ASP Top Seeds Dominate Day 1 of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks
COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Australia (Saturday, February 27, 2010) - Round 1 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover was completed today in pulsing two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Snapper Rocks on Australia's Gold Coast.
The opening event of the 2010 ASP World Tour season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast ignites the greatest assemblage of surfing talent in history, and today's top performers proved no surprise with perennial ASP World Title threats dominating Round 1 of competition.
Kelly Slater (USA), 38, former nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 6, has refocused his attention on vying for an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title this season, and his dominance is the opening round of competition put his fellow competitors on notice. Slater posted the highest heat total of the day, a 17.77 out of a possible 20, including the day's high single-wave score of a 9.27 out of a possible 10 for a deep forehand barrel.
"I missed a really good wave at the ning of the heat and it kind of focused me," Slater said. "I was looking at the thing just barreling off at me and it was really frustrating so I thought I needed to be more patient. I got that 8.50, it looked like it might fatten out and it had that slow steep at the ning so I got that carve in. I was waiting for it to build back up and then it lined up and was a good wave. Obviously that 9.00 too, probably the best wave that came in during the heat, the thing barreled really hard and was fun."
Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, reigning two-time ASP World Champion, wasted no time in reasserting himself as one of the most lethal surfers on tour this year, dispatching of compatriot Kai Otton (AUS), 30, and wildcard Garrett Parkes (AUS), 18, with an excellent 17.36 out of a possible 20.
"It is great," Fanning said. "I am stoked to be able to surf good Snapper to start off the year. Happy to get through a heat and bounce back from last week (at Burleigh Heads). I was really just looking to get scores on the board, which went fine. I am having a bit of a hard time with my boards. My shaper Darren (Handley) and I kind of went backwards during the off-season. I was lucky this old one was good enough so hopefully we get a few of these made."
With an increasingly difficult sweep running through the line-up, the world's best surfers not only battled one another, but Mother Nature as well. Fanning, utilizing years of experience at the break, used the conditions to his advantage.
"You just have to know what to look for out in the water," Fanning said. "It s a little bit tricky and what can look like a good wave behind the rock does not always last. I'm just stoked to get through."
Other top seeds Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, Bede Durbidge (AUS), 27, and Adriano De Souza (BRA), 23, also posted Round 1 victories.
Owen Wright (AUS), 20, Brett Simpson (USA), 25, Dusty Payne (HAW), 21, and Jadson Andre (BRA), 19, led the rookie charge today, all three collecting Round 1 heat wins and advancing directly into Round 3. Wright looked impressive in the challenging afternoon conditions, besting fellow rookie Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 24, and current ASP World No. 15, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), 28, in their opening round bout.
"It feels good to have my first heat on the ASP World Tour,' Wright said. "It is tough work out there with a few run-arounds. A few poundings and it is just great to be out there. Really exciting to put the singlet on and have a god against the world's best."
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
When Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast competition resumes, up first will be current ASP World No. 4 Taj Burrow (AUS), 31, up against wildcard Garrett Parkes (AUS), 18, in the opening heat of the man-on-man elimination Round 2.
For the first time in the event's storied nine-year history, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast is being broad LIVE on FUEL TV in Australia, beaming the world's best surfing right into your living room. A 90-minute highlight show will be televised each night as well.
To find out how you can watch the world's best surfers in one of the world's most iconic pointbreaks LIVE on FUEL TV, check out www.foxsports.com.au/fueltv
The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by Land Rover will feature the world's best surfers from February 27 through March 10, 2010 and will be web LIVE via www.quiksilverpro.com.au
The Roxy Pro Gold Coast, featuring the ASP Top 17, will run in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Brett Simpson (USA) 10.67, Dane Reynolds (USA) 6.70, Roy Powers (HAW) 6.24
Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.67, Damien Hobgood (USA) 12.23, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 7.97
Heat 3: Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.26, Bobby Martinez (USA) 12.70, Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 11.94
Heat 4: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.30, Travis Logie (ZAF) 10.36, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.26
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.77, Ben Dunn (AUS) 9.50, Marco Polo (BRA) 7.34
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.90, Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.47, Blake Thornton (AUS) 8.86
Heat 7: Chris Davidson (AUS) 12.50, Taj Burrow (AUS) 9.13, Neco Padaratz (BRA) 6.64
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.36, Kai Otton (AUS) 11.53, Garrett Parkes (AUS) 10.77
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.17, Blake Ainsworth (AUS) 9.73, Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 6.23
Heat 10: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.57, Mick Campbell (AUS) 14.40, Craig Anderson (AUS) 6.16
Heat 11: Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.60, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 9.10, Drew Courtney (AUS) 4.76
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) 14.83, Luke Stedman (AUS) 10.56, Nathan Yeomans (USA) 8.23
Heat 13: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 10.80, Jay Thompson (AUS) 10.66, Andy Irons (HAW) 5.83
Heat 14: Luke Munro (AUS) 12.73, Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.27, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 9.40
Heat 15: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.10, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.53, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 9.57
Heat 16: Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.94, Adam Melling (AUS) 11.30, Dean Morrison (AUS) 11.17
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Garrett Parkes (AUS)
Heat 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Blake Ainsworth (AUS)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Craig Anderson (USA)
Heat 4: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 7: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 8: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 9: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Nathan Yeomans (USA)
Heat 11: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 12: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 13: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Ben Dunn (AUS) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 15: Roy Powers (HAW) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)
Heat 16: Drew Courtney (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)
Kelly Slater Sets Sights on 2010 ASP World Tour with Gold Coast Kick-Off
COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Australia (Monday, February 22, 2010) - The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, Stop No. 1 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, will commence its waiting period this weekend, ushering in the greatest assemblage of surfing talent in history with 15 ASP World Titles being represented amongst the 48-man draw.
