Lane carves up surf

RAINBOW Beach surfer Noah Lane has shrugged off a bout of glandular fever to finish ninth at the Oakley Pro Junior at North Stradbroke Island.

Picture: Submitted

RAINBOW Beach surfer Noah Lane has shrugged off a bout of glandular fever to finish ninth at the Oakley Pro Junior at North Stradbroke Island.

The twenty-year-old surfer spoke to The Gympie Times from a service station on the way to Coffs Harbour yesterday were he will take part in the third round of the Australasian Pro Junior tour.

Lane said the Stradbroke Island break served up some great waves (a clean 1.5 to 2m swell) and was perfect for competition.

“It was fun surf,” he said.

“Some of the waves were close to two metres - it was the best conditions we've had all year.”

Lane made it to the fifth round on a break he had grown up on.

“I grew up going over to Straddie for a surf,” he said.

“I think my knowledge helped out against other surfers,” he said.

Unluckily for Lane, he was knocked out of the competition by room mate and friend, Sam Wrench.

The New South Wales surfer ended up placing third in the competition.

“He got the better of me in the heat,” Lane said.

“There was only one good scoring wave during our heat, he got it and I couldn't catch him.”

Lane said he was happy enough with the result after improving on his first round placing, but would like to have performed better in the competition.

“I had a disappointing first round after getting over glandular fever.”

A rigorous pre-season training schedule at his Burleigh Heads base on the Gold Coast combined with work commitments for sponsor Rip Curl in the pre-season kept Lane busy, but the unexpected sickness dented his preparation and left him with no energy for nearly a month.

“I've been putting more effort into training seeing it's my last year in juniors,” he said.

“I'm feeling good now and hopefully will improve again at Coffs.”

The Coffs Harbour event will be the third leg of the eight event Australasian Pro Junior season.

The former Saint Patrick's College student said the move to the Gold Coast had been good for his career.

“There are so many good surfers down here, you have to keep pushing yourself to keep up,” he said.

Lane is eyeing a move onto the pro circuit next year when he is too old for juniors.

“I have just turned 20, so it's my last year on this tour,” he said.

Next year, Lane is hoping to surf in the World Qualifying Series which has 40 to 50 events world wide and is the platform to enter the ASP World Tour.

Originally published as Lane carves up surf