Alize Arnaud (Hossegor, FRA), 20, has won the ASP Women’s World Junior title at North Narabeen, Sydney, Australia, after placing 3rd in the event and her closest rival defending champion Laura Enever (News South Wales, AUS) losing in the Semifinals of the Billabong ASP Women’s World Junior Championships.

Placing equal 3rd in the event after losing to event winner South African standout Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), Alize Arnaud proved to be the most consistent surfer on the 2010 ASP Women’s World Junior Tour, netting a runner-up finish in event number one in Bali last October before making her way through to the Semifinals of the final event.

« I’m so happy, » Arnaud said. « This is what I’ve wanted since the beginning. Since I was 10 years old I’ve wanted to be World Champion and to do it in my last event as a Junior, what a feeling. »

In her last appearance in the Under-21 division, Arnaud was in excellent form throughout the year training hard to get back to her best after suffering an injury in May/June last year. Finding her way up to an overall ASP European Women’s Junior No. 2 rank and qualfying for the elite ASP Women’s World Junior Tour, the talented athlete was able to unleash her progressive fast assaults to grab her career most brilliant title.

“Entering Bali, I was sure I could get a result because those are the waves I like,” Arnaud said. “I knew it was going to be hard coming here to Narrabeen, because I don’t usually do well in these conditions. This is my best result ever in Narrabeen, so to get it in my last chance in this division… I’m just so happy.”

Adding an outstanding result for the European contingent while Arnaud was celebrating her ASP Women’s World Junior title, Justine Dupont (Lacanau, FRA) was the underdog of the event’s finals to end-up runner-up in the Billabong ASP Women’s World Junior Championships.

Called to replace 2011 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie Pauline Ado (Hendaye, FRA) in December, Dupont was attending the prestigious event for the first time of her career and quietly got through the rounds eliminating defending champion Laura Enever (New South Wales, AUS) in the Semifinals before losing to event champion Buitendag in the final.

« Alize (Arnaud) won because I won against Laura (Enever), » Dupont said. « I’m so happy to have won in the Semifinals because Laura (Enever) is such a good competitor and she won here last year. I’m so happy for my friend (Alizee Arnaud). I told Alizee ‘you’re welcome’ after that heat. »

Supported by the whole European contingent present at Narabeen including families, coaches and surfers, Dupont directly contributed to Arnaud clinching the ASP Women’s World Junior title, culminating with her runner-up finish; her ASP Pro Junior career best, at 18 years of age only.

With the girls’ event now wrapped-up in excellent European fashion, remaining ASP European male athletes Marc Lacomare (Hossegor, FRA), 18, and Charles Martin (Guadeloupe, FRA), 20, will be trying to equal the girls’ performances when competition resumes in Australia.