After a thrilling weekend Ava Holland (Dromana) and Jerry Kelly (Barwon Heads) take out Round 3 in the Under 18 No TXT No Wrecks Victorian Junior Surfing Titles divisions, with Holland also claiming the Under 18 State Title alongside Jarvis Barrow (Jan Juc).
Day 1 of the competition brought plenty of excitement in quick succession, with both Under 14 divisions running through to the finals. It was a clean day down at Smiths Beach, with the sun shining and 2-foot peaks rolling through the lineup.
Heading into the Under 14 Boys Final it was a tight battle for the 2025 No TXT No Wrecks Victorian Junior Surfing Title, with all four finalists in contention, adding extra weight to the heat ahead. Harlem Pec (Jan Juc) came out firing, opening his account with a dynamic 4.67 point ride for a crisp forehand snap full of energy. He quickly backed it up with a strong 5.83 point ride for two tight backhand snaps, establishing early dominance. Alby O’Day (Torquay) chipped away at his scoreline with several one-turn hits, while Teddy Robertson (Torquay) found momentum mid-heat, locking in a pair of mid-range scores—a 4.00 point ride and a 4.20 point ride—to climb into second place.
As the final heated up, all surfers were still within striking distance, but Pec stayed in the lead, extending his advantage with a 6.17-point ride. Refusing to back down, Robertson answered with a powerful two-turn combo, earning him a 6.77 point ride and needed just a 5.23 point ride to overtake. Pec responded with a huge fin blow, raising the requirement once more. In a dramatic final-minute twist, Robertson launched into a massive aerial off a steep lip, landing in the whitewater—a jaw-dropping maneuver that secured him the win for Round 3, with a 6.97 point ride, and the overall State Title.
In the Under 14 Girls Final, Estella Carbonelli (Jan Juc) opened strong with a 5.33-point ride, setting the early pace. Her fellow competitors stayed close, all logging mid-range scores in the first half of the heat. With six minutes remaining, Carbonelli improved her position with a stylish wrap into a quick slash, scoring a 7.17-point ride. However, Scarlett Rennie (Cape Woolamai) surged from behind, unleashing a massive backhand swoop into a powerful snap that earned her an 8.33-point ride and the lead. Carbonelli had one final attempt to reclaim the top spot, but the wave failed to deliver the scoring potential she needed. With the ocean slowing and the clock winding down, Rennie held on for the Round 3 win. Still, Carbonelli’s consistent performances across the season—winning the previous two rounds—were enough to crown her the 2025 Victorian State Champion.
Day 2 of the competition was moved to Cape Woolamai as the swell dropped at Smiths Beach, offering more consistent waves and better conditions for the highly anticipated Under 16 and Under 18 divisions to showcase their skills and battle it out for valuable points toward the State Championship.
In the Under 16 Girls Final, Rose Holland (Dromana) broke from the norm by opting for the left-handers while most stuck to the right-handers. Her strategy paid off early with a 7.33 point ride for a series of smooth carves and a strong forehand snap. Chloe Muscroft (Jan Juc) briefly took the lead with two mid-range scores, but Holland struck again with an impressive 8.67 point ride for a powerful re-entry on another left, locking in the win. This result not only gave her the Round 3 victory but also the overall series title, breaking a tie with Muscroft.
Moving onto the Under 16 Boys Final, George Everest (Bittern) came out strong with sharp backhand snaps for a 6.33 point ride, followed by a smart inside backup. Kato Mogi (Belmont) stayed close with solid rail work and mid-range scores, while Angus Kennedy (Cowes) showed flashes of brilliance with a 5.17 point ride on a steep right. Mogi briefly overtook the lead with a 5.40, but Everest answered with another clean backhand attack. In a dramatic final-minute finish, Mogi used his priority to catch a key wave, delivering a clutch 7.17 point ride to take out the round win – and with it, the overall series title.
The Under 18 Girls Final at Cape Woolamai was nothing short of spectacular, with the competitors attacking the powerful, open walls from the outset. Sara Hickson (Rye) struck first, smashing out a series of backhand snaps on a left to score a 7.67 point ride. But it was Ava Holland who lit up the beach with a jaw-dropping 10.00 point ride, linking together four massive backhand re-entries on the right. Despite the perfect score, Hickson’s strong backup ride kept her in the lead, with Holland needing just a 1.94 to overtake. She soon found a clean right and delivered multiple critical hits for a 6.83 point ride, jumping into first with five minutes remaining. As the ocean pulsed again, Holland paddled into a set wave and unleashed another flurry of powerful snaps, scoring an 8.17 point ride and putting the entire field into a combination situation. That dominant performance gave her the Round 3 victory—and the overall series win after also taking out Round 1.
“It was a pretty fun final with a lot of waves coming through, which meant a lot of paddling, but that’s okay,” said Holland.
“I love being able to see all my friends at these comps—they’re my best friends, so it’s great to surf with them,” she added.
The Under 18 Boys Final was a back-and-forth battle with momentum swinging between several standouts. Remy Filer (Jan Juc) opened strong with a 6.83 point ride for a powerful forehand gouge, but Tarvi Woods (Fingal) responded with a pair of solid scores, taking the early lead. Jerry Kelly (Barwon Heads) stayed within striking distance after posting a 5.50 point ride and then turned the heat on with an 8.17 point ride for three critical turns on a set wave. Filer quickly answered, attacking three key sections with speed and power to earn a 7.27 point ride and reclaim the lead. But the momentum shifted again as Kelly found another set and laid into a powerful forehand layback, scoring an 8.50 point ride and solidifying his position out front. With most of the field in a combination situation, Kelly locked in the Round 3 win. However, in the points battle across the season, consistency paid off for Jarvis Barrow (Jan Juc), who—thanks to strong results in the earlier rounds—was crowned the Under 18 Boys State Champion.
“It was so sick today, I had the left to myself in all three of my heats! I just found the left more bowly and had better sections to hit,” said Kelly.
“It felt so good to take it out after not having a good result at Bells and an alright result at Gunna. I’m stoked,” he added.
With performances lifted high and the crowd entertained, it was the perfect conclusion to the 2025 No TXT No Wrecks Victorian Junior Surfing Titles.
