A CAREFREE attitude is sure to benefit Avalon Enfield at the NSW grommet state surfing titles at Maroubra next month.
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The nine-year-old will compete for the first time at that level and while most surfers her age would be nervous about what they would potentially face, she welcomed the challenge.
"I'm not sure what to expect and I'm hoping to do well, but I'm not going to be sad if I don't because it's my first year," she said.
"I'm just going out there to enjoy it and if I don't get through the first round, oh well, and if I get to the final then good work I guess."
Avalon qualified for the state titles after a strong showing at the regional titles in Newcastle last month.
"I guess I just surfed my hardest and did my best," she said.
Helping her nerves will be presence of older sister Imojen who will also make the trip to Maroubra.
"It's the third time I've made it in a row," she said.
Imojen admitted she had learned to surf "a heap better" as she had gotten older although admitted to being in arguably better form 12 months ago.
"I don't know if I'm surfing better than last year but now I have a good board under my feet," she said.
"I'm expecting very tough competition (at state), but top six make it to Aussies so I'm really hoping I can go well because it's in Margaret River and that's pretty cool."
The secret to her qualification through to state level has been training once a day during the week and twice a day of a weekend.
But is Imojen more excited or nervous about the event set to take place from July 26-28?
"When I was younger I didn't really know that much about the competition so I was more excited then," she said.
"Now I'm older I get more nervous than excited but I'm still super excited."
Older brother Kayle rounds out the Enfield trio heading to state titles when he heads to Coffs Harbour between July 22 and 25.
He "scraped through" after an equal-fifth place finish at the regional titles in Newcastle.
"I had a good couple of waves, but I made a couple of mistakes which cost me not making it to the final, but I learned from those," he said.
"I'll be better at state hopefully."
The teenager will be one of the youngest in his division although he also welcomed the challenge of qualifying for the Australian titles.
"It's good to make it (to state) because each time you learn something new and each time you get a bit better," he said.
"I've learned over the last couple of years how to structure a heat and you need to stay at that top level and keep improving to do well so my main goal is to improve all the time."
A top six result will see him progress to the Australian titles.
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