The country’s top competitive surfers are ready to take on more than 100 of their international foes over the next two weeks as South Africa hosts the annual mid-year two-event leg of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour.

Even though the downgrading of the Billabong Pro J-Bay to a 6-Star rated ASP World Tour event means that the all of the world’s top 34 surfers will not be competing here for the first time since 1997, 17 of those on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) will join local elite tour members Jordy Smith and Travis Logie for the Prime rated Mr Price Pro Ballito starting on Monday.

Smith will be the crowd favourite in local waters after winning at Ballito in 2010 before going on win at Jeffreys Bay, a title that he successfully defended last year. The Durban born and raised current WCT No. 8, who now resides in Cape Town when not on tour, is going all out to bolster his confidence and his ASP World Tour ranking of No. 13 in his home waters.

“I haven’t had the greatest year and I think it will be good to go home and regroup and rebuild my confidence for the second half of the year,” Smith explained. “I’ve be in Reunion doing some board testing prior to the Pro as the waves are similar to Ballito (hollow right handers), so I got a lot of practice and am coming in fresh for the contest and hopefully win it.”

Durban based Logie, who was crowned the South African Surfer of the Year in Durban on Friday evening, will be equally determined to post a victory in his home event. A fierce competitor who has spent nearly seven years at the highest level of competitive surfing, Logie’s proven ability in big waves, lightening fast reflexes and the capability to pack more manoeuvres into a ride than virtually anyone make the 32 year-old a strong contender in all conditions.

“I’ve come everywhere in this event except first,” Logie said of the Mr Price Pro. “I’ve got second down to 33^rd and almost everything in-between and it’s my home event so I have an enormous desire to win.”

While Smith and Logie are amongst the top seeds in both the local events, Greg Emslie, a nine-year year WCT veteran who has won nearly every contest he has entered in SA since retiring from international competition at the end of 2009, is a wildcard at Ballito and a serious threat to everyone at J-Bay.

“I am feeling great right now,” Emslie said on his preparation for the events. “I’ve been trying to get in the water twice a day and the waves have been excellent this winter season. I wake up at 4.30am and do training with my brothers, so it has been a fun build up and I’m amped!”

SA’s current crop of ASP World Tour campaigners are all entered in both events and the likes of Royden Bryson (Cape Town), Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay), Brandon Jackson (Durban North), Dale Staples (St Francis Bay) and Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) will be determined to seize the opportunity to pocket invaluable rankings points and earn a share of the substantial prize-money on offer in familiar conditions.

While the Billabong Pro J-Bay event organisers have yet to announce the six wildcards in their 144-man field, the five who will join Emslie in the 96-man Mr Price Pro Ballito are Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie), SA Junior Surfer of the Year, Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) and Chad du Toit (Durban), who all received ASP Africa wildcards, with the sponsor’s wildcards going to Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) and Conner Coffin (USA).

The Ballito event will also run an eight-man trials event featuring current SA Open champion Casey Grant (Scottburgh), David Van Zyl (Glenashley), Klee Strachan (Amanzimtoti), David Weare (Durban), Dan Redman (Umdloti) and Matt Bromley, Mikey February and Davey Brand, all from Kommetjie. The top two finishers in the trials earn a berth in the main event.

Adriano de Souza (BRA), ranked No. 4 on the WCT, will be the top seed in both South African events. Smith is the second seed and other highly ranked international contenders include the Hobgood brothers – 2001 ASP World champion CJ and his equally talented twin Damien – fellow Americans Brett Simpson and defending Mr Price Pro winner Patrick Gudauskas, Brazilians Alejo Muniz, Jadson Andre and Wiggolly Dantas, Tiago Pires (POR) and Australians Matt Wilkinson, Yadin Nicol and Adam Melling.

South Africans will also get to see legendary 1999 ASP World champion Mark Occhilupo (AUS) in action as the winner of the inaugural ASP event at Jeffreys Bay back in 1984 makes a determined effort to re-qualify for elite WCT status at the ripe old age of 46.

The Mr Price Pro Ballito runs from 2 to 8 July at Willards Beach, Ballito. This Prime rated event offers US $250 000 (approx. R2.1 million) with 6 500 rankings points going to the winner and all the action can be followed via www.mrpricepro.com

The Billabong Pro J-Bay runs 10 to 15 July at Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay and is a 6-Star rated event that carries a US $155 000 prize-purse and the winner earns 3 500 points on the rankings list. See www.billabong.com for more information.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of: 

ASP Africa

Contact:            Colin Fitch – Operations Manager

Tel:                   021 534 5738

Email:               colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled and Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications

PO Box48272, Kommetjie 7976,South Africa

Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965

Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964

Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Sarah Baum used her patented forehand attack and full repertoire of progressive manoeuvres to clinch an outstanding third place finish in the ASP 6-Star Swatch Girls Pro France at Hossegor last Friday.

The result rocketed the 17 year-old from Warner Beach up to No. 7 on the latest ASP Women’s World Rankings and into contention for a spot on the 2011 ASP Women’s World Title Race. The Top 6 on the World Rankings at the end of each year join the Top 10 from the ASP World Title Race Rankings to contest all the events on following year’s World Title Race, the series of contests that determine the annual ASP Women’s World Champion.

With three of the women ranked above Baum already well-placed to re-qualify via their World Title Race Rankings, the SA teenager is in fact currently fourth in line for one of the six qualifying spots with three Star series events still to be run in 2011.

 Starting the Swatch event in the Round of 48, Baum posted a number of excellent performances including recording the highest scoring ride of Day 2 of the event on Friday – 8.75 out of a possible 10 – and winning a tightly contested quarterfinal over elite tour member Alana Blanchard (HAW). In the semifinals Baum was ousted by eventual runner-up Sage Erikson (USA), pocketing US $2 000 and 2 080 rankings points for third place.

“I am super stoked with a third here,” Baum said. “I didn’t expect to get this far in the event. Last year I made it to the Round of 12 and I am really pleased to beat that. It is my best result for sure. All the girls are ripping and it is a great feeling to be part of it. I am heading down to Estoril on Tuesday and I am now looking towards that contest.”

The Swatch event was won by current ASP World No. 2 Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS). Other South African girls in the event included Nikita Robb (East London, 19th), Bianca Buitendag (Victoria Bay, 19th), Rosanne Hodge (EL, 25th), Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie, 37th) along with Fay Zoetmulder (Port Elizabeth) and Tanika Hoffman (Kom) who placed equal 49th.

The entire SA girls’ contingent has travelled to Portugal for the ASP 6-Star Estoril Surf and Music Billabong Girls 2011 which runs from Friday to Sunday, 10-12 June. The final two events on the 2011 ASP Women’s World Tour rankings, both 6-Star rated, will be run in Spain and on the Azores Islands in September.

