ZARAUTZ, Basque Country – Spain (Thursday, August 30, 2012) - Conditions improved today for the third Day of the San Miguel Pro Zarautz pres. by Euskaltel, with clean 3-4Ft waves and bigger sets on offer. The second round of competition was completed today with the Top Seeds entering the show and demonstrating high-performance surfing in great conditions.
Joan Duru (FRA) 23, launched his San Miguel Pro campaign in Heat 3 this morning with an incredible combined heat total of 18.00 out of 20 earned on two long-running waves he surfed to perfection. The young Frenchman managed to find the longest rides, offering potential for a couple of big outside manoeuvers before reforming on the inside with a steeper section.
“It was pretty fun this morning,” Duru stated. “I thought it would be harder but there were a lot of waves out the back and everybody got some. I caught one in the middle when paddling back out and I did a couple turns outside and it reformed really well, that inside section was perfect to throw a big air.”
Following an incredible performance in Jeffrey’s Bay (South-Africa) last month that saw Duru place second in pumping surf on the classic righthander pointbreak, the South-West of France resident struggled to confirm in smaller conditions on the European leg and will be looking to make a few more heats when competition resumes.
“I already have two good results and I’m out trying to reach for another one, I’m trying to perform and climb up the European rankings as well so yeah I’m focused on going far in this event. I’ve been coming here to compete since I was like 15 or 16 years old so I know the spot pretty well and I think this wave suits me and it’s close to home too.”
Filipe Toledo (BRA) 17, put an end to today’s action with a bang in Heat 24, posting two excellent 8.33 and netting the second highest combined heat total of the event. The inform Brazilian coming from a Win in Lacanau and a second place in Florida last week definitely warned everyone today that he’s in Zarautz to go all the way !
“It was stormy and difficult, but I had two really good scores, I surfed relaxed and I’m happy to move into the next round ! I’m feeling confident and happy with my latest results, I’ll try my best here again to get the points and qualify !”
Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 24, later in the day equalled Duru’s highest score of 9.17 on a nice looking righthander. Lethal on his forehand, the Hawaiian destroyed the wave with an oldschool touch sticking to the face of the wave and preferring an extremely radical turn to finish it off instead of taking it to the air.
“My 9.17 was just a really good wave, it was kind of mushy at the beginning so I had to fade it, and I just did one carve and then another one, and then there was a really good section ahead of me and I just kind of drew my bottom turn really long and just layed into a big layback. 9.17 I’m stoked ! I suppose the judges have seen so many airs this year, on the Star tour everyone seems to have them down, so I’m glad to see that powersurfing is scoring as well !”
Sitting in 26th position on the ASP World Rankings coming in to the San Miguel Pro Zarautz pres. by Euskaltel, Zietz finds himself in the perfect spot to potentially qualify for next year’s World Championship Tour, needing only a couple more good events to replace his lowest results and solidify his position.
“I don’t really look at that, I’m taking things heat by heat and trying to live in the moment.” Zietz said. “I usually don’t even know who’s in my next heat, I’m just going out there and try to be happy ! My season has been super fun, I’m focused on just having fun, probably the only training I do is some stretching, making sure I’m really flexible before my heats, but besides that it’s all about having fun with my friends !”
Caio Ibelli (BRA) 18, won his second heat in Zarautz today moving into the Round of 48, netting the fourth highest score of the event so far, an 8.67 out of 10 for a combination of manoeuvers from the outside all the way into the shorebreak.
“It’s windy and rainy, but it’s picked up a little bit and there are fun walls sometimes !” Ibelli said. “It’s pretty hard with the low tide to figure out which wave is going to be good and open, so you just got to be relaxed out there and try to find the best ones. Thankfully I got my first one early that’s what helped me a lot.”
Despite his convincing performance on Day 1, Ibelli confided being hesitant with a borrowed equipment, and looked a lot more confident coming in from the water, after finally receiving his missing quiver on the flight to the Basque Country.
