Top-ranked Ewing on song at junior champs
Ethan Ewing has begun his rookie season on surfing's biggest stage with a dominant first-up display at the World Junior Championship in NSW.
The world junior No.1 scored a combined 11.26 from his best two waves to win his opening round heat at Kiama on the state's south coast on Wednesday.
Queenslander Ewing accounted for France's Marco Mignot and Briton Arran Strong, who struggled in the one-metre swell, to gain automatic entry into the third round.
The 18-year-old is set to embark on his first year on the world surfing championship tour and could get a confidence boost from a maiden junior championship crown at Kiama.
He dominated the junior tour last year, winning four events, and gained qualification for the top tier after finishing second on the qualifying series.
The teenager shocked the surfing world when he finished runner-up at the prestigious US Open of Surfing in August.
Fellow Australian Quinn Bruce also won his first round heat, while compatriots Reef Heazlewood, Lucas Wrice and Harley Ross-Webster will contest the second round after losing on Wednesday.