Swatch Girls Pro France Final Result
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.00 Def. Sage Erickson (USA) 9.70

Swatch Girls Pro France Semi-Final Results
Heat 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.67 Def. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.00
Heat 2: Sage Erickson (USA) 10.77 Def. Sarah Baum (ZAF) 4.67

Swatch Girls Pro France Quarter-Final Results
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 10.25 Def. Justine Dupont (FRA) 7.15
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 12.00 Def. Paige Hareb (NZL) 8.90
Heat 3: Sage Erickson (USA) 8.00 Def. Suelen Naraisa (BRA) 7.20
Heat 4: Sarah Baum (ZAF) 14.25 Def. Alana Blanchard (HAW) 8.40

ASP Women’s World Tour Rankings (After event #4 – Swatch Girls Pro France)
1 Conlogue,Courtney  USA 8220
2 Erickson,Sage  USA 6080
3 Fitzgibbons,Sally  AUS 5580
4 Hareb,Paige   NZL 4680
5 Woods,Rebecca  AUS 4183
6 Ho,Coco   HAW 3880
7 Baum,Sarah  ZAF 3423
8 Ado,Pauline  FRA 3160

South Africans
17 Robb,Nikita   ZAF 2143
22 Buitendag,Bianca  ZAF 1843
37 Hodge,Rosanne  ZAF 1170
37 Chudleigh,Tarryn  ZAF 1170
48 Zoetmulder,Faye  ZAF 880
77 Hoffman,Tanika  ZAF 250

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bianca Buitendag grabs third place in Swatch Girls Pro Junior in France

Bianca Buitendag continued her sensational assault on the World’s age-group surfing scenario by grabbing third spot in the Swatch Girls Pro Junior France on Saturday.

The lanky 17 year-old from Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape, who won the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia in January and finished runner-up in the U18 girls’ division of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships in Peru 10 days ago, again defeated a slew of the world’s best female surfers aged 20-and-under in France.

Buitendag earned US $350 after defeat by eventual champion Sarah Mason (NZL) in a semifinal encounter held in tricky one metre waves.

“The swell definitely dropped and although the conditions were quite nice I didn’t get any good scoring waves,” said Buitendag. “I have a Pro Junior event coming up in South Africa and it is very important to get a result there to qualify for the World Juniors.”

Mason went on to beat Demitry Stoyle (AUS) in the final held at Les Bourdaines on the Bay of Biscay coast. South Africans Faye Zoetmulder (PE) and Tanika Hoffman (Kom) finished 25th and 33rd respectively.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Royden Bryson the top South African in South American Prime events

Royden Bryson produced the best results by the South Africans in the two Prime rated events run in South America over the past fortnight. The Hout Bay based Capetonian boosted his ASP World Tour ranking from No. 113 to No. 81 after placing 13th in the Saquarema Surf Pro International near Rio de Janeiro and following that up with 9th in the Super Surf International in Santa Catarina.

Both events were run in huge waves with the final day of the Saquarema event postponed to the Monday when the waves on the Sunday were deemed too dangerous for competition. ASP Dream Tour member Kai Otton (AUS) beat Raoni Monteiro (BRA) to pocket the US$40 000 and 6 500 points there while Brazilian prodigy Gabriel Medina,17, scored two perfect 10 point rides on the final day to claim the title from experienced Australian Tom Whittaker in the Super Surf.

Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), who qualifies for all 11 events on the 2011 Prime Series thanks to his third place finish in the 2010 ASP World Junior Title Tour, and fellow 20 year-old, Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay), who leapfrogged into the top 100 on the rankings with an outstanding fifth place finish in the first Prime event of 2011, were eliminated in the first round (Round of 96) in both events.

Brandon Jackson (Durban North) and former ASP Dream Tour campaigner Travis Logie (Durban) only competed in the Super Surf event with Jackson ousted early and Logie, in his first event after recovering from a foot injury sustained in April, advanced to the Round of 48 but placed fourth in his next match-up to end the event 37th overall.

Logie has dropped from No. 28 to No. 42 in the rankings but remains the highest placed SA surfer behind Jordy Smith (Durban) who is No. 2 behind 10 times ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA). Joubert has maintained his ranking of No. 80 with Bryson now up to No. 81 while Jackson has held on to his No. 104 spot.

ASP World Tour Rankings (After Super Surf International, Brazil)
1 Slater,Kelly   USA 66200
2 Smith,Jordy  ZAF 52000
3 Fanning,Mick  AUS 43648
4 Burrow,Taj   AUS 43177
5 Durbidge,Bede  AUS 39370

South Africans (Top 200 out of 784)
42 Logie,Travis  ZAF 15162
80 Joubert,Shaun  ZAF 8570
81 Bryson,Royden  ZAF 8564
104 Jackson,Brandon  ZAF 6280
113 Palmboom,Rudy ZAF 5807
141 Strachan,Klee  ZAF 4072
147 Fahrenfort,Damien  ZAF 3849
157 Gibbens,Brendon  ZAF 3357
170 Staples,Dale   ZAF 2912
176 Weare,David  ZAF 2695
178 De Vries,Beyrick  ZAF 2608

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Beyrick de Vries takes early lead in ASP Africa Pro Junior men’s rankings

Beyrick de Vries won the 2-Star rated Quiksilver Pro Junior at New Pier in Durban back in April to take the early lead in the 2011 ASP Africa Pro Junior men’s rankings which determine four of the five-man squad invited to compete in the this year’s ASP World Junior Title series.

De Vries, 18, from Umhlanga, produced an impressive display of progressive surfing to overcome Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh), 16, in the final and take home US $2 500 and 500 rankings points.

Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) and Michael February (Kommetjie) were sidelined by Prestwich and de Vries in their respective semifinals while Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), David van Zyl (Glenashley), Matt Pallet (Cape Town) and Matt Bromley (Kommetjie) ended their campaigns in the quarters.

The ASP Africa Pro Junior men’s rankings will be finalised after the 1-Star Billabong Pro Junior at Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape from September 1-4. The top four on the season ending rankings plus the highest placed ASP Africa Pro Junior on the ASP World Tour Rankings who has not already qualified via the local rankings will join representatives from the other six ASP regions in the World Junior Title series.

The 2011 series comprises three events starting with the Oakley ASP World Junior in Bali from October 3-14, followed by the inaugural Arnette ASP World Junior in Rio de Janeiro from October 24-November and culminating in the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships which will be staged as part of the recently announced Australian Open of Surfing at Manly Beach in Sydney from 11-19 February, 2012.

ASP Africa Pro Junior Men’s Rankings (After Quiksilver Pro Junior)

1 De Vries, Beyrick 500
2 Prestwich, Slade 375
3 Lightfoot, Dylan 281
 February, Michael 281
5 Staples, Dale  211
 Bromley, Matthew 211
 Van Zyl, David 211
 Pallet, Matt  211
9 Gibbens, Brendon 158
 Smit, Rigard  158
 Godfrey, Nicholas 158
 Baum, Sarah  158

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mid-year international events in Durban, Ballito & Jeffreys Bay

South Africa’s traditional mid-year series of international surfing events will be kick-started by the ASP 1-Star Roxy Wahine Girls Pro Junior in Durban followed by the ASP Prime rated Mr Price Pro Ballito at Ballito in KZN and culminates in Jeffreys Bay with the Billabong Pro J-Bay, stop No. 4 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title series.

