LAKE Tabourie’s Jessica Ikin will go head-to-head with the top surfers the country has to offer when she competes at the upcoming 2017 Australian Open of Surfing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 10-year-old, who has been surfing for more than six years, will have her hands full competing in the under 14s category in Manly from this Saturday.
“Dad took me out on his board when I was four-years-old and would push me on the waves,” Ikin said.
“Surfing been my passion ever since.
Ikin started winning boardriders events in Woolgoolga and Yamba and placed in the top three at grom events when she was just eight-years-old.
“I have been a member of Surfing Australia since I was eight and doing competitions since then,” she said.
“I missed the first round for Manly but got called up from the reserves which I’m stoked about.
“It will be really good competition, with some great girl surfers coming through the ranks, so we will just see how I go on the day.”
It could be a family affair at the Manly event, with Jessica’s brother Tyler also waiting on the call-up to compete at the national event.
“My brother Tyler is also waiting to be called up from the reserves for the competition at Manly, so hopefully he gets the chance,” Jessica said.
“We are both members of the Ulladulla Boardriders Club and I am really excited to be taking my new custom board shaped by local Kirk Bierke to Manly.”
Ikin, who one day wants to become a professional surfer, also skates when she isn’t in the water and has goals set out for 2017.
“I’ve set out to make it to the state titles again and hopefully improve on my performance from last year,” she said.
“Then further down the road, I’d love to travel the world on the professional circuit one day.”