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O francês Pierre Maixent vence o Aberto da Austrália de Freeride 2010
Eric Malone em segundo e Nick Barton em terceiro

23/02/2010

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

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