The inaugural edition of the Roxy Wahine Pro Junior to be an ASP rated event will be staged at New Pier in Durban on the weekend 18 & 19 June. The event features the country’s best 20-years-and-under female surfers competing for a prize-purse of US $2 000 with the winner also earning one of the two coveted invitations to compete in the 2011 ASP World Junior Title series.

The 12th edition of Mr Price Pro Ballito is stop No. 7 of 11 on the ASP Prime Tour and will be run from July 4-10. The event is restricted to the top 88 ranked ASP surfers who enter plus six wildcards and two trialists and offers $250 000 in total prize-money with $40 000 and 6 500 points going to the winner. The field is headed by defending event champion and current World No. 2, Jordy Smith, and includes 24 of the world’s top 34 ranked surfers.

The 26th running of the Billabong Pro J-Bay will again attract all of the world’s top 34 ranked surfers to the waves of Supertubes from July 14-24. The event offers a total purse of $425 000 with the winner earning $75 000 and 10 000 points. The seeding is headed by 10-time and reigning ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) along with former world champions Mick Fanning (AUS) and CJ Hobgood (USA), former event champions Jordy Smith (ZAF) and Australians Joel Parkinson and Taj Burrow and current ASP World Title Race ranking s leader Adriano de Souza (BRA).

ASP World Title Race rankings (After event No. 3 – Billabong Pro Rio)

1 Adriano De Souza (BRA) 20500
2 Joel  Parkinson (AUS) 19200
3 Kelly  Slater (USA)  16950
4 Taj  Burrow (AUS)  16500
5 Jordy Smith (ZAF)  14750
6 Owen  Wright (AUS) 12150
7 Michel Bourez (PYF) 12000
8 Mick  Fanning (AUS) 11500
9 Bede  Durbidge (AUS) 11000
9 Tiago  Pires (PRT)  11000

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For more news on the South African based ASP Events see www.aspafrica.com. For up to date news on the events and ASP Africa members ‘like’ ASP Africa on Facebook

ENDS
Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact:            Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel:                   021 534 5738
Email:               colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships.
The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

South African surfers Travis Logie and Shaun Joubert boosted their respective positions on the 2011 ASP World Tour rankings after posting excellent results in the Prime rated Hang Loose Pro in Brazil on Sunday.

Competing in hollow one to 1.5 metre waves on the tropical island paradise of Fernando de Noronha, 325 kms off the North coast of Brazil, Logie advanced to the man-on-man semi-finals before being ousted by eventual winner Alejo Muniz (BRA) who will make his debut on the ASP World Tour in Australia this week.

The 31 year-old Durbanite, who narrowly failed to requalify for the 2011 ASP World Tour, finishing 2010 ranked No. 34 with just the top 32 qualifying, earned a US $11 000 (approx. R77 000) paycheque and 4 225 priceless rankings points in Brazil.

This is the third highest of the eight results that count towards Logie’s overall ranking on the newly adopted ASP rolling 52-week rankings system. As he did not compete in the corresponding event in Brazil last year Logie did not drop any points this week and Sunday’s result moves him up from No. 34 to No. 29 on the latest rankings.

The top 32 ranked surfers after the completion of event No. 6 on the ASP World Tour, the Quiksilver Pro New York that ends on September 15, will become the field for the remaining five events that will determine this year’s ASP World Champion.

Nineteen-year-old Joubert posted an outstanding fifth place result, surfing his way past several significantly higher ranked opponents before being eliminated by eventual event runner-up Dion Atkinson (AUS) in the quarterfinals.

In just his second year as a full time ASP competitor, Joubert collected $7 000 and a nett haul of 3 120 rankings points which saw him leapfrog from No. 118 to No. 81 in the standings. This guarantees the talented Southern Cape surfer entry into the elite 96-man field in the next Prime rated event and the opportunity to accumulate the higher ranking points on offer with the ultimate aim of qualifying for the ASP World Tour amongst the world’s top 32 ranked surfers.

However, the new rankings system worked against Rudy Palmboom who finished equal 13th on Sunday. His haul of 1 200 points was 342 points less than the 1 542 he earned for equal 17th place in this event in 2010 and the 22 year-old from the Bluff dropped two places to No. 107 in the rankings.

Brandon Jackson (Durban North) collected an additional 49 points for his 25th place finish to move up one spot in the rankings to No. 98. Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), 20, who is guaranteed a wildcard start in the 10 Prime ranked events this year due to his third place finish in the 2010 ASP World Junior rankings, picked up 650 points for equal 37th place and rocketed up the rankings from 292 to 221.

Royden Bryson, the sixth SA surfer in the event, was a first round casualty but actually rose two places in the rankings to No. 73 as those around him on the rankings forfeited more points than he did.

Meanwhile in Australia, current ASP World No. 3 Taj Burrow (AUS) repeated his 2010 victory in the ASP 4-Star rated Breaka Burleigh Pro at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast on Sunday, where South Africans Chad du Toit (Durban) and Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) finished equal 49th and 65th respectively.

Burrow will be hoping the victory is again perfect preparation for a repeat of his victory in the ASP Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, the season-opening ASP World Tour event which starts on Saturday and runs until 9 March.

FINAL HANG LOOSE PRO CONTEST 2011:
Champion: Alejo Muniz (BRA) scored 13.00 points – US$ 40,000 and 6.500 points
Runner-Up: Dion Atkinson (AUS) scored 7.14 points – US$ 20,000 and 5.200 points

SEMIFINALS – 3rd place – US$ 11,000 and 4.225 points:
SF 1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 12.77 x 12.26 Travis Logie (ZAF)
SF 2: Dion Atkinson (AUS) 10.73 x 9.17 Heitor Alves (BRA)

QUARTER FINALS – 5th place – US$ 7,000 and 3.120 points:
QF 1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 10.10 x 5.83 Masatoshi Ohno (JPN)
QF 2: Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.67 x 10.20 Jihad Kohdr (BRA)
QF 3: Heitor Alves (BRA) 13.17 x 10.50 Hizunome Bettero (BRA)
QF 4: Dion Atkinson (AUS) 10.44 x 10.06 Shaun Joubert (ZAF)

ASP World Tour Rankings (After Hang Loose Pro, Fernando de Noronha)
1 Slater,Kelly  USA 69000
2 Smith,Jordy ZAF 52250
3 Burrow,Taj  AUS 45432
4 Fanning,Mick  AUS 44750
5 Durbidge,Bede  AUS 42463

South Africans (top 200 only)
 29 Logie,Travis ZAF 19708
73 Bryson,Royden  ZAF 9303
81 Joubert,Shaun  ZAF 8582
98 Jackson,Brandon  ZAF 7064
107 Palmboom,Rudy ZAF 6311
138 Fahrenfort,Damien  ZAF 4236
145 Strachan,Klee  ZAF 4072
148 Weare,David  ZAF 3699
153 De Vries,Beyrick  ZAF 3512
157 Gibbens,Brendon  ZAF 3443

For further information go to www.aspworldtour.com

Ends
Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact:            Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel:                   021 534 5738
Email:               colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships.
The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Monday 20 December 2010 – Jordy Smith has ended the 2010 ASP World tour Season ranked No. 2, the best result by a South African surfer since 1977 World Champion Shaun Tomson finished second in 1984.

