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Julian Wilson Takes Crown In New Hometown

Julian Wilson Takes Crown In New Hometown

Date: 2020-03-13

Merewether Beach, Newcastle NSW /AustraliaIt was happiness and heartbreak in Newcastle after a countback crowned Julian Wilson (AUS) the Surfest Newcastle Pro QS5,000 winner over local Merewether surfer Ryan Callinan (AUS). After both surfers totalled scores of 14.27 at the end of the 35-minute final, the Mark Richards trophy was deservedly awarded to the event's form surfer and current World Number 11 for posting the highest single-wave score, an 8.50 for a series of smooth forehand turns on the heat's biggest wave.

Callinan, the goofy-footed World Number 14, was ever-so-close to becoming the first local Surfest winner, using the support of his home town to claim his place in the final - the first time for a Newcastle male athlete in the current man-on-man format. However, Wilson may now lay claim to that title, having moved to the area two years ago with his young family and a further local connection, being coached by Merewether's own and former Surfest finalist Luke Egan.

Previously meeting in a Championship Tour (CT) decider in France 2018, Wilson and Callinan went wave-for-wave in the final 20 minutes, trading forehand and backhand carves on the right-hand, wind-affected waves. It was the regular-footer who prevailed from the tie in the end, however, noting that Newcastle's sense of community made it a special event to win.