2009-04-17
15:48
ESTORIL, Carcavelos, Portugal (Friday, April 17, 2009) - The Estoril B! Pro Junior, an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Grade-2 Pro Junior event, kicked off today at Carcavelos, one of the best beach breaks of Estoril's coast twenty minutes away from Lisbon. Clouds and tricky two foot waves greeted the first competitors of the 2009 ASP European Junior Tour, the event launching a three-week serie of ASP events with the ASP WQS 6-Star Estoril Quiksilver Pro following the Pro Junior next week. Ten heats only were held on Day 1 of competition, the decreasing conditions forcing officials to put the event on(hold until tomorrow Saturday.
Outsider and ASP European Junior Tour newcomer Thomaz Petterson (SWE) took command of proceedings posting the day's highest total to win Heat 10 just before the afternoon break and get his Round 2 ticket ahead of British surfer Lyndon Wake (GBR). Petterson, who finished his 20-minute run with a solid 8.50 point ride, netted 15.00 points (out of a possible 20) and advances to Round 2 where he will meet Filipe Jervis Perreira (PRT) and Dimitri Ouvre (FRA).
"I am stoked to get through with a good score because the waves were tricky," Petterson said. "It's good to get such a start in the event and hopefully we'll get better waves for Round 2."
The inconsistent conditions gave a hard time to the sixty-four men paddling out on Day 1, with most of the usual suspects storming through to join the event's big names. Former ASP European Junior No. 2 Nicolaus Von Rupp (DEU), 18, was much awaited after his brilliant run in the ASP WQS 4-Star event in France and the German rising star matched expectations getting through Heat 6 with an average 12.67 point heat result out of a possible 20.
"I thought I was not going to make it and it was definitely a close heat," Von Rupp said. "One of the last waves from Angelo (Bonomelli) was good enough and I really thought it would give him the points. It was close but I am through."
Von Rupp, who was sick yesterday, still managed to find the strength he needed to secure his Round 2 berth and will now face Joachim Guichard (DNK) and Damien Chaudoy (REU) when Heat 5 paddles out next round.
The unfavourable surf conditions left no choice to organisers but to call the event off after a long break, contest director Antonio Pedro (PRT) and ASP head judge Iain Buchanan (NZL) deciding an 8 AM call tomorrow Saturday, April 18, at the back-up venue of Guincho, a beach renowned for its consistency.
Event top seeds Pierre-Valentin Laborde (FRA), Marc Lacomare (FRA) and wildcard Frederico Morais (PRT) will get their start tomorrow in expected solid four foot waves, other event favourite and late entry Joan Duru (FRA) having to get through Round 1 before joining fellow regional leaders and getting his crown campaign underway after winning the ASP WQS 4-Star Protest Vendee Pro in France last Sunday.
Competitors and event officials will reconvene tomorrow, and with two days only remaining in the waiting period, things are about to get hot and under pressure.
News, photos results and LIVE scoring are available through http://www.aspeurope.com/
ESTORIL B! PRO JUNIOR ROUND 1 RESULTS
Heat 1: Alex Gironi (FRA) 13.00 pts, Thomas Oued Elmaalem (MAR) 6.60 pts, Etan Egiguren (EUK) 3.17 pts, Cuco Morales (ESP) 2.16 pts
Heat 2: Jayce Robinson (GBR) 13.83 pts, Dylan Melamed (HAW) 9.73 pts, Juan Merodio (ESP) 9.67 pts, Ivo Caçao (PRT) 6.60 pts
Heat 3: Marc Audo (FRA) 7.66 pts, Diogo Castro (ESP) 7.46 pts, Gaspard Larsonneur (FRA) 6.84 pts, Pedro Correia (PRT) 5.06 pts
Heat 4: Asier Makeda (EUK) 11.10 pts, Andy Crier (FRA) 10.83 pts, Matt Pagan (USA) 10.83 pts, Pedro Pinto (PRT) 3.40 pts
Heat 5: Antonio Ribeiro (PRT) 9.33 pts, Borja Agote (EUK) 8.20 pts, Geronimo Vargas (BRA) 8.13 pts, Rafael Do Pico (PRT) 4.93 pts
Heat 6: Lewis St John (BRB) 13.67 pts, Nicolas Von Rupp (DEU) 12.37 pts, Angelo Bonomelli (ITA) 12.10 pts, Paul Grey (DEU) 4.43 pts
Heat 7: Jack Whitefield (GBR), Ander Mendiguren (EUK) 8.17 pts, Joao Kopke (PRT) 6.50 pts, Jon Mentxaka (EUK) 4.60 pts
Heat 8: Tom Neuschwanger (FRA) 8.93 pts, Dane Hall (GBR) 5.70 pts, Hadrien Ballion (FRA) 5.14 pts, Txaber Gaminde (EUK) 4.27 pts
Heat 9: Martim Gonçalves (PRT) 7.83 pts, Julien Gomez (FRA) 6.74 pts, Maxime Prenant (MAR) 5.30 pts, Diego Alvarez (ESP) 3.37 pts
Heat 10: Thomas Petterson (SWE) 15.00 pts, Lyndon Wake (GBR) 7.90 pts, Charly Termeau (FRA) 5.67 pts, Juan Diaz Teran (ESP) 4.60 pts
ESTORIL B! PRO JUNIOR ROUND 1 REMAINING HEATS
Heat 11: Manex Otegui (EUK), Tiago Collot (PRT), Nicolas Perez (ESP), Leonardo Belime (PRT)
Heat 12: Pierre Rollet (FRA), Roberto D'Amico (ITA), Mikel Zamakona (EUK), José Ferreira (PRT)
Heat 13: Othmane Choufani (MAR), Ramzi Boukiam (MAR), Illan Urkia Aldekoa (EUK), Toby Donachy (GBR)
Heat 14: Gordon Fontaine (FRA), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Sebastiao Furtado (PRT), Felipe Alberto (PRT)
Heat 15: Hugo Cornec (FRA), Roberto Latemendia (EUK), Nelson Cloarec (FRA), Leo Fioraventi (ITA)
Heat 16: Dani Goya (EUK), Tom Cloarec (FRA), Paul-César Distinguin (FRA), Joan Duru (FRA)
