Boisterous seas provided an exciting platform for the second day of competition at the Whalebone Classic. With big shifting peaks making wave selection crucial, competitors in semi final 1 all shared the lead at various stages before the all round repertoire of moves from Dane Pioli, (NSW) saw him snatch the win from Jackson Close (Qld). Semi final 2 saw big moves from 2006 World Champion Josh Constable (Qld), including a huge airdrop floater, win comfortably from fellow Queenslander Mitch Surman.

The conditions continued to test the competitors with an increase in swell size and wind. As the finalists for both the men’s and women’s pro divisions hit the water, severe wind squalls were lashing the contest site.

Building on the momentum of his heat and then his semi, Noosa’s Josh Constable absolutely went to town in the final. Undeterred by the atrocious conditions, Constable looked to be having fun as he attacked every wave with big lip bashes and then mere seconds later would be gracefully walking to the nose for serious tip time to amass 17.03 out of 20 for his two scoring rides to master the rough seas.

Constable commented “It was tough out there, I surfed a contest at Bells that had strong offshore winds but this was gnarly, real gnarly but we all had fun out there”

The fast aggressive approach to each wave saw Jackson Close finish on 15.16 to claim 2^nd.

NSW champion Dane Pioli had to settle for 3^rd on 14.67, while Mitch Surman in first trip to the West and in his first LQS final, had to settle for 4^th with 11.33.

Australian women’s champion Rosie Locke who also hails from Noosa, took charge of the women’s final to head off former Australian and perennial Whalebone winner Claire Finnucane and cement her place in the Roxy Women’s World Titles.

“I got a good wave to start and while I was hoping to build on it, it turned out to be my best wave” Locke said.

She continued “It wasn’t a fight against the other competitors out there it was a fight against the elements.”

Fellow Western Australian, Jade Foster surfed into 3^rd and an out of form Melissa Combo 4^th,