There are a handful of Aussies vying for a spot on the 2014 World Tour. Mitch Crews, Mitch Coleborn, Stu Kennedy and Dion Atkinson are all preparing for their final shot of qualification for the year and for some it’s a do or die scenario.
After locking in a quarter finals finish recently at the Cascias Billabong Pro in Portugal, Crews has all but qualified sitting in 20th spot on the World Rankings. But according to ASP statistician Al Hunt, Mitch still needs a good result in Hawaii. “He is currently carrying a low score of 1000 so needs a 25th or better to add more points.”
For Mitch Coleborn it’s a bit more uncertain. He is currently sitting in 32nd spot on the World Rankings and despite a strong start to his WQS campaign where he won the Quiksilver Saquarema Prime in Brazil he has struggled to capture that same blistering form. “Mitch Coleborn needs a lot of points and is carrying low scores of 400 and 410 he needs to replace in Hawaii,” says Hunt.
Can Mitch Coleborn deliever in Hawaii or will he be back on the grind tour? Photo: natesmithphoto.com
There are two other Aussies who are currently outside the qualification bubble but could sneak in with a good result. Dion Atkinson and Stu Kennedy will be competing at the O’Neill Coldwater Classic via a Hawaiian campaign in a last ditch effort to jump up the rankings.
Will Dion Atkinson become the second surfer from South Oz to qualify for the World Tour? Photo: natesmithphoto.com
Stu Kennedy blows the tail at the Reef Pro El Salvador earlier this year. Can he rise to the world stage? Photo: ASP/Shadley
Tracks caught up with Mitch Crews ahead of his Hawaiian campaign…
Tell us where your mindset is at going into the Hawaiian season?
I’m really excited! This is first time I’m going to Hawaii being inside the qualification bubble so it’s a whole new Hawaii experience for me.
What preparation have you been doing going into the final events in Hawaii?
I have been training down at the HPC. We have been doing a bunch of pool sessions but it’s been pretty busy the last couple month’s ping ponging around doing other WQS events but I’m confident surfing Haleiwa and Sunset.
Do you know of the scenarios it takes to qualify for the tour or do you prefer to block that out and just surf your heats?
It’s actually weird; I mean I don’t exactly know what I have to do to qualify. All I know is that last year it took 15000 points counting your best 8 results to qualify for the World Tour. This year they are only counting best 6 results which means the achievement to qualify for the WT should be less then 15000 points. Right now I’m already sitting on 16750 points. So I’m just going to Hawaii to surf and have fun.
Which event do you feel is going to help you best to qualify for the tour?
The best one for me is probably Haleiwa. I surf that wave the most while I’m there its one of my favorite waves.
You and Mitch are both good mates, is there a rivalry going into Hawaii or are you rallying each other to qualify?
No rivalry whatsoever…I’m praying to god we can make it together. I wouldn’t want anything more then to have one of my good mates qualify the same year I did. Also we could have a cool combined celebration party.
What would a spot on the 2014 WCT mean to you?
This is what I dreamed of since I’ve been a little kid. I always looked at the World Tour as the highest level of surfing, and to make it would be a huge personal achievement for me. To be able to say the I competed on the world tour alongside the like of Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, John John etc. in my lifetime is amazing to me.
Mitch Crews slicing his way through the golden WA light earlier this year. Photo: natesmithphoto.com
