Mick Fanning (AUS) getting his fins free at last year’s Breaka Burleigh Pro. Pic ASP/Robertson.
COOLANGATTA, QLD/Australia (Tuesday, January 15, 2013) – On the 3rd of February the world’s best surfers will descend on the iconic pointbreak at Burleigh Heads for the 2013 edition of the Breaka Burleigh Pro. This year will see the event add a women’s ASP 6-Star division for the first time, extending the event window and attracting the majority of the elite Top 17 Women’s WCT surfers. The men’s ASP 4-Star event will continue the tradition of attracting some of the world’s biggest surfing stars with the likes of two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) and reigning Breaka Burleigh Pro champion Julian Wilson (AUS) confirming their attendance at this year’s event.
Mick Fanning, last year’s ASP world number 3 was the standout surfer at this event in 2012, but fell just short to Julian Wilson in the Final. Fanning will be the one to watch this year as a crop of the world’s best surfers light up Burleigh Heads at the first ASP event in Australia for 2013.
“It’s always fun to compete around home,” Fanning said. “Burleigh is a great wave, so hopefully we get the swell. I surfed a lot over the Christmas and New Years break and have a whole lot of boards that I’m excited to ride. So that’s pretty much it, I’m just excited to surf.”
Pauline Ado (FRA), current ASP Women’s World Championship Tour campaigner is thrilled at the opportunity to kick off her 2012 competitive campaign at the 2013 Breaka Burleigh Pro. As this is the inaugural year of the women’s division, there is a stacked field of surfers eager to etch their name on the winner’s trophy first.
“This long break has been very good to me,” Ado said. “I’ve been travelling with friends, spending some time home with my family and training for the upcoming season. I feel refuelled and I can’t wait to be in Australia to start the season, see everyone again and see where everyone is at. I’m pretty excited. Last year I remember being nervous for the first heat of the year, but I feel like the excitement will be stronger this time! I think a lot of the WCT girls have entered the event, so it will be the perfect warm up.”
Thomas Woods (AUS), who finished a promising Pro Junior career last year, will be spending all of 2013 travelling the world chasing qualification points on the ASP World Tour starting with the Breaka Burleigh Pro at his home break.
“The Pro Junior events were great to learn to surf man-on-man heats,” Woods said. “But the Star events are so much harder. Everyone is so hungry to win and guys will sit on you for a whole heat sometimes. I’m feeling good though and ready for 2013. I love surfing Burleigh, I surf boardrider’s comps there all the time so hopefully that gives me an advantage.”
The Breaka Burleigh Pro is proudly supported by Breaka Flavoured Milk, Events Queensland, Surfing Queensland, ASP Australasia, Channel 7, Southern Cross Austerio (B105 & Sea FM), Ooh!, Surfing Life Magazine, GCCC, XXXX Summer Bright Lager, JR Surfboards, Scoot Airlines and 5 and a half Sunglasses.
