Jan Juc’s Todd Rosewall and Bella Wilson claimed top honours at the opening round of the Victorian Open Series Sunday.
The day started with clean two to three foot waves at Gunnamatta which deteriorated as the event continued.
A former Australian Junior Champion, Rosewall looked at home in the shifty left handers making the final with powerful carves and turns.
“It was epic to get some fun little rip banks at Gunnamatta,” he said.
“I’m pretty stoked to come away with the victory. It has been a while between event wins so I’m glad to be back.”
In the final Rosewall took a commanding lead on his first two waves and which held until the end, with a heat total of 13.10 points.
Mt Eliza’s Caiden Fowler scored 12.50 but could not find a big enough back up to his opening 7.00 point ride.
Tim Stevenson (Jan Juc) placed in third on 11.80 with Adam Robertson (Portland) in fourth on 6.40.
Rosewell now leads the race to the Open Champion Prize of a seven-day surf trip to the Maldives.
“I have never been to the Maldives before so I am hunting that prize at the end,’ he said. “Hopefully I can take it home in the next few rounds.”
A wave-starved final in the women’s division saw Bella Wilson jump into first place in the dying seconds with a 7.67 ride.
“I was pretty lucky in the final to get that wave in the last few seconds,” she said. “I am stoked to win though!”
Wilson finished on a heat total of 12.17 points ahead of Daisy Corbett (Phillip Island) on 8.87.
Lannia Fostin (Phillip Island) finished in third on 8.23 with Rikki Bell-Warren (Bells Beach) in fourth on 6.87.
Wilson also leads the charge to the seven-day trip to the Maldives on the women’s side of the draw.
“The Maldives trip will be awesome if I can win the state title,” she said. “I have never been on a boat trip before.”
The Victorian Open Series heads to Phillip Island on 4 March.
