Josh Burke stirred the hearts of Barbadians when he won his maiden ‘Thomo QS 1,000’ and in the process bringing back to the island the championship performing before a home crowd in the international Soup Bowl in Bathsheba, St. Joseph, Sunday, Nov. 10.
The 22-year-old Bajan staved off a challenge by American and defending champ Chauncey Robinson in the final of this top-notch wave-surfing competition.
Burke emerged from a field of worldwide professionals and into the final of the four-day event with what is described as a ‘carve,’ executed on the face of a wave with speed and power.
This earned him 8.10 points and he was followed by Robinson who manged 8.00 points with a similar manoeuvre.
Pitted against Robinson in the final ride of the wave, Burke scored 7.17 points leaving Robinson who already had a deficit of 0.10 points to score 7.28 for victory, but the American managed a move that earned him only 6.17 points.
The crown event, ‘Thomo QS 1,000,’ and ‘World Surf League Live Like Zander Jr Pro’ brought together the top 48 junior professionals, 64 men and 32 junior women from around the world.
Also comprising the Bathsheba Soup Bowl is the ‘Association of Paddlesurfing Professional’ competition that began one day after the surfing competitions and runs until Nov. 17.
“I knew I was going to need scores, Chauncey has made three-straight finals out here which is an incredible achievement,” said a victorious Burke.
“It felt like I only made one heat properly, the rest I barely made so it’s nice to feel my luck turning around heading into 2020 and hopefully it’s a good year.”
French 16-year-old Noe Ledee won the ‘Live Like Zander Junior Pro’ for 18-and-under.
His compatriot, Bahia Frediani, won the women’s open title with Barbadian Chelsea Roett second.
Fourteen-year-old American, Ava McGowan took the ‘Live Like Zander Women’s Junior Pro event.
