With its long-running lefts, Birubi Beach is 15-year-old Corlette surfer Elle Clayton-Brown’s favourite break at home.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But Clayton-Brown has a feeling world No.7 Sage Erickson will like it too when they clash at the inaugural Port Stephens Toyota NSW Pro.
The 6000-point World Surf League qualifying series contest, a late addition to the schedule after the demise of the Sydney International Women’s Pro at Cronulla, starts on Thursday.
Clayton-Brown, in her first year on the pro junior circuit, gained a wildcard into round five of the season-ending QS event and will face American and No.2 seed Erickson, who won the championship tour’s US Open in August, likely on Friday.
“I’m really excited, it will be a good experience,” Clayton-Brown said.
“I really like watching her surf on tour. I have no pressure at all and I just want to go out and surf the best I can.
“This year I did the pro juniors for experience but I’ve had some good results and I’m really excited for the comp this week.”
Clayton-Brown, runner-up at the Mattara Surf Classic at Bar Beach on October 22, has been trying her best to maximise home-break advantage for the Port Stephens event.
“It was too big and messy today but I’ve been trying to get out there as much as I can, so hopefully it turns on for the comp,” she said on Tuesday.
“Birubi is my favourite place to surf at home. When it pumps, it’s just like the best place to be. It has a long-running left and I just love lefts.”
Taking on Erickson will be a huge challenge for Clayton-Brown, who has been surfing competitively for only about five years and had her biggest moment so far when winning the 16 years and under girls’ Billabong OZ Grom Cup at Coffs Harbour this year.
“It was just the best feeling ever,” she said.
Top seed Tatiana Weston-Webb, Keely Andrew, Bronte Macaulay, Johanne Defay, Pauline Ado and Coco Ho are other championship tour surfers competing at Birubi.
Merewether’s Philippa Anderson, ranked No.12 on the QS, will spearhead local hopes as she makes a last-ditch effort to secure a top-six ranking and place on the 2018 CT.