Taj’s Small Fries: Margaret River’s Willow Hardy wins top junior event, but interstate raider pips local boys

A Western Australian surfing gun from the South West has joined an honour board graced by some of the sport’s biggest names, taking out this year’s Taj’s Small Fries junior event. Local ace Willow Hardy won the girl’s under-18’s event, finding two six-point rides for a combined score of 12.55 in the final, which she took out ahead of best friend and Denmark rider Isi Campbell. The pair were split by just 0.45 points on the final day of the lucrative under-age event, while Margaret River’s Kaleisha Launders finished third ahead of Perth surfer Indie Siedmiogrodzki in a WA clean-sweep of the top-four. CATCH UP WITH ALL THE ACTION FROM TAJ’S SMALL FRIES ON STREAMER But there was an interstate flavour to the boy’s event, with New South Wales raider Dane Henry pipping the best local talent, making the best of tough conditions in an impressive aerial display to land scores of 8.65 and 7.75. He finished ahead of Cowaramup’s Macklin Flynn, and fellow South West pair Kade Martin and Okie Fraser to win the event in his first attempt. It’s another early win for Hardy in 2023, which comes after a breakout period last year, including a trip to El Salvador for the world’s best-ranked global junior event. Alongside her on that trip was Campbell, who she described as her best friend and said she was proud to have surfed with in the final. “Small Fries has always been a favourite event of mine, it was one of my very first competitions and I love that I can still compete in it as an Under-18,” said Hardy. “Isi is one of my best friends and I’m so happy to surf with her and have a close final like that.” Henry, one of the top young surfers in the country, said he had an eye on coming to the event for some time. “I’ve never done this comp before and I’ve always wanted to come over for it,” he said. “I’ve got some good friends here in WA and I just love it here. I’ve heard so much about the event and it was great to have the under-18 boys division included this year — I’m stoked.” After finishing fourth in the top-aged event, Fraser won the boy’s under-16’s competition with two seven point rides in the final, while Dunsborough local Rosie Gillet won the girl’s event.