Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Twenty of WA’s most high-flying surfers took to the sea — and the skies — on Saturday for the inaugural Red Bull Aeriality at Scarborough Beach.
The jet ski-powered aerial surfing competition saw male and female surfers go head-to-head in 20-minute knockout rounds, with competitors towed into the surf for extra velocity and rewarded for their innovation, elevation, and progression.
Dunsborough’s Maverick Wilson claimed the men’s title after landing a pair of stylishly stomped rotations, with the 18-year-old beating out Margaret River’s Cruz Sheridan.
“My performance was based on my confidence in knowing I can land airs, and knowing if I get a section, I could put one down,” Wilson said.
“I’d seen Cruz going big all day and I didn’t know if my two scores would hold up, so I had to keep pushing it right to the end.”
Competitors performed for a crowd of 4000 at the popular northern beach, which Wilson believed propelled him to greater heights.
“It’s been so free flowing and well put together. It’s hard to draw a crowd like this, I loved the atmosphere, and I feel like that’s when I do my best. The whole day has just been so much fun, it’s definitely a winning formula!” he said.
Denmark’s Isi Campbell took out the women’s final, pipping Margaret River’s Willow Hardy.
Campbell, 19, is also a talented skateboarder and stand up paddleboarder, who works as an apprentice electrician.
“I’m just stoked I got to land a few airs and put on a bit of a show,” she said.
“This is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen here at Scarborough; it was so cool to see everyone get around the event and come down and watch.”
Reigning World Junior Champion Dane Henry took his seat on the judging panel, lauding the day’s “massive airs and big wipeouts”, along with West Aussie surfing icon Taj Burrow.
Reminiscing on his younger days, Burrow said aerial contests had a knack of throwing up a wide array of personalities.
“Airshows definitely have a different vibe to a regular comp. They can bring in some pretty loose characters but don’t be fooled, those guys still fire up and get super competitive,” he said.
