Three Australians, Wade Carmichael (Avoca, NSW), Eli Steele (Caloundra, Qld) and Tim MacDonald (Stradbroke Island, Qld) have trumped an international field of 16 surfers vying for the final three wildcard spots into the main event of the world’s most prestigious junior tournament, the Billabong World Junior Championships, Gold Coast.

VonZipper Trials finalists. Left to Right: 1st Wade Carmichael, 4th Kelly Norris, 2nd Eli Steele, 3rd Tim MacDonald. Credit: Dunbar/ASP.

PHILIPS & O'NEILL TO LAUNCH TWO NEW HEADPHONE MODELS; JORDY SMITH JOINS TEAM

Philips and O’Neill are cranking up their successful headphone collaboration yet another notch come Spring 2012 with the anticipated launch of two new headphone models, namely ‘The Construct’ and ‘The Tread’.

Despite smaller conditions on the final day of the competition at the Hainan Classic, the Final was an action-packed, wave-for-wave affair.

Glenn ‘Micro’ Hall (IRL) managed to take control early with a long, excellent-scoring wave mid-way through the heat and hold off Royden Bryson (ZAF) in order to be crowned the first-ever champion of the Hainan Classic, an ASP 4-Star organized by the ISA.

Glenn Hall Winning Hainan Classic 2012  - Photo: Foto ISA / Watts

REYNOLDS, DORIAN, IRONS, OCCHILUPO, MACHADO AND EGAN ACCEPT INVITATIONS FOR 2012 BILLABONG MUNDAKA CHALLENGE

Superstars Dane Reynolds, Shane Dorian and Bruce Irons plus surfing legends Mark “Occy” Occhilupo, Luke Egan and Rob Machado have all accepted their invitations to the inaugural 2012 Billabong Mundaka Challenge, presented by Sony Ericsson.

Billabong Mundaka Challenge 2012 - Photo Billabong 

Led by a Dramatic Gold Medal Performance by Heath Joske, Team Australia Wins Gold at Inaugural ISA China Cup

With 15 minutes to go in the final of the Open Men, Heath Joske was sitting in fourth without a single substantial score. In a matter of minutes, the ocean began sending waves his way and by the final horn he had the rest of the field needing a combination of scores to catch him.

On finals day, there's a lot of smiling happening. Heath Joske, Sofia Mulanovich and ISA President Fernando Aguerre - Photo: ISA/Billy Watts

Merewether Boardriders bring the title back home on their local break in Newcastle today at the Jim Beam Surftag Australia series, in an epic day of surfing jam-packed with high scores on a perfect Summers day.

Craig Anderson (Merewether) surfed outstanding at the Jim Beam Surftag Australian Series. CREDIT: Wes Lonergan