Round 2 Of The No Txt No Wrecks Victorian Junior Surfing Titles Closes In Pumping Conditions, With Jack Lindsay And Sara Hickson Taking Out The Under 18 Divisions

Round 2 of the No Txt No Wrecks Victorian Junior Surfing Titles closes in pumping conditions, with Jack Lindsay (Jan Juc) and Sara Hickson (Rye) taking out the Under 18 divisions.

Day one of the competition saw standout performances across the board, with Sara Hickson (Rye) and Sophie Wilkinson (Shoreham) leading the charge in the Under 18 Girls. Hickson found two gems in the challenging conditions, scoring a 6.00 point ride and a 7.00 point ride to propel herself well ahead of the competition. Her strong, critical attack on the waves impressed the judges, earning her high scores and establishing her as a serious contender moving into day two. 

Meanwhile, Sophie Wilkinson delivered one of the day’s top-scoring rides, displaying powerful backhand snaps to earn an impressive 8.60 point ride on a big left-hand wave. Wilkinson backed it up with another strong score of 7.67 point ride on a second left, showcasing both power and consistency in her performance.

On the boys’ side of the competition, Angus Kennedy (Cowes) showed his dominance, linking a set wave from out the back to the inside, completing two big lip-line floaters along the way. His powerful and flowing approach earned him an excellent 8.00 point ride, putting him firmly in the spotlight heading into finals day.

As competitors returned for day two, they were greeted with clean 3–4 ft waves rolling into Gunnamatta Beach, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the event.

The Under 18 Girls final saw a commanding performance from Sara Hickson, who came out of the gates firing with a 9.17 point ride in the opening minute for a critical two-turn combination. This early lead gave her control of the heat, and she backed it up with another quick ride to ensure her competitors needed two solid scores to catch her. Ava Holland (Dromana) launched her campaign with a 5.83 point ride, putting her within striking distance, but with the ocean in a wild state, it wasn’t meant to be. Hickson claimed victory with a 12.84 combined heat total.

“It was a really good weekend. We had good waves yesterday, and it was a bit bigger today, which made it a bit more challenging, but all the girls surfed well, and it was a fun day,” stated Hickson.

“It felt amazing to take out today’s comp and although the waves were hard, I was able to get a couple,” She continued.

In the Under 18 Boys final, Jarvis Barrow started strong, sliding the fins off the roof of a right-hander to post a 5.67 point ride and take the early lead. Jack Lindsay responded shortly after with a clean forehand snap on a left for a 5.00 point ride, setting him up well to challenge for first.

After a quiet mid-heat period, Lindsay shifted gears and dropped into a bombing right-hander, unleashing two huge backhand turns. The judges loved the commitment, awarding him a 9.17 point ride and pushing him into the lead. Barrow fought back with a 7.83 point ride for a series of strong backhand turns, but despite multiple attempts, and even a snapped leash from Jerry Kelly (Barwon Heads), the rest of the field couldn’t catch Lindsay, leaving him victorious with a 14.94 combined heat total.

“It was good to get some quality waves on the second day and all the boys were surfing well,” said Lindsay.

“Feels good to take out my first state round. I’ve come second a few times so it feels good to get the chocolates!”

The Under 16 Girls final featured a back-and-forth battle between Rose Holland (Dromana) and Chloe Muscroft (Jan Juc), who traded first place throughout the heat. With just minutes remaining, it looked like Muscroft had sealed the deal after picking off a clean, running left and scoring a 4.00 point ride to back up her earlier 6.33 two-turn combo. But in the final minute, Holland chased down a left and launched into a fully committed end-section maneuver to earn a 6.46 point ride, snatching the win at the buzzer.

Teddy Robertson put on an absolute masterclass in the Under 14 Boys final. Within the first five minutes, he picked off a long, running left and unleashed three powerful turns to score an excellent 8.00 point ride. Not resting, he paddled straight back out and found another quality left-hander, attacking a huge oncoming section and riding out clean. The single turn earned him a near-perfect 9.50 point ride, giving him a commanding 17.50 combined total and a clear victory in the final.

With the final stop of the series set to take place at Phillip Island later this year, the stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the 2024 No Txt No Wrecks Victorian Junior Surfing Titles.

Finals Results:

U18 Girls
1st –  Sara Hickson (Rye), 12.84
2nd – Ava Holland (Dromana), 8.66
3rd – Sophie Wilkinson (Shoreham), 5.30
4th – Lillian Bassed (Sandy Point), 2.47

U18 Boys
1st –  Jack Lindsay (Jan Juc), 14.94
2nd – Jarvis Barrow (Jan Juc), 13.50
3rd – Rye Cicero (Sandy Point), 7.27
4th – Jerry Kelly (Barwon Heads), 2.14

U16 Girls
1st – Rose Holland (Dromana), 11.80
2nd – Chloe Muscroft (Jan Juc), 10.33
3rd –  Evie Lutz (Cowes), 2.90
4th – Savannah Bennett (Cape Woolamai), 1.77

U16 Boys
1st – George Everist (Bittern), 14.17
2nd – Kato Mogi (Belmont), 8.10
3rd – Angus Kennedy (Cowes), 7.37
4th – Arch Rayner (Inverloch),  6.10

U14 Girls 
1st – Estella Carbonelli (Jan Juc), 12.17
2nd – Lily White (Blairgowrie), 8.63
3rd – Scarlett Rennie (Cape Woolamai), 5.30
4th – Delilah Chisholm (Torquay), 5.23

U14 Boys
1st – Teddy Robertson (Torquay), 17.50
2nd – Harlem Pec (Jan Juc), 12.40
3rd – Harry Cleary (Sorrento), 8.00
4th – Raff Morris (Sorrento), 6.33

Full results and scores and schedule can be found online at www.surfingvic.com/live 

2025 No TXT No Wrecks Junior Surfing Titles
Round 1 – January 11 & 12, 2025 – Bells Beach / Djarrak – COMPLETE
Round 2 – March 29 & 30, 2025 – Gunnamatta
Round 3 – May 10 & 11, 2025 – Phillip Island / Millowl

The No TXT No Wrecks Victorian Junior Surfing Titles is supported by TAC, VicRoads Community Safety Grants, Cancer Council Sunscreen, Hooleys Waves and Surfing Victoria.