Bali’s Number 1 Pro Junior Darmaputra Tonjo Eliminates ASP Number 2 Pro Junior Nat Young in Stunning Round 2 Upset at Oakley World Pro Junior 2011 Keramas

5 October 2011, Kuta-Bali:  In the surprise upset of the event so far, wildcard Darmaputra Tonjo from Bali eliminated ASP Number 2 Pro Junior Nat Young from the USA in Round 2 action this afternoon at Keramas Beach on Day 3 of the Oakley World Pro Junior 2011.

After a last place finish in the very first heat of today's competition in Heat 9 of Round 1, Tonjo was then matched up against Nat Young in Round 2, which is the first elimination round of the event.  At last year’s event, Nat Young put on a masterful display of both aerial and tuberiding surfing, so it looked like an easy victory was assured for the talented Californian.

But with the cross shore winds, a shifty peak, infrequent set waves, and against a small and wiry bundle of energy that never stopped smiling, Young had his work cut out for him, especially after Tonjo posted a whopping 8 point score to take an early lead.

Young fought back and regained the lead midway through the 30-minute heat, but then Tonjo put up a respectable 6.30 to take back the lead.  The Indonesian fans on the beach were cheering and then holding their collective breath through the final minutes, as all Young needed was a very doable 6.6 score to win the heat.  He narrowly missed the mark with a 6.17 and then the ocean went quiet, only allowing Young a small inside attempt with seconds on the clock, which only netted him a 2.37.  He was visibly upset when Tonjo was declared the heat winner, slapping the water in frustration.

Tonjo was his usual smiling self, though clearly not used to so much media attention, and when asked about his win replied, “Ya I’m really happy, very happy.  I was just trying to relax and have fun, but I was a little nervous also.”  Later when asked about how if there were any words exchanged out in the water during the heat, he replied, “No, nothing at all.  I tried to ask him about if he wanted the first wave but he didn’t say anything back.  So I just smiled and tried to find the best waves I could.”

And what about his strategy for his next heat against Number 1 ranked Jack Freestone?  “I’m going to surf my best, and I hope I can win against him too.  I’d like to win the whole event!”

Tonjo is the number 1 ranked Pro Junior on the Coca-Cola Indonesian Surfing Championship tour, and also competes in the Open Division as well.  

Indonesia’s second wildcard Ida Bagus Simarai didn’t fare near as well in his Round 2 heat against Jack Freestone.  A wave starved heat and windy conditions didn’t help the unlucky goofyfooter, who only caught three waves and posted a total heat score of 2.4 out of a possible 20 to Freestone’s 11.33 points.  “I was a bit unlucky in my heat,” said Simarai.  “Keramas is always more difficult on your backhand, and with hardly any waves coming it I wanted to wait for the bigger sets.  But nothing really came in so what could I do?”

But Simarai will go home with a nice $900 paycheck from Oakley, an amount at least equal to the prize money he won back in August at the Indonesian Oakley Pro Junior, which is where he won his wildcard entry into this event.

Contest Director Beau Emerton put the call out for an extra early standby tomorrow morning of 5:30 am in order to take advantage of the fuller tide and glassy early morning conditions that will favor more barrel riding to complete Round 2 and hopefully get into Round 3.

Stay tuned to see whether Bali’s Darmaputra Tonjo can be the first Indonesian  wildcard to win a Round 3 heat in an international ASP pro junior event! 

About the Oakley World Pro Junior 2011

With a holding period of Oct. 3-14, the event will see the best of the best juniors in a field of 48 men and 18 women compete.  Six men each, 20 years and under, will represent ASP Australasia, ASP South America, ASP North America and ASP Europe, five each from ASP Africa, ASP Hawaii and ASP Japan, as well as nine wildcards to round out the prestigious field.  Two women each will represent each region.

Wildcards for the event include: Brazil’s Peterson Crisanto, Italo Ferreira and Caio Ibelli, Australia’s Noa Deane, Dean Bowen and Felicity Palmateer, New Zealand’s Sarah Mason, Tahiti’s Mateia Hiquily and Keala Naihe.  Two additional Indonesian wild cards earned tickets into the main event after a local trial: Ida Bagus Simarai and Darmaputra Tonjo.

The complete list of competitors, as well as additional information and a live webcast can be found at oakleyprojunior.com.  Follow on Twitter @OakleyAction or tweets at #OakleyProJr

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Luzi Sanjaya

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Email: luzi@oakleyindonesia.com