“Finally I got my boards back yesterday and now I feel much better, just to know the equipment you’re surfing with is so much better, I’m super happy right now. I’m taking it heat by heat, so basically I’m just trying to perform well in each one and I hope to go far in this event. ”
Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 23, current resident of the elite ASP World Championship Tour, flew from Tahiti to Zarautz and managed to acclimate to the Basque conditions quickly, winning his first heat in the San Miguel Pro Zarautz and advancing through to the Round of 48. The talented goofy-footer from the central coast of Australia will be one to watch when the event re-starts tomorrow.
“It was a bit slow, and really flat out there,” Wilkinson said. “You catch waves for 200m and you don’t really get a section sometimes, it’s tricky so I’m glad I got through that one. I’ve had a slow start on the CT but there’s still five events to go, and I’ve had a win in a Prime this year, but I know if I want to use points from the Star tour I got to use five events so I’m out looking for another couple of good backups just in case !”
Conditions are looking similar for tomorrow and the schedule should see two rounds completed if the waves allow for another big day tomorrow, deciding the Round of 16 that will have surfers compete in a man-on-man format. The next call is set to 8:30am tomorrow.
The ASP 6-Star San Miguel Pro Zarautz presented by Euskaltel is scheduled from August 28 – September 2, 2012 in Zarautz, Basque Country – SPAIN. For all results, photos, video highlights, press releases log on to zarautz.aspeurope.com.
The San Miguel Pro Zarautz pres. by Euskaltel is made possible with the support of the following event partners: Euskaltel, Turismo Zarautz, Gipuzkoa, Euskadi, Coca-Cola, New Era, Gutizi, Haker, Le Diario Vasco, Surflimit, Lamono, Kutxa, GSF, EHSF, Alaia, Doblehilo, Bar Pagoeta, Iturrieta Berri, 3Sesenta, Margruesa.com amongst others.
UPCOMING SAN MIGUEL PRO ZARAUTZ ROUND OF 48 MATCHUPS:
Heat 1: Glenn Hall (IRL), Ricardo Ferreira (BRA), Alexandre Chacon (BRA), Jano Belo (BRA) Heat 2: Thomas Woods (AUS), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Joan Duru (FRA), Caio Ibelli (BRA) Heat 3: Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Matt Pagan (USA), Nathan Hedge (AUS), Luke Davis (USA) Heat 4: Cory Arrambide (USA), Evan Geiselman (USA), Hizunome Bettero (BRA), Ruda Carvalho (BRA) Heat 5: Shaun Joubert (ZAF), Marc Lacomare (FRA), Leandro Usuna (ARG), Maxime Huscenot (FRA) Heat 6: Messias Felix (BRA), Jack Freestone (AUS), Guillermo Satt (CHL), Sebastien Zietz (HAW) Heat 7: Marlon Lipke (DEU), Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY), Tomas Hermes (BRA), Marcelo Rodriguez (ARG) Heat 8: Ty Watson (AUS), Matt Banting (AUS), Haley Batista (BRA), Marco Fernandez (BRA) Heat 9: Vincent Duvignac (FRA), Dion Atkinson (AUS), Manuel Selman (CHL), William Cardoso (BRA) Heat 10: Nathan Yeomans (USA), Perth Standlick (AUS), Ricardo Christie (NZL), Luel Felipe (BRA) Heat 11: Carlos Munoz (CRI), Frederico Morais (PRT), Simao Romao (BRA), Norman Landa (EUK) Heat 12: Beyrick De Vries (ZAF), Keanu Asing (HAW), Jay Thompson (AUS), Filipe Toledo (BRA)
