Valla Beach surfer Heath Joske has taken out the Waves Magazine’s Black Knight 2011 freesurfing title – an annual event to find Australia’s next ultimate freesurfer. Joske beat seven other contenders and has scored for himself a guaranteed cover of Waves (within the next twelve months) and has had his story immortalised in print (on sale May 25, 2011)

More than 10,000 voted in the competition with Joske pulling a massive 25 percent of the overall voting to secure the title. Waves Editor Ryan Glen says: “Heath was always a serious contender for this year’s title if you take into consideration his surfing lineage; Father Paul established the very successful Valla surfboard brand and brother Sage is a revered surfer who is competent with all manner of surf craft.

Heath’s also proficient when it comes to riding varied surf craft: “I ride all kinds of boards when I’m at home. I’ll ride a mal when it’s small and just stand there and cruise and thoroughly enjoy it. My Dad has a pretty elaborate collection of old surfboards and so does my brother. I’ll go into town and rummage through their quivers and grab an old single fin or a big old log or a twinnie or a tracker. I enjoy riding them as much as I enjoy riding thrusters.”

To take part in Waves Black Knight, competitors had to submit two videos each which were uploaded  to the Waves website, allowing people to view and vote in a people’s choice award. Says Heath about his videos: “All the other boys flare, a lot of them are really good at the airs and tricks, but I still rate a drawn-out, on rail-carve up there with the best finners and airs.”

"Waves magazine and Heath Joske would like to thank the Banana Coast community for getting behind Heath and voting for him and Billabong would like to thanks all their followers who took part in the voting process helping him take the Waves Black Knight title!!!