Kelly Slater (USA), 38, former nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 6, will return to the singlet this season, challenging for an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title against the world's best surfers in the world's best waves. Coming away with an ASP Dream Tour win in Brazil last season, Slater made a mid-year challenge for the crown, yet fell short of the Australian onslaught.
"I never found myself in the right mind frame to deal with the pressure of a tenth title and find the excitement and purpose for what I was doing for more than a few heats last year," Slater said. "Brazil worked out but all the close heats went the other guy's way and I just made a lot of mind decisions and not surfing from the gut and real feelings. I am comfortable with 9 (ASP World Titles), but yeah, 10 has a certain allure to it."
The iconic natural-footer opened up the 2009 season on self-shaped, experimental designs that yielded mixed results. The ripple effect it caused, however, echoed throughout the remainder of the year, with the world's best surfers ing their respective equipment and collectively applying a more radical approach to their surfing.
"I love designing and experimenting," Slater said. "I love music. I love using the artistic brain and challenging myself and the way things are accepted around us. There is no shortage of things to do, only time and focus to do them. Last year was a radical change for my boards and surprising to a lot of people. I am sure some of those changes are here to stay and will be on my equipment. I am still working it out now."
Slater will face current ASP World No. 22, Ben Dunn (AUS), 24, and 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie, Marco Polo (BRA), 28, in the opening round of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.
Owen Wright (AUS), 20, 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie, is one man who slashed holes in Slater's ASP World Title campaign last season, besting the Floridian as a wildcard on two separate occasions - in Bells Beach and Portugal. With a full arsenal of progressive aerials and high-performance turns, and a devastating competitive record, Wright enters the 2010 ASP World Tour season as one of the most closely watched rookies in history.
"I would love to perform well in my heats and make the cut offs by the end of the year," Wright said. "I have been surfing heaps and going right as much as possible. The swell has been pumping which is sick!"
Wright will take on current ASP World No. 15, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), 28, and fellow 2010 ASP World Tour rookie, Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 24, in Round 1 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.
Slater and Wright will take on the world's best surfers including reigning two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, 2009 ASP World Runner-Up Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, progressive innovators Dane Reynolds (USA), 24, and Jordy Smith (ZAF), 22, amongst others.
Rounding out the 48-man draw at Snapper Rocks will be wildcards Garrett Parkes (AUS), 18, and Craig Anderson (AUS), 21, as well we the winner of the 16-man Trials, to be held Friday.
The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by Land Rover will feature the world's best surfers from February 27 through March 10, 2010 and will be web LIVE via www.quiksilverpro.com.au
The Roxy Pro Gold Coast, featuring the ASP Top 17, will run in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Dane Reynolds (USA), Roy Powers (HAW), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 2: Damien Hobgood (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA), Tiago Pires (PRT), Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA), Ben Dunn (AUS), Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 7: Taj Burrow (AUS), Chris Davidson (AUS), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), TBA
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), TBA
Heat 10: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Mick Campbell (AUS), TBA
Heat 11: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Drew Courtney (AUS), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA), Luke Stedman (AUS), Nathan Yeomans (USA)
Heat 13: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Andy Irons (HAW), Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 14: Kieren Perrow (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS), Luke Munro (AUS)
Heat 15: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Patrick Gudauskas (USA), Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 16: Dean Morrison (AUS), Jadson Andre (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS)
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Carissa Moore (HAW)
Heat 2: Coco Ho (HAW), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Bruna Schmitz (BRA), TBA
Heat 4: Silvana Lima (BRA), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), Nikita Robb (ZAF)
Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
Heat 6: Melanie Bartels (HAW), Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Amee Donohoe (AUS)
Quiksilver Welcomes Kanoa Igarashi To Its Surf Team
Quiksilver announced the newest member of its world-class surf team—12-year-old Kanoa Igarashi—putting him among the ranks of surfing’s elite. Amid the sea of young athletes trying to break into the pro surfing circuit, Igarashi stands out as the most promising that any have seen in a long time. And with an eye for talent and a roster of the world’s best surfers, no one has been monitoring the influx of talent as closely as Quiksilver.
