Hawaiians impress at junior surfing comp

AAP, SBS

Hawaii's Kai Barger has won surfing's world junior championships, defeating event favourite Jadson Andre.
   
The 19-year-old grabbed an 15.34 score to knock the Brazilian into second place at Sydney's North Narrabeen beach on Wednesday.

"I'm as high as Saturn's kite baby," Barger said.

"Out of all the incredible surfers in this event, like Dusty (Payne) and Granger (Larsen) and Julian (Wilson), I probably had the least amount of confidence, but I guess this goes to show that every dog has his day and today's mine."
   
Andre, the No.1 seed going into the event, started the final well before Barger rallied and snatched a 6.67 before finally usurping the Brazilian with an 8.67 in a series of forehand blasts.

Andre finished with 13.67.

"I'm really happy with this result," Andre said.

"Second is amazing, but I would have loved to have won. For like 10 minutes, no waves came and I couldn't get the score."

The win gives Barger preferred seeding into all 2009 world qualifying series events.

"To be honest, I can't remember much of the final with all the cameras and everything," Barger said.

"It's a blur. I had so much fun. I'm tripping out right now. I never thought this would happen to me."

The USA's Tanner Gudauskas finished third.

Hamilton bites into competition

In the women's event Pauline Ado of France won the world junior title on Tuesday, the first ever European surfer to win an ASP world title

But Hawaii's Bethany Hamilton produced a remarkable performance to narrowly miss out on the women's junior world  title.

The 18- year-old made world headlines in 2003, when she lost her left arm after being attacked by a five-metre shark while surfing in Hawaii.

Appearing in her first major final, she went wave for wave with Pauline Ado, losing by less than a point.