Smith won his maiden event title at the Billabong Pro in Jeffreys Bay in July and also reached the final in two other events, finishing runner-up to Taj Burrow (AUS) in the season opening Quiksilver Pro on Australia’s Gold Coast and to newly crowned 10-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal in October.

The 22 year-old Durbanite started his break-through third year on the Dream Tour, the highest level of competition surfing, with an entirely new strategy. Realising that he performed at his best when relaxed and not under pressure to get results, his mantra became “I’m just going to go out there and have fun and let the results take care of themselves.”

And the new approach really worked as a more relaxed Smith employed his patented aerial attack and futuristic manoeuvres to defeat the cream of the world’s top competitive surfers on a regular basis, only failing to reach the last eight once in the 10 events – when he was bundled out in the Round of 32 by wildcard Manoa Drollet at Teahupoo in Tahiti.

His one victory, two seconds, six fifth place finishes and one 17th, plus a couple of good results in Prime and Star rated events, saw Smith amass US $235 150 (approximately R1.64 million) in prize-money in 2010, taking his career prize-money earnings to just over $526 000 and signing up a slew of new sponsorship deals along the way.

Slater, 38, undeniably the best competitive surfer of all time, reached the final in six of the 10 events, winning four titles, and accumulated $416 000 in 2010, including a bonus of $100 000 for winning the ASP World Title.

The other five event titles were won by Burrow, rookie Jadson Andre (a 20 year-old Brazilian whose father is two years younger than Slater!), the late former three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons (HAW), two-time and 2009 ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) and Jeremy Flores (FRA) who became the first European surfer to win an event in Hawaii by capturing the Billabong Pipeline Masters in memory of Andy Irons.

The 2011 ASP World Tour will get underway with the Quiksilver Pro on Australia’s Gold Coast at the end of February.

ASP World Title Race
2010 Final Rankings
1 Kelly Slater (USA)  69 000 points
2 Jordy Smith (ZAF)  52 250
3 Mick Fanning (AUS)  44 750
4 Taj Burrow (AUS)  42 000
4 Dane Reynolds (USA) 42 000
6 Bede Durbidge (AUS) 39 000
7 Adrian Buchan (AUS) 37 250
7 Owen Wright (AUS)  37 250
9 Jeremy Flores (FRA) 35 750
10 Adriano De Souza (BRA) 32 000

South Africans
29 Travis Logie (ZAF)  13 000 points

++++++++++++++++

Smith the only South African on 2011 ASP World Tour

Jordy Smith will be the sole South African on the 2011 ASP World Tours after fellow Durbanite Travis Logie amongst the men and Rosanne Hodge and Nikita Robb (both East London) amongst the women all failed to finish inside the cut-off criteria for requalification.

Logie, 31, did well to survive the mid-year cut from 44 to 34 on the ASP World Tour and was on the cusp of requalifying for 2011 through both the ASP World Title Rankings, where the top 22 automatically requalify, and on the ASP World Rankings, where the top 10 who have not already qualified via the World Tour rankings join the Dream Tour.

However, following a Round 1 loss in the Pipe Masters, Logie ended the year ranked No. 29 on the World Title Race Rankings and even closer on the World Tour Rankings where his 36th place saw him end just 1 723 points (less than 1 750 earned for a 13th place finish) behind Dusty Payne (HAW) who grabbed the No. 32 and final qualifying spot.

Hodge was the model of consistency in 2010, her fourth consecutive year on the ASP Women’s World Tour, reaching Round 3 in the first six events but not managing to advance to the quarterfinals, before placing 17th in the final event. She ended the year ranked No.13, significantly adrift of Rebecca Woods (AUS) who grabbed the 10th and final spot.

Robb struggled to impress the judges in her rookie season at the highest level, only posting two heat tallies of over 10 out of 20 in 14 attempts, and bowed out with three 9ths, three 17ths and a 19th which gave her a yearend ranking of No. 15.

The pair also finished well off the pace in the ASP Women’s Star rated series where the top 6 qualify for the following year’s top tier. Robb was the highest placed SA woman at No. 14 while Hodge ended her season ranked No. 22.

Royden Bryson fared best of the South African campaigners in the Prime and Star rated events, ending the year ranked No. 76. The former East Londoner now living in Cape Town won the 6-Star rated O’Neill Cold Water Classic in Scotland and put himself into contention for the US $50 000 bonus for the five-event Col Water Classic Series title before missing the next two events in that series in Canada and Santa Cruz, California.

Brandon Jackson (Durban North), who came within a whisker on qualifying for the 2010 ASP World Tour, was the only other SA surfer in the top 100, finishing at No. 100. Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) came in at No. 106 in his third campaign and Shaun Joubert, 19, from Mossel Bay, ended his first season at No. 118, achieving his objective of placing amongst the top 120 who are virtually guaranteed a start in all of next year’s Prime rated events.

ASP World Tour Rankings
2010 Men
1 Slater,Kelly   USA 69000 points
2 Smith,Jordy  ZAF 52350
3 Burrow,Taj   AUS 45432
4 Fanning,Mick  AUS 44750
5 Durbidge,Bede  AUS 42463

South Africans (Top 200 of 1089)
36 Logie,Travis  ZAF 16327 points
76 Bryson,Royden  ZAF 9601
100 Jackson,Brandon  ZAF 7015
106 Palmboom,Rudy ZAF 6653
118 Joubert,Shaun  ZAF 5884
154 Fahrenfort,Damien  ZAF 4087
155 Strachan,Klee  ZAF 4072
160 Weare,David  ZAF 3799
170 De Vries,Beyrick  ZAF 3512
172 Gibbens,Brendon  ZAF 3443
173 Basnett,Ricky  ZAF 3432

ASP Women’s World Title Race
2010 Final Rankings
1 – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
3 – Carissa Moore (HAW)
4 – Silvana Lima (BRA)
5 – Sofia Mulanovich (PER)

South Africans
13 – Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
15 – Nikita Robb (ZAF)

ASP World Tour Rankings
2010 Women
1 Fitzgibbons,Sally  AUS 12120 points
2 Enever,Laura  AUS 11520
3 Wright,Tyler   AUS 10920
3 Conlogue,Courtney  USA 10920
5 Ho,Coco   HAW 10380
6 Silva,Jacqueline  BRA 10320

South Africans (Top 50 of 130)
14 Robb,Nikita   ZAF 8520 points
19 Buitendag,Bianca  ZAF 8160
22 Hodge,Rosanne  ZAF 7680
26 Chudleigh,Tarryn  ZAF 7200
36 Baum,Sarah   ZAF 6000
48 Rautenbach,Chantelle  ZAF 4953

+++++++++++++++++++

ENDS

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact:            Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel:                   021 534 5738
Email:               colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships.
The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Durban’s Jordy Smith, currently ranked No. 2 on both the ASP World Title and ASP World Rankings, is the top seed for 11th edition of the Mr Price Pro Ballito which starts today and runs until Sunday 11 July on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.