SAN MIGUEL PRO ZARAUTZ ROUND OF 96 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Glenn Hall (IRL) 12.40, Thomas Woods (AUS) 9.93, Daniel Karren (AUS) 7.74, Ander Ugarte (EUK) 5.67 Heat 2: Ricardo Ferreira (BRA) 14.33, Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 13.53, Billy Stairmand (NZL) 8.60, Lincoln Taylor (AUS) 8.53 Heat 3: Joan Duru (FRA) 18.00, Alexandre Chacon (BRA) 10.40, Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 10.33, Hugo Dubosc (REU) 8.66 Heat 4: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 14.60, Jano Belo (BRA) 13.90, Soli Bailey (AUS) 11.50, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 9.93 Heat 5: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.43, Cory Arrambide (USA) 12.30, Davey Cathels (AUS) 11.90, Bernardo Miranda (BRA) 9.83 Heat 6: Matt Pagan (USA) 11.97, Evan Geiselman (USA) 11.40, Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 10.04, Jerome Forrest (AUS) 5.80 Heat 7: Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 13.20, Nathan Hedge (AUS) 12.80, Teale Vanner (AUS) 11.50, Andre Silva (BRA) 7.34 Heat 8: Ruda Carvalho (BRA) 14.43, Luke Davis (USA) 14.30, Garrett Parkes (AUS) 13.10, Granger Larsen (HAW) 9.00 Heat 9: Shaun Joubert ZAF) 12.60, Messias Felix (BRA) 10.53, Brian Toth (PRI) 10.50, Txaber Trojaola (EUK) 7.03 Heat 10: Marc Lacomare (FRA) 13.24, Jack Freestone (AUS) 10.90, Jeffrey Lukasik (USA) 10.54, Vicente Romero (ESP) 8.64 Heat 11: Guillermo Satt (CHL) 11.76, Leandro Usuna (ARG) 11.04, Thiago Camarao (BRA) 10.63, Mitch Crews (AUS) 6.00 Heat 12: Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 15.67, Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 14.93, Leonardo Neves (BRA) 9.96, Teppei Tajima (JPN) 9.24 Heat 13: Marlon Lipke (DEU) 11.83, Ty Watson (AUS) 11.27, Medi Veminardi (REU) 8.43, Nat Young (USA) 8.23 Heat 14: Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY) 14.53, Matt Banting (AUS) 13.60, Alan Jhones (BRA) 11.30, Magnum Martinez (USA) 8.20 Heat 15: Haley Batista (BRA) 13.16, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 12.60, Dale Staples (ZAF) 8.33, Adrien Valero (FRA) 5.23 Heat 16: Marco Fernandez (BRA) 14.84, Marcelo Rodriguez (ARG) 11.23, Jean Da Silva (BRA) 10.60, Yuri Sodre (BRA) 9.33 Heat 17: Vincent Duvignac (FRA) 13.77, Nathan Yeomans (USA) 11.87, Santiago Muniz (ARG) 9.76, Rafael Pereira (VEN) 7.53 Heat 18: Dion Atkinson (AUS) 12.80, Perth Standlick (AUS) 11.83, Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 10.53, Alan Donato (BRA) 7.42 Heat 19: Ricardo Christie (NZL) 14.66, Manuel Selman (CHL) 11.36, Romain Cloitre (FRA) 11.10, Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 8.57 Heat 20: Luel Felipe (BRA) 14.40, William Cardoso (BRA) 13.47, Lucas Santamaria (ARG) 9.17, Adrien Toyon (FRA) 5.00 Heat 21: Carlos Munoz (CRI) 14.13, Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 11.67, Flavio Nakagima (BRA) 10.57, Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 9.80 Heat 22: Keanu Asing (HAW), Hodei Collazo (EUK), Frederico Morais (PRT), Jordin Watson (AUS) Heat 23: Jay Thompson (AUS) 13.83, Simao Romao (BRA) 10.67, Stu Kennedy (AUS) 9.94, Sidney Guimaraes (BRA) 5.77 Heat 24: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.66, Norman Landa (EUK) 10.30, Imanol Yeregi (EUK) 9.00, Cahill Bell-Warren (AUS) 8.27