“Quiksilver is really excited to have Kanoa join the team,” says Chad Wells, Quiksilver’s Surf Team Manager. “He is a phenomenal athlete at such a young age and has a solid foundation of both air and rail surfing. Kanoa shows true signs of a world class athlete and his competitive record speaks for itself.”
Among his competitive achievements, Igarashi holds the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) all-time record for 30 wins in one season- an impressive accomplishment for someone of his age. Through his driving spirit, Igarashi has consistently built an ambitious range of skill, tricks and maneuvers—leaving seasoned pros in awe of his talent.
“I’m really excited about my future and how Quiksilver is going to help me reach my goals,” said Igarashi. “It’s a dream come true.”
World's best surfers fly in for ASP World Tour kick-off
Wax heads and surfing fans get excited - the world's best surfers are headed to the Gold Coast as two of the biggest surfing events kick start the 2010 ASP Men's and Women's World Tours next month. From 26th February through to 10th March, the 2010 Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover and the Roxy Pro will take place on the southern end of the Gold Coast's iconic point break of Snapper Rocks.
This year's Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover will feature the world's top 45 ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) surfers including the likes of reigning two-time World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) and current world number two and hometown hero Joel Parkinson (AUS). Nine-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) is the only non-Australian to have won the Quiksilver Pro (twice), and looks to be a top threat in the 2010 competition. Surfing sensation Julian Wilson (AUS) surprised the crowd last year when he knocked out Kelly Slater and will no doubt be looking to do the same again this year as he competes as a wildcard.
Snapper Rocks is one of the most beautiful beaches in Australia, so even if you're not a crazed surfing fan, why not head to the Gold Coast to support the Aussies competing and even get the chance to meet your favourite surfer! The Quiksilver Pro is a free event, it will be packed full of entertainment such as a celebrity surf event and stacks of other goodies - so go on, grab your boardies and don't miss out on the best beachside event of the year!
The Quiksilver Pro provides fans with four days of action-packed surfing, and to make sure the events have the best surf conditions, organisers allow for a 12 day waiting period, so you can guarantee the barrels will be huge!
This year, event organisers are predicting a fierce level of competition, and the ASP judges will analyse the surfers on their commitment and degree of difficulty, innovation and progressive maneuvers, combination of major maneuvers, variety of maneuvers and speed, power and flow when scoring waves in each heat.
For those who can't make it to the beach, the event will be webcast live from various camera angles and will include post event interviews with the world's elite surfers.
The French Quiksilver team rider Jérémy Florès arrived in Australia at the beginning of the week to prepare for the first event of the ASP World Tour 2010, The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast. A foot injury at the end of the 2009 season forced Jeremy to miss the last three World Tour Events (Mundaka in Spain, Peniche in Portugal and Hawaii). In spite of the injury, Jérémy Florès did not need to rely on an "injury wild card", succeeding in requalifying himself for the elite Tour in 2010 by results alone. An amazing feat.
After a long break at the end of the year, Jérémy Florès has recharged his batteries, without taking a break from physical training. The Frenchman returned to the water with renewed enthusiasm in the Canary Islands in early January. Here are his thoughts on his recovery and his return to his fourth season amongst the World’s Top 45 surfer.
"I'm really glad to be able to get back in the water, my foot is feeling good. The time out of the water enabled me to prepare well physically for the new season and I’ve done things that I wouldn’t normally have time to do, therefore, I’ve taken positive experiences from this injury. I’ve felt great from this quick trip to the Canaries, it went well, because I needed to spend a lot of time in the water. I really pushed myself and I‘m super motivated to take on this new season!"
The Quiksilver Team surfer will train on the Australia’s Gold Coast until the opening event of the ASP World Tour 2010, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, which runs from February 27th to March 10th. Jérémy must also join the French surfing team for a few days of training in Australia.
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