Big waves challenge field

Mandurah Boardriders hosted the second annual Makin Homes Peel Pro on the weekend at Avalon Point in Falcon and conditions did not disappoint.

Strong winds and a building swell saw competitors battle among themselves and against the conditions as the big waves pushed down the reef and sorted through the first day of competition.

Prize money worth $10,000 was up for the taking along with a wildcard entry into the 2017 Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River.

Mandurah Boardriders had been looking to replicate the successful first year of the event and a big crowd gathered on finals day to watch the action unfold.

Duke Natzgaam and last year’s dual winner Felix Leaver battled it out in the 2016 pro junior final and this year it was Natzgaam who threw caution to the wind and attacked a long left-hander to score a 9.33 on his last wave to take the win.

In the open women’s, former world tour competitor Claire Bevilacqua was attracted by the extra prize money on offer but this was one event where she didn’t have all her own way.

The youngest competitor in the event draw, Emma Caittlin, came up from Margaret River with no expectation and a drive to prove herself and she did just that.

Riding the first wave of the final, she commandeered the lead and had the other competitors chasing her from the outset.

Emma continued to apply pressure to the older more experienced competitors and, when the final siren blew, walked away with the win.

The open men’s division not only had the $2000 first prize as a reason to win, but also the added bonus of a wildcard entry ticket into the trials of the 2017 Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River.

Local surfer Josh Harrington did the Mandurah Boardriders proud by surfing his way to a very credible third place finish, going down to eventual event winner Luke Campbell.

Campbell has been one of the best surfers in the State for some time and it had been 10 years since Campbell and Harrington had fought it out in a surfing contest.

Campbell’s experienced won him the event over his protege, Alex Mcguffin.

Mcguffin was one of the standout surfers of the whole event and took home second in the open men’s and third in the pro junior division also.