Official ASP News
TIAGO PIRES (Prt) AND JEREMY FLORES (Fra) ON FIRE IN DURBAN!
The ASP 6 Star World Qualifying Series (WQS) Mr Price Pro was much awaited as a turning point in the year for the european contingent. With more of our representatives than ever in the top 25 before the event, all eyes were focused on one of South Africa’s biggest event where the elite WQS campaigners faced some of the Foster’s ASP World Tour competitors as former world champion CJ Hobgood (Usa).
After leading the ratings for months before letting go his first spot to southafrican wonderkid Jordy Smith (Zaf) in June, Tiago Pires was again ready to face the best and get on with his race towards qualification for the 2008 Foster’s ASP World Tour. After a final in Australia in March and several semifinals and quarterfinals, the portuguese surfer has been dominating the sport since the beginning of the year in Brazil, and is almost guaranteed to reach what has been his only target for the past five years, the elite top 45 that battles all year long around the world at the best surf locations including Tahiti, Fidji, Australia or Europe. By reaching the semifinals in South Africa last week, Pires has passed the 10 000 pts total on the WQS ratings’ race and seems unstopable so far.
The only one to stop Pires on his path to glory last week was his younger friend and currently #12 on the Foster’s ASP World Tour, Jérémy Flores. After achieving what no european had ever done before him when he reached the quarterfinals in Tahiti, beating Mr Slater on his way in round 4, Flores hadn’t surfed any main WQS events with such focus and confidence. With his progressive surfing and amazing competitive talent, the 19-year-old star was the only one to stop Pires in the semifinals, in a close heat where they finished with a 0.2 pts difference, offering some great action to the crowd. Rookie on the Foster’s ASP World Tour, 2006 WQS world champion, 2005 ASP Europe Junior champion... Flores has definitely opened a path to glory and remains focused and openminded to everything he can learn for his professional career.
Looking at the rest of our “Euroforce” surfers, Patrick Beven (Fra) was another outstanding performer in South Africa when the french man reached the quarterfinals, losing to Pires, but securing an efficient jump in the ratings, going from 27th to 22nd thanks to this result. Beven has been on a quest for the top 45 for years now and remains fit and sharp to soon reach his goal; however, with a big number of events and an increasing level, the brazilian-born 28-year-old surfer will have to regroup and take the best out of the european WQS events next August, where he can definitely achieve great things.
European surfing seems to keep its leading pack ready to turn the hierarchy upside down as we are moving towards the biggest leg in the world. Europe will host four main events in August, and being at home, we can hope for our europeans to give their crowd some great surprises, why not victories on their homeland? Keep an eye on it...
Europeans’ current WQS places after Mr Price Pro 6 Star WQS event:
1st Tiago Pires (Prt) 10850 pts, needs to better 825 pts
14th Miky Picon (Fra) 8075 pts, needs to better 825 pts
15th Aritz Aranburu (Euk) 7707 pts, needs to better 750 pts
19th Eneko Acero (Euk) 7513 pts, needs to better 675 pts
21st Michel Bourez (Pyf) 7439 pts, needs to better 625 pts
22nd Patrick Beven (Fra) 7419 pts, needs to better 675 pts
24th Tim Boal (Fra) 7319 pts, needs to better 625 pts
For any press request please contact greg@aspeurope.com <mailto:greg@aspeurope.com>
All high quality digital pics, results and press release at www.aspeurope.com <http://www.aspeurope.com/>
Register on our NEW MEDIA CENTER and get copyright free high quality pics!
Check our new space at www.myspace.com/europrosurftour <http://www.myspace.com/europrosurftour> !
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 Foster’s 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.
powered by REVOLT MAGAZINE