Final day at Surfest. Mens final. Joel Parkinson cuts back. picture by Brock Perks
Final day of Surfest 2013. Womens finals. Winner, Dimity Stoyle is chaired off by (left) co-finalist Sally Fitzgibbons and local surfer Phillipa Anderson. picture by Brock Perks
HISTORY was made in Newcastle Harbour last weekend when organisers were forced to move the Surfest heats away from the beach.
A storm surging through Newcastle on Saturday put the event at risk.
Surfest organisers negotiated with the Newcastle harbourmaster, and in the process created one of Surfest's greatest moments.
It was the first time an Association of Surfing Professionals event was held in a harbour, with surfers revelling in the clean-barrel waves.
No. 1 seed and reigning world champion Joel Parkinson survived the round of 24 on Saturday by advancing in second place behind France's Marc Lacomare.
Parkinson easily defeated American Damien Hobgood in the quarter-final before meeting Hawaiian Keanu Asing in the semi-finals, who he defeated by 0.87.
Parkinson then matched up against Brazilian Alejo Muniz in the final, scoring 8.93 and 6.5, totalling 15.43 to Muniz's 12.13.
Dimity Stoyle, from the Sunshine Coast, upset world No. 2 and defending champion Sally Fitzgibbons in the women's final.
Despite Fitzgibbons riding six waves in the final, scores of 7.67 and 6 fell short of Stoyle's scores of 6.87 and 8 - finishing with a total score of 14.67.
Fitzgibbons scored an impressive 19.93 out of 20 in the semi-finals on Saturday, but failed to produce the same form on Sunday.
