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Jabour snatches last-minute victory at Billabong Junior Pro


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POSTED: Thursday, October 08, 2009

Kiron Jabour won the Billabong Junior Pro in memory of Ronnie Burns at Sunset Beach yesterday in the last 10 seconds of the final heat.

The 18-year-old North Shore resident narrowly captured victory by catching a barrel in the final moments that catapulted him from fourth to first place.

“;That final heat was really inconsistent and there was no waves at all. Stoked I got that wave in the end,”; Jabour said.

“;I thought I was too deep and the wave was going to crumble and not be a barrel at all. But, then I squeezed through (the barrel). I think if I was half a second later I would have been too deep and would've got clipped (by the wave's lip).”;

Sunset Point was a barrel-fest yesterday with a plethora of tubing overhead waves for the 20-and under competitors. A decreasing northwest swell and variable winds offered 4-to 8-foot wave face heights for the event.

“;Conditions were firing,”; said Jabour of the waves. “;Really good Sunset Point and probably the best Sunset Point I've ever surfed. Barrels in every heat and you couldn't ask for anything more.”;

More remarkable then the pristine barreling waves, was the fact that Jabour won the Billabong Junior Pro on an injured foot. He hurt his foot in a practice session on Monday while surfing Sunset.

“;I was surfing Sunset Point and my fin whacked me and I had to get six stitches,”; said Jabour. “;I was resting it and didn't get to surf (on Tuesday) and only got to surf in my heats.”;

Luckily, Jabour's injury didn't inhibit his surfing and his experience at Sunset Beach played a big factor in the win.

Jabour won the No Fear Pro Junior at Sunset last year. While last year was a decisive victory, the Billabong Junior Pro was a nail-biter.

Honolulu's Carissa Moore emerged victorious in the girls division of the event.