Australian Freeride - Pierre was once again crowned
the winner, Eric Malone came in Second and Nick Barton
> 02/23/2010
PIERRE MAIXENT GOES BACK-TO-BACK AT YAMAHA/MONSTER
ENERGY FREERIDE AUSTRALIAN OPEN
GOLD COAST, QLD; The annual Yamaha/Monster Energy Freeride
Australian Open went down on Saturday the 20th February at Phillip Park,
Main Beach on the Gold Coast and once again it was the Frenchmen Pierre
Maixent who showed why he is regarded as the worlds top freerider. In
the tricky 2 metre conditions Pierre put on a devastating performance
in the final to take home bragging rights and a brand new Yamaha Superjet.
The day started out quite dreary with overcast conditions
and patches of drizzle but by the time the riders assembled on the beach
the conditions had improved and the 16 international competitors took
to the solid 2 metre waves. Some of the standouts in the first round
were US riders Taylor Curtis and Eric Malone as well as Australians
Nick Barton and Aaron Frankland and South African Justin Windsor who
put it to some of the more experienced riders with some big stylish
maneuvers and great surf riding skills, Current Australian champion
Troy Rafferty was the biggest scalp to fall in round 1 due to engine
issues and would have to contest the last chance qualifier to move through
to the quarters
In the last chance qualifiers it was Troy Rafferty who
managed to get his ski going and show the crowd and the other competitors
why he is the number 1 Aussie rider. Takaai Murao who made the trip
all the way from Japan took the final spot in the Quarters with some
smooth riding and kept his dreams of becoming Yamaha/Monster Freeride
Australian Open Champion alive.
By the time the quarters rolled over 1000 people had packed the beach
at Phillip Park to check out the action that was out on the water. Quarter
1 saw Justin Windsor come up against a red hot Eric Malone, Quarter
2 and it was the aussie champ Troy Rafferty defeating Taylor Curtis
who had mechanical problems but still managed to push Troy all the way
to the final bell. Quarter 3 saw last years surprise package Nick Barton
take down Aaron Frankland, but it was arguably the best freerider on
the planet Pierre Maixent in quarter 4 that really started to turn it
on with massive Madonna flips and awesome surf riding to bring Takaai
Muaro’s campaign to an end
The Semis opened with Troy Rafferty taking on Eric Malone
and it was a battle royale with both riders going for broke, Eric held
nothing back and came out all guns blazing with big barrel rolls and
some smooth surf riding while Troy waited for the bigger waves and blasted
some of the biggest flips and barrel rolls of the event, it wasn’t
enough to beat Eric’s combined score however.
Semi Number 2 and it was last years finalists Pierre
Maixent taking on Nick Barton, Pierre once again was busting some big
moves as well as linking in his surf riding skills to keep his scores
ticking over. Not to be outdone nick answered back with some innovative
riding of his own and some big slashes that had the crowd on there feet,
with a minute to go it was too close to call until Pierre busted out
his super flip the crowd erupted and the judges awarded him accordingly,
with a finals berth. So it was Pierre to take on Eric Malone in the
final while Nick Barton would take on Troy Rafferty in an all-Australian
affair in the consolation final.
In the consolation final Nick Barton took to the water
like a man possessed hitting almost anything and busting out some big
flip combos, flat spin 360’s and slashing his way through the
junky waves, Troy could not find his rhythm in the consolation final
but still managed to get the crowd pumped up by going huge.
Pierre left his best for the final putting together
a flawless performance filled with huge back flip combos amazing surf
riding and his signature super flip as well, Eric who had sustained
a wrist injury in round 1 had battled all the way to the final, but
could not compete on the same level as Pierre with his injury, in saying
that he still put together a great heat filled with no handed barrel
rolls and flips, but it was not enough to trump the Frenchman, who became
back to back champion of the Yamaha/Monster Freeride Australian Open.
The presentation went down at the Yamaha watercraft
stand at the Australian Motorcycle expo, which included The Australian
Personal Watercraft Expo where Pierre was once again crowned the winner,
Eric Malone came in Second and Nick Barton making the podium for the
2nd year running, after the presentation Hard Rock Café in Surfers
Paradise hosted the official after party where over 300 people let there
hair down with the riders and celebrated another great event
Thanks again to all the sponsors Yamaha, Monster
Energy, Jetpilot, Australian Jet Ski Parts, Worx, Hard Rock Café
and the Australian PWC and Motorcycle expo and also a big thank you
to all the riders and staff that made it happen with out you there would
be no event. So get ready for a bigger and better event next year.
