Australian surfer Owen Wright (Lennox Head, NSW) has began the 2009 ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series in perfect style, taking out the season-opening Hurley Burleigh Pro Junior in tricky 2-3ft (0.5-0.8m) point break waves on the Gold Coast today.

On a day when Australians celebrate our great country, Wright made certain an Aussie lifted the prestigious junior crown, recording a two-wave combined total of 18.50 (out of a possible 20) to outclass Brazilian Miguel Pupo in an exciting, man-on-man final.

A thrilled Wright said winning his first Burleigh crown was made extra special by the Australia Day festivities.

“I dug deep and did Australia proud,” said Wright.

“My friends and family were all on the hill supporting me, so I felt like I was due for a win. I think I did myself proud as well.”

Burleigh Heads yet again provided the ideal forum for the final day of competition, with a mass of people lining the point as the world’s hottest 20-years and under surfers went head-to-head in search of junior series glory.

Wright, 19, lived up to his reputation as one of the brightest young surfing prospects in the world, blasting past defending event champion and no.2 seed Tamaroa McComb (Central Coast) in the quarters, U/18 World Junior champion Alejo Muniz (Brazil) in the semis before dispatching of Pupo in the championship final. "

The lanky goofy foot, who has only recently relocated from Culburra on the New South Wales South Coast to the right had point break of Lennox Head, proved unstoppable in the extended 30-miunte final, flexing his superior competition repertoire to setup victory with a pair of 9.25’s.

Despite Pupo hitting back with an 8.90 late in the exchange, Wright held on for a decisive victory.

Final scores: Wright (18.50) def Pupo (14.90).

Wright said he was pleased to snare victory from the international contingent after his disappointing world juniors’ campaign earlier this month in Narrabeen.

“I’m stoked to bag a win after getting knocked out by an international surfer at the world juniors,” he said.

“They’ve really been serving it up to us over the last few events, so to get one over them is awesome. I guess I just peaked at the right time.”

A planning application has been submitted for a 5-storey office building which would straddle the eastern wall of the Brighton Marina and require the driving of 186 piles to create a concrete platform to the east of the Marina.  In view of the height above sea-level of the pile-supported platform the visual impact will be similar to that of an eight storey block (the height of Marine Gate flats).

The development would provide 7933 square metres of office space (for 620 employees), 274 square metres of retail space and nine 3-bed flats. No affordable housing is apparently proposed, and the flats would appear to be unsuitable for family occupation.

Large numbers of surfers who regularly exercise their exciting sport in the turbulent waters to the east of the Marina believe that the piles could dangerously interfere with currents which make this one of the UK's best places for surfing.  The developers have tried to defuse the opposition by offering a storage area in the new development for surfing equipment.  But what is the point in storing surfing equipment at a location no longer suitable for surfing?

There is no evidence that this is a suitable location for such a substantial office development or that the nine existing car-parking spaces (and the provision of no new ones) would be adequate.  Nor is there any evidence that further retail space is required in the Marina at a time when the economy is sinking into recession.

The development's bulk and proximity to the cliff mean that it would block the excellent cliff view to the west of the Marina currently seen by people walking along the undercliff walk from the east.