PRAIA DE CARCAVELOS, Cascais – Portugal (Monday, September 17, 2012) – The ASP Europe 6-Star EDP Surf Pro Estoril 2012 presented by Billabong starts on Friday, September 21 at the iconic Praia de Carcavelos in Cascais, Portugal. Event number three of four European 6-Star Women, the EDP Surf Pro Estoril comes as a crucial second-to-last chance for hopeful qualifiers for the 2013 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour.
Following the recent Galician event that shook up the World Rankings, Estoril offers a new opportunity to some of the World’s Best women competitors to battle it out for important points and a share of the $40,000 prize-purse on the line. Moving its waiting period to the end of September, the EDP Surf Pro Estoril promisses another great three days of action in Portugal.
“The Estoril event this year is looking like it’s going to be one of the all-time best events, with the organizers deciding to move from June back to September in the hope of getting better swell for the event.” Rob Gunning, ASP Europe’s Tour Manager stated. “The setup in Carcavelos is looking to be really good and the girls will be treated excellently, hopefully the waves will come to play their part!”
With the early autumn season bringing regular groundswells along the shores of mainland Europe, chances are that once again the girls step up their game and deliver the best performances they are capable of. In the idyllic backdrop of Praia de Carcavelos, sixty competitors including six WCT competitors and several tour hopefuls for next year are awaiting this already classic Portuguese stop on the European schedule.
“Carcavelos is an excellent beachbreak,” Gunning said. “When it’s on it is a world class wave for sure. The girls surfed there a few years ago in pumping surf with lots of barrels, it’s definitely a quality wave for the girls in the race for qualification and will test them to the max ! It’s a hollow peak, and if the winds are right and the swell has the good direction we’re all set for a spectacular show !”
European women surfers will once again have the opportunity to surf against the most talented riders from all-over the world. Rocksisters, organizing company of sisters Joana and Rita Rocha, has always shown a strong desire to push the Portuguese athletes and develop the women surfing community with an objective to see their first ever Portuguese qualifier on the WCT in the coming years. Joana Rocha, Francisca Santos, Carina Duarte, Maria Abecasis, Keshia Eyre and Camilla Kemp will represent the host country. But it will be the French in Estoril who will have the most to gain when the EDP Surf Pro Estoril starts on Friday.
“At the moment we have two Europeans in the Top 6 qualifiers for next year’s World Championship Tour and this leg of events, which Estoril is second of three, will be crucial for these girls to solidify their position. Alizé Arnaud is fresh off a great result, a second place in Pantin along with Pauline who finished in the quarters, so hopefully they can get one step closer to the 2013 WCT.”
The ASP 6-Star EDP Surf Pro Estoril presented by Billabong will run from September 21-23 at Praia de Carcavelow, Cascais – Portugal. For all results, photos, video highlights, press releases and LIVE webcast, log on to estoril.aspeurope.com.
The EDP Surf Pro Estoril 2012 presented by Billabong is made possible with the support of the following event sponsors: Tourism of Portugal, Estoril, Cascais City Hall, EDP, Billabong and Kia Motors; supported by MEO, CP, Ericeira Surf Shop, Paez, Santini, Vimeiro Waters, XCult, Sintra Gardens, CRCQL, Surf Academy and Surfsolutions; with the following media partners: Sic Radical, Mega Hits, Metro newspaper, Lux Woman, Sport Life, Up Magazine, That’s It, Surftotal, ONFIRE, Puro Feeling, Análise Global and Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Europe.