The 5-Star rated Mr Price Pro Ballito is Stop No. 20 of 38 on the ASP Men’s Star schedule for 2010 and offers US $120 000 (approx R900 000) in prize-money along with invaluable points on both the ASP World and local ASP Africa rankings.

The event has attracted a field of more than 90 international and local competitors with Smith being joined by a clutch of current ASP World Title contenders including 2000 Mr Price Pro winner and current World No. 16 Taylor Knox (USA), Chris Davidson (AUS) and Durbanite Travis Logie.

There is also a solid contingent of former ASP World Tour campaigners in David Weare (Durban), Nathan Hedge (AUS), Royden Bryson (Cape Town), Greg Emslie (East London) and Ricky Basnett (Bluff), who is the only South African to have won the Mr Price Pro title (2006).

Basnett comes into the first internationally rated event to be staged in South Africa this year in sparkling form, having finished 9th in the recent event in Sri Lanka where he was the highest placed SA surfer.

The Mr Price Pro Ballito presents the current crop of South African pros competing internationally with the ideal opportunity to register points on the ASP World Rankings in their home waters and the likes of Brandon Jackson (Durban North), Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) and rising stars Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay), Chad du Toit (Berea), Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie) and Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga), who won the Mr Price Pro Junior event on Sunday, will be eager to take advantage.

The Mr Price Pro Ballito uses a mobile event format that takes the contest to the beach on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast offering the best waves on each day. Tune in to East Coast Radio for daily live updates and all the action will be LIVE on the webcast at www.mrpricepro.com.

Ends

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP:

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

South African surfers posted great results in Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) events on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean on the weekend with Travis Logie placed third in the 6-Star rated Saquarema Pro in Brazil while Rosanne Hodge, Tarryn Chudleigh and Sarah Baum finished equal ninth in the 6-Star women’s Swatch Girls Pro in France.

Logie’s super-fast surfing was tailor-made for the one to two metre beach-break waves that pumped throughout the Brazilian event and the Durbanite was the only one of the nine South Africans in the event to reach the last 24.

”I couldn’t find the best waves but I got the win that’s the most important,” Logie said after defeating Gabriel Villaran (PER) in the Round of 16 on Saturday. “This place is awesome and the waves have been perfect for the competition since the first day.”

Logie went on to oust Brazilian Wiggolly Dantas in the quarterfinals on the final day before coming up short against fellow ASP World Title Race campaigner and eventual runner-up Marco Polo (BRA) in the semis. The event was won by Brazilian Willian Cardoso.

Logie pocketed US $5 000 and 1 688 points which elevated him to No. 34 on the combined ASP World Rankings which are headed by Taj Burrow (AUS) with SA’s Jordy Smith in the No. 2 spot.

Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) posted the next best result by a South African when he placed equal 25th after finishing third behind Logie and Jihad Khodr (BRA) in the Round of 48, collecting $1 500 and 578 points. Brandon Jackson (Durban North), Ricky Basnett (Bluff), Chad du Toit (Durban) and Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie) all placed equal 49th with 300 points and $300 while Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) and Umhlanga’s Beyrick de Vries and Kyle Lane were Round 1 casualties.

ASP World Rankings
(After event Saquarema Surf Pro International)
1 Burrow,Taj AUS 24125
2 Smith,Jordy ZAF 22191
3 Slater,Kelly USA 21750
4 Andre,Jadson BRA 20977
5 Hobgood,C.J. USA 19484

South Africans (in the top 200)
34 Logie,Travis ZAF 8057
43 Bryson,Royden ZAF 6723
71 Palmboom,Rudy ZAF 4163
78 Jackson,Brandon ZAF 3701
115 Weare,David ZAF 2334
172 Joubert,Shaun ZAF 1289
182 Fahrenfort,Damien ZAF 1141
190 Basnett,Ricky ZAF 1005

Meanwhile on the other side of the Atlantic, a strong contingent of South African girls overcame tough onshore conditions, 1 to 1.5 metre waves and a host of the world’s best female surfers in the Swatch Girls Pro at Hossegor on the Bay of Biscay coast of France.

ASP Women’s World Title Race campaigner Rosanne Hodge (East London) and Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) advanced through two rounds of competition to reach the last 12 where they were joined by Sarah Baum (Athlone Park), 16, who started in the Round of 60.

“The whole 25 minutes was just paddling and duck diving under waves so you have to find the ones which connect up to the inside section through to the beach. It is a really hard contest with all the girls surfing so well at the moment so I am stoked to get through to the next round,” Baum, 16, said after grabbing second spot behind ASP Women’s Star ratings leader Sally Fitzbgibbons (AUS) and ahead of Bethany Hamilton (HAW) and Sage Ericsson (USA) to move into the last 12.

All three ended up third in their respective heats to place equal 9th overall in the event with earnings of US $900 and 1 800 points. Chudleigh is now the highest ranked SA girls on the ASP Women’s Star Rankings, holding the No. 13 spot just ahead of Bianca Buitendag (George) who placed 19th in France.

Nikita Robb (East London) joined Buitendag in 19th place overall while Chantelle Rautenbach (Melkbosstrand) finished equal 37th. The event was won by three-time and reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) who beat Coco Ho (HAW) in the final.

ASP Women’s Star Ratings
(After Swatch Girls Pro)
1 Fitzgibbons,Sally AUS 7440
2 Wright,Tyler AUS 6240
3 Enever,Laura AUS 5760
4 Miley-Dyer,Jessi AUS 5640
5 Blanchard,Alana HAW 5280

South Africans
13 Chudleigh,Tarryn ZAF 4728
14 Buitendag,Bianca ZAF 4680
17 Hodge,Rosanne ZAF 4440
17 Robb,Nikita ZAF 4440
24 Baum,Sarah ZAF 4080
41 Rautenbach,Chantelle ZAF 3153
78 Zoetmulder,Faye ZAF 700

Baum was also in outstanding form in the Swatch Girls Pro Junior (U/20) event held at the same venue, defeating both the eventual winner, Courtney Conlogue (USA), and runner-up, Coco Ho, in the earlier rounds. Baum just missed out on reaching the four-person final to finish equal 5th overall. Buitendag and Rautenbach finished equal 17th with Chudleigh equal 25th.

Ends

 

Pictured: Travis Logie (Durban) throws a rooster-tail of spray as he cuts back on his way to third place in the Saquarema Pro in Brazil on the weekend
Photo: Daniel Smorigo / ASP South America

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP:
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Royden Bryson’s red hot surfing overcame the frigid water and air temperatures, including snow falls on Saturday, to win the O’Neill Cold Water Classic, 6-Star rated ASP World Tour event, at Thurso East in Scotland on Sunday.

