Wilson upbeat despite poor results

HE HAS had a tough initiation to the ASP World Championship Tour but Julian Wilson says “my surfing is as good as it's ever been”.

Coolum’s Julian Wilson is back on the Sunshine Coast for Christmas. Picture: Nicholas Falconer

HE HAS had a tough initiation to the ASP World Championship Tour but Julian Wilson says “my surfing is as good as it’s ever been”.

After bursting on to the tour thanks to a string of strong results at the back end of 2010, Wilson has struggled for good results in surfing’s elite arena.

Wilson lost in the third round of the tour-opening Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast in March and lost in the first round of the last two WCT events in Victoria and Brazil.

He is currently tied for 30th in the world title rankings and 28th in the world. He needs to stay in the top 32 at the halfway mark of the tournament to keep his tour card.

Wilson has spent the last two days at his Coolum Beach home. He leaves for Portugal tomorrow to compete at the ASP Prime Quiksilver Pro Portugal.

“My surfing is as good as it’s ever been,” he told the Daily.

“I’ve just had some really close heats and if I keep persisting, those heats will go my way soon.

“I feel good, everything feels good.”

Wilson’s low seeding on the WCT means he has had to come up against the sport’s big guns early in events. He lost to Taj Burrow at Snapper Rocks and had to face current world title leader Adriano De Souza in the first round of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.

“With my position, I’m coming up against the top five in the world early in every contest,” he said.

“Once I make a couple of heats I won’t be up against those guys straight away.”

Wilson had solid results in two Prime events in Brazil recently which have helped him boost his points tally.

He is planning on surfing as many events as possible before the Quiksilver Pro New York, which signals the tour halfway mark.

“There’s a lot of pressure with the halfway cut-off,” he said.

“It’s pretty hard and I’m grinding it out. I’m doing as many QS (Qualifying Series) events as I can to make sure I stay on tour.

“I’m doing everything I can.”

Wilson admits his rookie year on the WCT has not been much of a honeymoon.

“I’ve got to lose to appreciate winning,” he said.

“I only did half a year on the QS to qualify so it’s probably payback for only doing six months.”

JULIAN WILSON

2011 World Championship Tour

Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast – 13th

Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach – 25th

Billabong Rio Pro, Brazil – 25th

Points: 2750

Prizemoney: $23,500

Originally published as Wilson upbeat despite poor results