Variable Swell Causes Stop-Start Day at ASP PRIME Islas Canarias Santa Pro
SAN JUAN/LANZAROTE, Canary Islands (Saturday, October 30, 2010) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) PRIME Islas Canarias Santa Pro was forced to go on hold several times due to a varying swell direction that made conditions at times small and inconsistent. Round two was completed in the morning and only a handful of heats of Round Three were able to be run during an afternoon session with the incoming tide.
Event officials had a hectic day picking the best windows of swell during the various stages of the tide. The predicted northerly swell did not kick in at full strength causing long lulls during the 25-minute battles.
Despite the at times inconsistent conditions, Heitor Alves (Fortaleza/Ceara, BRA) 27, blasted his way into Round 4 with an impressive array of forehand manoeuvres on the rippable left at San Juan to claim a two-wave combined total of 17.78 out of 20, the highest of the event. The current ASP World Rankings nº25 is on the verge of re-qualifying for the ASP ‘Dream Tour’ 2011 and is looking to consolidate his ranking. Another strong result at the Islas Canarias Santa Pro will add valuable points this PRIME rated event has up for grabs.
“I had a good heat right now for sure. This is my fourth time here and I love surfing this left and the other points on the island. I had two good waves with two good scores and I made an air so I am really happy with the result. I need another good result if I want to quality for the World Tour next year.”
Alves has the remainder of his season already well planned so as to finish with the best possible result to complete his dream of returning to the elite ASP World Tour.
“I am going to train a lot before the next contests in Hawaii too. I have ten days at home just to train and concentrate on the last two contests. I hope for a good result there too.”
Kai Barger (Haiku, HAW) 20, advanced in dramatic circumstances to Round Four behind heat winner Hizunome Bettero (BRA) in a low scoring encounter. With 30 seconds remaining Barger, who was sitting in fourth position, found himself alone on the peak and a set wave coming his way. Nathan Hedge (AUS) could only watch on as he marked Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Barger destroyed the long peeling left to easily obtain his required score.
“It was a weird situation in the end because tactics come into it and Hedgy was in second and went and sat on Gabriel (Medina) who needed only a 3.00, way down the beach and he left me alone out the back. That was how it all happened, the set came in the end and I got it.”
It was a wave starved heat which gave Barger a slight chance in the remaining minutes because his other opponents were all well within striking distance of the 2008 ASP World Junior Champion.
“I am super stoked to make that heat and it was a real flat, rough heat. That last wave at the end was the only real wave I got in the whole heat. I guess it was just so slow that no one else had a score and on the last one I got I made it through.”
In the earlier Round Two clashes Tanner Gadauskas (USA), Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY), and John John Florence (HAW) were three of the standout surfers all scoring excellent rides in their closely fought heats.
Tanner Gudauskas (San Clemente CA, USA), 22, came home strong with experienced wave selection which proved crucial in many of today’s bouts. Failing to find any decent scoring ride in the opening stages of his heat, Gadauskas kept his head and reeled off two bombs to finish in first position and a heat total of 15.27 out of 20.
“I was in fourth for like almost 10 minute and I was kind of frustrated because there was just nothing coming in and I just got really lucky. It could have gone either way but I was the one who got the set waves in the end. Getting the good waves was what was going to get you through that heat.”
With long waits between sets the tension in the line-up built steadily. The crucial PRIME points available increased the pressure on those wanting to rise in the rankings making the peak a hot-pot of emotions.
“It’s pretty tense out there because it is a PRIME event and everyone wants to do well here. You got to do what you got to do but I mean it was not as bad as it could have been actually.”
The swell is expected to increase overnight and then build significantly for the final day of the waiting period on Monday. Winds will once again increase in intensity which will possibly affect the quality of waves.
Surfers competing in the Islas Canarias Santa Pro are out to claim the valuable points on offer for their world rankings in an attempt to qualify for the elite ASP World Tour events in 2011. Also European surfers are on their second last stop for the ASP European Open title which is currently being lead by Marc Lacomare (FRA). Having a PRIME status the Islas Canarias Santa Pro is a crucial event for all the surfers and their 2010 rankings.
For all results, videos, daily highlights, photos and news log-on to
www.aspeurope.comUpcoming Islas Canarias Santa Pro Round Three Match-Ups
Heat 4: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), Nat Young (USA), Julian Wilson (AUS), Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 5: Austin Ware (USA), Hodei Collazo (EUK), Nic Muscroft (AUS), Mason Ho (HAW)
Heat 6: Klee Strachan (ZAF), Marlon Lipke (DEU), Marco Fernandez (BRA), Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (EUK), Heath Joske (AUS), Pedro Henrique (BRA), Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 8: Dyyan Neve (AUS), Granger Larsen (HAW), Joan Duru (FRA), Masatoshi Ohno (JPN)
Heat 9: Lincoln Taylor (AUS), Richard Christie (NZL), Jesse Mendes (BRA), Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 10: Miguel Pupo (BRA), Jano Belo (BRA), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Glen Hall (IRL)
Heat 11: Tim Boal (FRA), Tanner Gadauskas (USA), Shaun Cansdell (AUS), Yuri Sodre (BRA)
Heat 12: Nathaniel Curran (USA), Tiago Camarao (BRA), Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY), John John Florence (HAW)
Islas Canarias Santa Pro Remaining Round Two Results
Heat 19: Leonardo Neves (BRA) 14.50, Jesse Mendes (BRA) 12.40, Billy Stairmand (NZL) 10.27, Andre Teixeira (BRA) 7.13
Heat 20: Glen Hall (IRL) 12.43, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 10.50, Igor Munian (EUK) 8.00, Junior Faria (BRA) 5.17
Heat 21: Tim Boal (FRA) 11.17, Nathaniel Curran (USA) 10.47, Alain Riou (PYF) 10.13, Brad Ettinger (USA) 9.05
Heat 22: Tanner Gadauskas (USA) 15.27, Thiago Camarao (BRA) 12.67, Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 10.83, Eric Rebiere (FRA) 9.27
Heat 23: Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY) 15.60, Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 14.56, Royden Bryson (ZAF) 14.50, Joackim Petersen Guichard (NOR) 7.70
Heat 24: John John Florence (HAW) 13.90, Yuri Sodre (BRA) 13.20, Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.23, Ian Gouveia (BRA) 10.83
Islas Canarias Santa Pro Round 3 Results
Heat 1: Heitor Alves (BRA) 17.87, Jay Thompson (AUS) 11.67, Shaun Joubert (ZAF) 9.00, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 5.72
Heat 2: Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 12.44, Kai Barger (HAW) 9.73, Nathan Hedge (AUS) 9.50, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.17
Heat 3: Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 13.84, Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 10.76, Gustavo Fernandes (BRA) 10.53, Neco Padaratz (BRA) 7.63
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aspworldtour/~3/0yQtF3oapag/
Autor
Thema: [ASP News] Variable Swell Causes Stop-Start Day at ASP PRIME Islas Canarias Santa Pro
(Gelesen 1380 mal)
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube