Western Australia’s biggest and most prestigious junior surfing event will celebrate its 12th year, with more than 100 frothing grommets preparing to converge on Taj Burrow’s hometown of Yallingup for three days (Friday to Sunday) of non-stop excitement.
Taj’s Small Fries, will see international icon and WA’s most successful professional surfer Taj Burrow, play host to some of the best surfing talent from across Australasia.
After an amazing 19 years on tour, which included 12 event victories and 15 top-10 finishes, this year's Small Fries will be the first Burrow is not busy preparing for a year ahead on the road. “I feel a lot more relaxed since retiring from the tour and it’s allowed me to sink more time into my Small Fries event,” said Burrow. “I look forward to watching a lot more heats this year, simply because I can. I’m in no rush to take off and prepare for the Gold Coast, so I’ll have more time for the kids. It’s going to be fun!”
Launching Surfing Western Australia's extensive competition program for 2017, Taj's Small Fries will see boys and girls aged 16 and under compete on the very waves that Burrow himself grew up surfing. “We’ve been blessed with some truly amazing waves and weather over the years, combine that with the kids having fun on the beach is what really makes me happy,” added Burrow.
This year’s event has attracted surfers and their families from right across WA, as well as those travelling from NSW, QLD and VIC. There will again be an international flavour to Taj's Small Fries with surfers from Indonesia and Japan also set to compete. “My friend Rizal Tanjung is bringing his son Varun down from Bali to compete for the first time,” Burrow says. “I’m really excited to watch him surf along with another one of my favourite’s from Bali and fellow Billabong team rider Kian Martin!”
Taj’s Small Fries is the second stop on Billabong’s Bloodlines Series, positioned alongside Parko’s Grom Stomp (Sunshine Coast, QLD), The Oz Grom Cup (Coffs Harbour, NSW) and Occy’s Grom Comp (Gold Coast, QLD), to provide a one of a kind junior development experience, aimed directly towards the next crop of emerging surfers and future World Champions.
Forecast:
Thursday will see another large 3.5m swell fill in during the afternoon with SSW winds. Friday looks great with SE winds and a solid 3m swell. Saturday will be clean East winds with a smaller 1.6m swell before a Southerly change on Sunday with a 1.5m swell.
Hotspot:
Injidup carpark on Friday.