The 27 year-old from Cape Town was in sensational form throughout the event, defeating former ASP WQS champion Nathaniel Curren (USA) in the quarters, Shaun Cansdell (AUS) in the semis and experienced former Dream Tour campaigner Yuri Sodre (BRA) in the final.

Bryson, who finished runner-up in the O’Neill Cold Water Classic in Cape Town last year, pocketed US $20 000 (approx. R150 000) and collected 3 000 precious ratings points which rocketed him up to No. 22 on the combined ASP World Rankings, the second highest South African behind Jordy Smith who is currently No. 3.

“I am just so excited to win,” Bryson said. “I feel like I’ve had a lot of close results recently and to actually get there and win again feels amazing.”

Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay), 17, was the next highest placed Saffa in Scotland, reaching the last 24 before being eliminated by Curren and Bryson for 17th place overall. Brandon Jackson (Durban North), David Weare (Durban) and Casey Grant (Scottburgh) all placed equal 25th.

2010 ASP World Rankings (After event No. 10 – O’Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland)

1 Burrow,Taj AUS 22375
2 Durbidge,Bede AUS 14433
3 Smith,Jordy ZAF 14199
4 Fanning,Mick AUS 14044
5 Slater,Kelly USA 13750

South Africans (Top 200)

22 Bryson,Royden ZAF 6517
76 Jackson,Brandon ZAF 2750
78 Palmboom,Rudy ZAF 2656
89 Logie,Travis ZAF 2253
132 Weare,David ZAF 1466
146 Joubert,Shaun ZAF 1194
178 Fahrenfort,Damien ZAF 775
189 Basnett,Ricky ZAF 705

+++++++++++++++++++++

Shaun Joubert takes Quiksilver Pro Junior title in Durban

Shaun Joubert took the early lead on the 2010 ASP Africa Pro Junior rankings when he literally flew to victory in the Grade 2 Quiksilver Pro Junior at North Beach in Durban over the Easter weekend.

The Southern Cape matriculant, who had been training in Hawaii and competing in Australia prior to returning to SA for the first event on the local series, clinched the title with a spectacular aerial manoeuvre to outpoint Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) in the final.

“It’s so great to win an event again,” said an elated Joubert on the podium. “To be honest one does get a bit despondent sometimes on the WQS (World Qualifying Series) because sometimes you travel so far and get knocked out early, so it’s really good to know that I can still win heats.”

Reigning ASP Africa Pro Junior champion Chad du Toit (Durban) and Matt Bromley (Kommetjie) ended equal third after losing out in the semis while Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), Devin Lane (Umhlanga), 15 year-old Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) and Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie) placed equal fifth following quarterfinal exits.

The next event on the schedule, the Grade 1 Billabong Pro Junior Dolphin Coast runs from Sunday to Tuesday, 25-27 April using a mobile venue format that will take the contest to the best waves available between Umhlanga and Ballito on each day.

+++++++++++++++++++++

SA girls clash in ASP Women’s World Tour event in Sydney

The Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic, Stop No. 4 of 10 on the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour, sees South Africa’s two representatives – Rosanne Hodge, 23, and Nikita Robb, 21, (both from East London) – matched up against each other in Round 1.

The SA pair also have second seed and former ASP Women’s World Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) in their opening heat where the top two advance directly to Round 3 while the third placed finisher has to contest Round 2.

Hodge, in her fourth year at the top level of women’s surfing, has started her 2010 campaign with three consecutive ninth place results and currently shares the No. 11 spot in the rankings, just outside the top 10 who automatically requalify at the end of the year.

Robb, in her rookie year, has posted a ninth and a pair of 17th place finishes and finds herself ranked equal 16th and in need of a good result to kick-start her campaign.

The Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic will run from April 21 through 26, 2010 on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia and will be webcast LIVE via www.beachleyclassic.com

+++++++++++++++++++++

Jordy and Travis head for stop No. 3 in ASP World Title Race in Brazil 

Durbanites Jordy Smith and Travis Logie, SA’s representatives in the 2010 ASP World Title Race, will be winging their way to Imbituba in Brazil for the Billabong Santa Catarina Pro, Stop No. 3 of 10, which runs from April 23 to 2 May.

Smith, 22, who is being touted as a possible ASP World Champion in his third year as a Dream Tour campaigner, currently occupies the No. 3 spot in the ASP World Title rankings after reaching his first final in the opening event on Australia’s Gold Coast and following that up with 5th place at Bells Beach.

Brimful of confidence thanks to victories over several of the world’s highest ranked surfers, Smith will be going all out to record his debut ASP World Title event victory in the Brazilian beach breaks.

Logie, who mounted a successful charge to requalify for the top tier last year, has suffered two equal 33rd place results and joins a group of six other competitors who are yet to win a heat this year and are ranked equal 39th.

The 30 year-old whose lightening fast surfing saw him spend four years at the highest level prior to an injury ridden 2008 season saw him drop out of the rankings, will be equally determined to equal or better his best result of 9th in Brazil and force his way into the top 32 before the Dream Tour is cut from 45 members after event No. 5 in Tahiti in August.

Ends

Pictured: Royden Bryson (Hout Bay, Cape Town) raises the highland sword event trophy after winning the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland. Photo courtesy O’Neill

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP:

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

 

Three South African surfers have advanced to the business end of the Burton Toyota Surfest in Newcastle, Australia, touted as the world’s biggest surfing event with more than 750 competitors.

Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) posted an impressive display to move into the semifinals of the Newcastle Women’s Open, a 1-Star rated ASP Women’s World Qualifying Series event, along with Chantelle Rautenbach (Melkbosstrand) while Brandon Jackson (Durban North) progressed to the last 16 in the Burton Toyota Pro, a 4-Star Men’s WQS event that was won by fellow Durbanite Travis Logie last year.

Chudleigh, 19, in her first WQS event of the year, conquered the messy one metre plus waves and onshore winds to rack up both the highest single ride score, 7.83 out of 10, and heat total, 13.33 out of 20, in the women’s event.

Rautenbach advanced in second place in the same heat while Faye Zoetmulder (Port Elizabeth) was eliminated in the previous round.

Jackson, also in his first WQS event of 2010 and the No. 12 seed, started his campaign in the Round of 32 of the Burton Toyota Pro with a comprehensive 13.0 to 10.54 man-on-man victory over New Zealand’s Billy Stairmand. Jackson will face Michael Spencer (AUS) in the Round of 16 when competition resumes.

Former Capetonian Damien Fahrenfort, who finished 17th in the previous WQS event in Australia in February and the No. 10 seed here, is up against another Australian in Darren O’Rafferty in Heat 12 of the Round of 32.

Earlier Chad du Toit’s outstanding run in the event came to an end in the Round of 48. The 19 year-old from the Berea in Durban has been the form surfer amongst the SA contingent in Australia, placing 3rd and 9th in highly competitive Pro Junior (U20) events last month and advancing through four rounds at Newcastle before being ousted in equal 33rd place with prize-money winnings of US $850.

