Mitch Crews (Currumbin, Qld) today claimed the 2010 Grade – 5, AUD $30,000 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Oakley Pro Junior in a dominating fashion ahead of Narrabeen’s (NSW) Davey Cathels.

Held in clean 1m waves at Main Beach on Queensland’s (Australia) North Stradbroke Island, Crews defeated Cathels in the final of the prestigious professional junior event, registering a combined two-wave total of 16.30 points (out of a possible 20) to Cathels’ 13.00.

“The monkey is finally off my back,” said Crews. “I won a pro-junior about three years ago as a grommet and have been struggling to get over that final hurdle again for ages, so I’m just super stoked.” “This year had been so frustrating, because in the first three events of the series I’ve finished runner-up twice and made a semi-final, so to finally win one…I’m just over the moon,” he said.

After disposing of 140 of the world’s best international surfers this week, today’s result levels the score between Crews and Cathels at one win a piece in finals this year, after Cathels toppled Crews in the final of last month’s opening event of 2010 ASP Australasian Junior Men’s series.

Furthermore, the results sees Crews maintain his current ASP Australasian Junior Men’s ratings lead, while Cathels moves into second position.

Both competitors will be hoping to stay atop the series standings throughout the year in order to qualify for October’s Oakley ASP World Junior Event in Bali, where they will compete for their share in the world’s richest junior surfing prize-pool of USD$75,000.

Crews collected AUD$7,000 for today’s win along with an additional AUD$2,000 for claiming Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel “Hottest Wave Of The Event” prize.

Cathels said that despite the loss, he is happy to be back featuring on finals day.

“I had a shocker at the last event, so I’m just happy to make another final and close the gap a little on the ratings,” said Cathels “Crewsy (Mitch Crews) just had a sick heat today and there was nothing I could really do,” he said.

Photo Credit: Surfing Queensland