am at."

The O'Neill Cold Water Classic Series has a habit of producing epic conditions for the finals in every event in every corner of the world. And here in Tasmania was no exception. "It's some sort of surfing utopia out there," said surfer and commentator Sam Lamiroy. Three metre swell, strong offshore winds and right handers peeling almost all the way to the beach provided the perfect platform for some of the most talented young surfers in the world to showcase their skills.

"The conditions out there were amazing." said Uruguayan Marco Giorgi, who after defeating Jordy Smith won an awesome quarterfinal against Royden Broyson, before being knocked out by eventual winner, Stuart Kennedy, in the semis.

Whilst Giorgi is off to Bali and choosing to avoid the cold of Scotland: "I don't like all the layers and hoods and everything," he said, fellow semi finalist and World Tour Surfer Chris Davidson, has decided to enter to chase the cold wild conditions in the hope of winning the $50,000 prize money. "I am not afraid of the cold," said Chris. "It was so good to come over here as a warm up for Bells. There were just no waves in my semi final so I was a bit disappointed to not get to the final," he said. "I really wanted that Tasmanian Tiger trophy. But now I am definitely going to try to enter Scotland and see if I can go for that $50,000."

Day 5 vid highlights - up to but not including the quarter finals. Day 5 went off in a solid 3 metre swell, light offshore winds and bright Tasmanian sunshine. It was a day of surprises with some of surfing's young talent choosing this moment, deep in the wilds of Tasmania, to make their mark.

The biggest shock of the Day 5 came when Uruguayan Marco Giorgi knocked out defending CWC Tasmania champion, and current world number two, Jordy Smith (pictured), in a close heat, which even saw Jordy snap his new board. "I can't believe I beat Jordy Smith. I've always looked up to him," said Marco after his win. "I was so nervous to be out there. I think was more excited to beat him than to be in the quarters."

One of the most impressive surfers to come through this competition has been World Junior Champion Maxime Huscenot. The young Reunion Islander cruised comfortably into the quarterfinals ahead of Shaun Gossmann. "There's been a bit of pressure since winning the World Juniors," said Maxime. "Before that, no one knew who I was. Now I feel that there are a lot of people watching and expecting me to do well."

The O'Neill Cold Water Classic Series now heads up to the northernmost event in professional surfing in Thurso, Scotland from April 13 - 19. Just off the back of one of the coldest and longest winters in Europe there is every possibility that this will be the coldest ever event in professional surfing. © 2013 O'Neill CWC Tasmania

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