Saffas Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie), Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) and Ricky Basnett (Bluff) were eliminated in earlier rounds.

The Newcastle Women’s Pro crowns the champion on Saturday and the Burton Toyota Pro ends on Sunday. All the action is webcast LIVE at http://www.aspaustralasia.com/live/2010/surfest/index.php starting at 11.30pm each evening.

++++++++++++++

Jordy Smith set to fly at Boost Mobile Surf Show this weekend

Jordy Smith put on a solid performance in the warm-up session for the Boost Mobile Surf Show at Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia earlier today (Friday). The 22 year-old Durbanite and current ASP No. 2 will surf all weekend in what is the first ASP event at this iconic surf beach in 22 years.

Smith will be up against the likes of reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), nine-time world champ Kelly Slater (USA), current ASP No. 1 Taj Burrow (AUS) and exciting talents such as Australians Owen Wright and Josh Kerr with a US $32 500 prize pool at stake.

Crowds of more than 20 000 are expected with the world’s best surfers set to put on an awesome display of futuristic surfing.

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: colin@aspafrica.com

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP:
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

 
Wednesday, December 10, 2009 – In a massive boost for women’s surfing in South Africa, both Nikita Robb and Rosanne Hodge have qualified for the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour giving the country two representatives at the highest level of women’s competition surfing for the first time since the two-tier system was introduced in 1992.

Hodge , 22, qualified for her fourth consecutive year on the Dream Tour when she finished No. 10 on the yearend ASP Women’s World Tour rankings after the completion of the Billabong Pro Maui in Hawaii yesterday. The East Londoner, ranked No. 9 going into the final event, spent an anxious 24 hours awaiting the outcome when she was eliminated in Round 3.

Rebecca Woods (AUS) overtook her in the ratings by advancing to the quarterfinals, but the balance of the lower ranked opponents were eliminated and Hodge clinched the last automatic re-qualification spot and a place amongst the world’s best competitive female surfers for yet another year.

Robb, 20, also from East London, has been waiting for confirmation of her spot among the elite of women’s surfing since the final event on the 2009 ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) in Ro de Janeiro in October. A fifth place in that event saw her jump to No. 9 on the yearend WQS rankings where the top six qualify for the top-tier World Tour.

However, three of the girls ranked in the WQS top six were also competing on the World Tour and could double-qualify if they stayed in the top 10 on the Dream Tour, with their WQS spots then going to the girls ranked Nos. 7, 8 and 9. Coco Ho (HAW) and Paige Hareb (NZL) were comfortably placed on the World Tour rankings and Robb’s fate lay in the performance of Rebecca Woods (AUS) in the final event.

Robb’s heart must have sunk into her heels when Woods was relegated to a cutthroat, sudden-death Round 2 heat after placing third in her opening match-up in Maui. And even more so when Woods appeared to be struggling in the Round 2 encounter. But Woods rallied and snatched second place by a miniscule 0.20 of a point and then went on to defeat former ASP World Champion Chelsea Hedges (AUS) in Round 3, cementing her No. 9 ranking and enabling Robb to take her place in the highest flight in 2010.

“I couldn’t be more stoked,” Robb said of her qualification. “I’ve had a really long time thinking about what will happen if I qualify or if I didn’t, but you can never really comprehend the happiness of when you get that phone call saying ‘Well done, you have just qualified for the 2010 WCT’.”

“Where too from here? Preparation, getting good boards, training and last but not least enjoying surfing and living my dream! It’s funny, at the start of the year I was working in gardens trying to get enough money to follow the WQS. Now, at the end of the year, I’ve achieved something I’ve wanted for so long. So I guess I’m really excited about next year and I have a feeling 2010 is going to be a good year for me.”

Robb becomes only the third South African female surfer to reach the highest echelons of the women’s world surfing after Heather Clark (Port Shepstone) and good friend and fellow East Londoner Rosanne Hodge. Next year will be her first outside the Pro Junior (U20) ranks where she secured a number of international event victories and accolades and a string of national titles.

2010 ASP Women’s World Tour Qualifiers

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Silvana Lima (BRA)
Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
Coco Ho (HAW)
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
Paige Hareb (NZL)
Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
Nikita Robb (ZAF)
ASP wildcard to be decided
For more on Nikita see www.nikitarobb.co.za

For more information on both of South Africa’s two highest rated female surfers see www.aspafrica.com

ends

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa

Contact:            Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel:                   021 534 5738
Email:               aspafrica@mweb.co.za

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications

PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP:

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Tuesday 8 December 2009 – South Africa’s Travis Logie has qualified for the 2010 ASP World Tour, professional surfing’s highest level of competition, after a gruelling campaign that saw him finish No. 13 in the yearend ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) rankings.

Logie, who spent four years amongst the world’s top 45 ranked surfers before dropping of the Dream Tour at the end of 2008, went into the final two WQS events in Hawaii ranked No. 11 and needing to advance through one heat to ensure his spot in the Top 15.

Elimination in his opening heats in both events left the 30-year-old Durbanite waiting on the sidelines as first Tanner Gudauskas (USA) and then Dusty Payne (HAW) overtook him. But the rest of his closest rivals were ousted in the subsequent rounds at Sunset Beach and Logie secured a well deserved place back at competitive surfing’s top table.

“I’m really stoked that all the hard work, training and travelling has paid off,” Logie said, shortly after arriving back in South Africa. “I’m really excited to be back on the tour for what will be my fifth year.”

Logie’s commitment to re-qualifying saw him compete in 21 of the 41 events on the 2009 WQS, the highest number by a South African and a total matched by only four of the nearly 1 000 other WQS members worldwide. He clinched a confidence-boosting victory in a 2-Star rated event in Australia early in the campaign before netting his biggest points haul in his home town when he placed 5th in the 6-Star Prime rated Quiksilver Pro Durban in April.

ASP World Tour title contenders Joel Parkinson and fellow Australian Mick Fanning along with Hawaiians Sunny Garcia and Dusty Payne fought out the final of the 6-Star rated O’Neill World Cup of Surfing in tricky 3 – 4 metre waves at Sunset Beach. Garcia, the 40-year-old veteran chasing a record 7th Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, opened his account with an incredible tube ride than earned him 9.47 points out of a possible 10 but could not find a second high scoring ride.

Parkinson clinched victory with rides of 7.0 and 6.17, matching Hawaiian legend Michael Ho’s record of three wins in the World Cup, and rocketed into the lead in the Triple Crown ratings, which he won last year. Garcia held on for second place in the event, which earned him a wildcard into the Billabong Pipeline Masters, with Fanning third and Payne a distant fourth.

Damien Fahrenfort posted the best results by a South African in the event, winning his opening encounter and then recording the highest heat total of Day 3, and the sixth highest total of the entire event – 16.27 out of 20 – before being ousted in the Round of 64.

Brandon Jackson went into the Hawaiian leg rated No. 15 on the WQS and in contention for an ASP World Tour spot. Like Logie, Jackson could not advance out of his first heats at Haleiwa and Sunset and dropped to No. 24 in the yearend rankings, which will give the 22-year-old from Durban North excellent seeding for the WQS contests in the first six months of 2010.

