Evans Head surfer Callum Robson fires early shot at Pipe Pro

The 23-year-old has started the season with an impressive performance in the early rounds of the Pipe Pro in Hawaii.

He registered a nine-point ride (out of 10) in a heat win which included three-time world champion Gabriel Medina.

"When I got out there, it felt like the energy was shifting towards Pipe, so I tried to establish the inside for the lefts," Robson said.

"I didn't want to sit and wait for too long, and that first wave made me realise I needed some waves with more draw to them, then I got that 9, which I was stoked on."

Robson is finding his consistency on the tour after joining as a rookie in 2022.

He won the Gold Coast Pro Qualifying Series event and finished second at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.

At the end of the season he raffled off a board signed by every surfer on the main tour.

The proceeds went towards flood recovery efforts around Evans Head and Woodburn.

In 2023, he made his presence known with the first perfect 10 wave of the year at the Rip Curl Pro in Portugal.

His best results were ninth-placed finishes at Pipeline and the Margaret River Pro.

It has been a changing of the guard of the for Far North Coast representation at professional level in recent years.

Lennox Head surfer Owen Wright retired last year while his younger sister Tyler is still a mainstay on the women's tour.

Owen overcame a brain injury to win an Olympic gold medal in 2021.

Tyler had health issues of her from a virus and is aiming for a third world title this year.

She has also provisionally qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris next year.