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Back to The ESTORIL COAST PRO PORTUGAL Contest...
PRO SURFING • ESTORIL COAST PRO SURFING LEAD BY TOP SEEDS ON DAY 1
Pro Surfing Cascais, Estoril Portugal: (Friday, Nov. 2, 2007) – The last event of the European Pro Surf Tour got underway today in soft but clean 2 to 3 ft waves, the flat conditions in Carcavelos forcing organisers to set the back-up contest site in Guincho. Situated north to Carcavelos and well exposed to North and North-West swells, the beautiful beach of Guincho allowed the Estoril Coast Pro to run sixteen heats today, giving their start to all 64 surfers of the event.
Fresh from his best result ever in the Santa Pro 6 Star Prime WQS, Justin Mujica (PRT) seemed in top form when he dominated heat 12 posting the best result for the day with 17.83 points. Coming back from an injury, Mujica is on a good roll and the former European Pro Surf Tour champion will be a favourite when competition resumes.
Currently WQS #12 and on his way to a re-qualification for next year’s Foster’s ASP World Tour, Miky Picon (FRA) opened the show at 9.30 AM, still suffering from a back injury he got in Lanzarote. Looking better however and coming straight from Brazil, Picon marked this first day of action posting a two-wave combined score of 16.67 points to reach round 2.
“I feel better with my back and I hope I can keep going to finish the year the best way possible here in Europe. It’s good to have a new event in the European Pro Surf Tour and normally they always get good waves at this time of the year,” said Picon.
Top European Pro Surf Tour surfer and excellent performer this year with two victories in the Rip Curl Pro Peniche 1 Star WQS and the Movistar Pantin Classic 4 Star WQS, Marlon Lipke (DEU) managed to surf the small waves on offer with great speed and power, securing both third highest wave and heat scores of the day with respectively 8.53 out of possible 10 and 16.36 points to win heat 4.
Marlon Lipke Surfing Photo Estoril Coast Pro Guincho Portugal. Photo Credit ASP Tostee
Coming straight from Brazil and his recent equal 5th place in the Onbongo 6 Star WQS event, current European Pro Surf Tour leader Aritz Aranburu (EUK) had a low scoring result but eventually managed to get through his starter finishing second behind ASP Europe veteran Pablo Solar (ESP). Close to his first ever Foster’s ASP World Tour qualification with his current WQS 9th place, the dynamic 22-year-old surfer dominated the European Pro Surf Tour this year and seems on track to his first regional title.
“I’m glad with this result in Brazil because it was the moment to secure a big one to keep my chances alive. I feel very relaxed but nontheless focused so if I can secure the European Pro Surf Tour title, it will be another great step for me.”
Asked about the pressure growing with the last events of the year coming up, Aranburu answered. “It’s different to be this close to the WCT; lots of requests from the media, but I don’t make any math and I just want to enjoy myself and keep doing good. No math will help me during a heat so I hope to make it and will try my best.”
Eneko Acero (EUK) and Tim Boal (FRA) were two other standouts today, both posting solid heat results to advance to round 2 and make sure they remain in reach of the Estoril Coast Pro 3 Star WQS first edition crown. Both at ease in the tricky waves, Acero managed to secure an 8 pts ride on his last wave while Boal found a good 7.73 score to qualify with a two wave combined score of 14.90 points.
Tim Boal Surfing Photo Estoril Coast Pro Guincho Portugal. Photo Credit ASP Tostee
With a difficult forecast for saturday, contest director Antonio Pedro was glad to wrap up the first sixteen heats of the event and keep the option of finishing the remaining fifteen battles for sunday if the flat forecast remains for tomorrw. “We are bot lucky with the swell... Usually this time of the year guarantees good consistent swells but we’ll have to deal with it and this first day was a good one for competition still.”
The Estoril Coast Pro surfers will meet tomorrow Saturday, November 3rd in Guincho at 9 AM for round 2. With thirty-two surfers still in the event to try and clinch the winner’s US$ 7 000 prize, and Aritz Aranburu (EUK) about to definitely secure his first ever European Pro Surf Tour crown, the level will rise fast towards sunday’s showdown of the year!
MORE SURFING PHOTOS ESTRORIL COAST PRO PORTUGAL SURF CONTEST FROM DAY 1
ASSOCIATION OF SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) MEDIA
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APS WCT Tour 2010 Schedule
Mens's Division
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Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
Feb 27-Mar 10, Gold Coast Qld-Australia
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Rip Curl Pro Bells
March 30 -April 10, Bells Beach Victoria-Australia
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Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro
April 23-May 2, Santa Catarina
Brazil
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Billabong Pro J-Bay
Jly 15-25, Jeffreys Bay
South Africa
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Billabong Pro Teahupoo
Aug 23 - Sept 3, Teahupoo
Taiarapu-Tahiti
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Hurley Pro Trestles
Sep 12-21, Trestles
California-USA
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Quiksilver Pro France
Sep 25-Oct 5, South West Coast
France
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Rip Curl Pro
Oct 7-18, Peniche, Portugal
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Rip Curl Pro Search
Oct 30-Nov. 10 - Somewhere?
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Billabong Pipeline Masters
Dec 8-20, Banzai Pipeline
Oahu-Hawaii
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Women's Division
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Roxy Pro Gold Coast
Feb 27-Mar 10, Gold Coast,
Queensland, Australia
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Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells
Mar 30-April 10, Bells Beach
Victoria, Australia
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TSB Bank Women's Surf Festival
Apr 11-16
Taranaki – New Zealand
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Commonwealth Bank Beachly Classic
Apr 21-26, Dee Why,Northern Beaches, NSW-Australia
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Movistar Peru Classic presented by Rip Curl
June 8-13, Lobitos-Peru
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Rip Curl Pro
Oct 7-11, Peniche-Portugal
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Rip Curl Search
Oct 30-Nov 4, Somewhere
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Gidget Pro
Nov 24-Dec 6, Sunset Beach
Oahu, Hawaii
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Billabong Pro Maui
Dec 8-20 Honolua Bay,
Maui, Hawaii
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