Royden Bryson (Cape Town) advanced through one heat at Haleiwa and none at Sunset to end the year ranked No. 36. Fahrenfort came in at No. 67 and Rudy Palmboom (Bluff), who won both his opening match-ups in Hawaii but was then eliminated in the Round of 96, closed his 2009 campaign rated No. 81.

Warwick Wright (Durban) was the highest ranked of the Saffas who did not compete in Hawaii at No. 81, followed by Antonio Bortoletto (Durban) at No. 87 and Daniel Redman (Umdloti) just outside the top 100 at No. 105

O’Neill World Cup of Surfing (Event No. 41 of 41)
Sunset Beach, Hawaii
Results:
Final:
1. Joel Parkinson (AUS) – $20,000 – 3,500 points
2. Sunny Garcia (HAW) – $10,000 – 3,063 points
3. Mick Fanning (AUS) – $5,100 – 2,625 points
4. Dusty Payne (HAW) – $4,900 – 2,494 points

ASP World Qualifying Series
2009 Yearend Rankings

1 Ross,Daniel AUS 15744
2 Gudauskas,Patrick USA 14876
3 Andre,Jadson BRA 14813
4 Melling,Adam AUS 14638
5 Wright,Owen AUS 14338
6 Munro,Luke AUS 13713
7 Thompson,Jay AUS 13638
8 Yeomans,Nathan USA 13419
9 Payne,Dusty HAW 13194
10 Simpson,Brett USA 13150
11 Wilkinson,Matt AUS 12850
12 Gudauskas,Tanner USA 12569
13 Logie,Travis ZAF 12344
14 Polo,Marco BRA 12331
15 Thornton,Blake AUS 12325

South Africans (in the top 150)

24 Jackson,Brandon ZAF 11431
36 Bryson,Royden ZAF 10213
67 Fahrenfort,Damien ZAF 8222
74 Palmboom,Rudy ZAF 7875
81 Wright,Warwick ZAF 7550
87 Bortoletto,Antonio ZAF 7101
105 Redman,Daniel ZAF 6451
125 Smith,Jordy ZAF 5644
130 Basnett,Ricky ZAF 5551
147 Richards,David ZAF 5246

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Billabong Pipeline Masters
Stop No. 10 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour
Pipeline, Oahu/Hawaii
December 8 – 20, 2009

Fanning and Parkinson face off at Pipeline for 2009 ASP World Title

After nine events on the 2009 ASP Dream Tour, the race for the ASP World Title will culminate in a showdown between two lifelong friends at the final event of the season, the Billabong Pipeline Masters, which will also decide the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, from December 8 – 20, 2009.

Mick Fanning, 28, former ASP World Champion (2007) and current ASP World No. 1, will face Gold Coast stable mate and current ASP World No. 2, Joel Parkinson, 28, in the hunt for the 2009 ASP World Title as the two battle a minefield of the world’s best surfers and Pipe specialists at the Billabong Pipeline Masters.

While the rest of the Top 45 fight for ratings points and prize-money and the 16 Pipeline specialists battle for prestige, only Fanning and Parkinson can win the 2009 ASP World title, with Parko having to finish two places ahead to overtake the current No. 1.

Jordy Smith, the current ASP No. 10, has been seeded into Round 3 of the event and will be going all-out to improve his yearend ranking. A top 8 finish in the ratings will see the 21-year-old Durbanite guaranteed of preferential seeding for the entire 2010 season while a top 5 place will earn significant performance bonuses from his sponsors.

Greg Emslie, rated No. 31 and just 137 points shy of the No. 27 spot that will automatically qualify for the 2010 Dream Tour, starts in Round 2. The East London based veteran campaigner needs to advance to Round 3 to have any chance of an incredible 10th year in the top fight, while progressing to the last 16 will probably ensure him of a spot.

David Weare occupies the No. 41 position and still has a mathematical chance of requalifying. But the Durbanite starts in Round 1 against Pipe standout Hank Gaskell, who won the Xcel Pro at Sunset Beach last month, and Weare faces the daunting task of having to place first or second at Pipeline to move into the Top 27 in the rankings.

All the action from the Billabong Pipeline Masters can be followed live at www.billabongpro.com starting at 8pm (SA time) daily.

The massive swell currently pounding the North Shore of Oahu has scoured all the sand off the Pipeline Reef which should produce epic waves for the event. While the waiting period starts today and runs until 20 December, it is unlikely that the event will get underway before the swell starts to drop on Thursday.

See www.aspafrica.com for more details on the Billabong Pipeline Masters, including the draw for the first three rounds.

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Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines
Stop No. 7 of 7 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour
Honolua Bay, Maui/Hawaii
December 8 – 20, 2009

Rosanne Hodge in contention to requalify for 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour

The Billabong Pro Maui presented by Hawaiian Airlines will kick off the event’s 13 day waiting period tomorrow and the globe’s finest 17 competitive female surfers will take on Maui’s famed righthand pointbreak of Honolua Bay to do battle for the Vans Triple Crown title as well as the valuable ratings points towards requalification for the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour.

Stephanie Gilmore (Australia) has already clinched an unprecedented third straight ASP Women’s World Title in just her third year on the tour and Hawaiian teenager Alana Blanchard leads the Triple Crown ratings.

South African eyes will be focused on Rosanne Hodge, 22, from East London who is currently ranked No. 9 and needs to finish in the Top 10 on the yearend leaderboard to requalify for a fourth successive year on the ASP Women’s World Tour.

Hodge has finished third and fifth in her last two years in this event and needs to stave off the challenge of the eight girls currently ranked behind her to remain at the highest level of women’s surfing.

Attention will also be on the performances of Coco Ho (HAW), Paige Hareb (NZL) and Rebecca Woods (AUS). If that trio all end in the Top 10 in the yearend rankings, then South Africa’s Nikita Robb, who finished the year ranked No. 9 of the Women’s WQS, will qualify for her first year on the ASP Women’s World Tour, potentially giving SA two representatives on the Women’s Dream Tour for the first time since it was introduced in 1992.

All the action can be followed live at www.billabongpro.com/maui09/ and the waiting period runs from today until 20 December.

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Quiksilver Eddie Aikau set to run as MAMMOTH waves hit Hawaii

The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau, fueled by Monster Energy, the only big wave contest to be sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), is set to run at Waimea Bay in Hawaii today as mammoth waves in the 8-13 metre range (25-40 foot) batter the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii.

Featuring 28 selected invitees, including South Africa’s Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker, and 26 alternates, all drawn from amongst the world’s best big wave chargers, the ‘Eddie’ honours the memory of legendary Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard Eddie Aikau.

The event is on standby to start at 7pm (SA time) tonight and further details, including a live webcast of the action, profiles of the athletes, history of the event and much more can be found at http://live.quiksilver.com/2009/eddie/

Ends

Photo courtesy Quiksilver

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: aspafrica@mweb.co.za

Compiled & Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
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Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP:
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.