Hiroto Arai (JPN) leading the charge on Day 2 in Galacia.
PLAYA DE PANTIN, Galicia – Spain (Wednesday, August 28, 2013) - Galicia delivered smaller conditions on the second day of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 3-Star Pantin Classic Galicia Pro which allowed the completion of 12 heats of the men’s third round. The 6-Star women’s event, last deciding stop on the ASP schedule, did not enter the top seeds round today and will wait for conditions to improve before resuming.
Hiroto Arai (JPN) 18, lit up the third round of competition in Pantin today, posting a combination of high scores for an impressive total of 16.10 out of 20, one of the highest of the event so far. Leader of the Japanese assault in Pantin, Arai is one of four Japanese surfers that remain in contention.
“That was a good heat, waves are a bit small but that left is super fun,” Arai said. “I got a couple good scores so I’m pretty happy! I’m training on explosiveness and it’s paying off in small conditions. It’s my first time here and I really like it! It’s a bit like what I surf at home in Japan so I feel good here.”
Following closely in Arai’s footsteps was Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 16, recent fifth place finisher in Virginia Beach, who flew straight from the USA to land in the unknown territory of Galicia. The young surfer exploited the tiny Pantin peaks perfectly and moves on to the round of 32.
“It was fun, The cold water and kind of fat waves made it pretty tough but I managed to find a couple sweet ones and I’m stoked,” Ohhara said. “I came from Virginia with three other guys from Japan, it’s excellent we’re all hanging out together and we’re able to speak together, it actually feels like home more than overseas. I need the points so I’m hoping to get to the semis hopefully, that’s the goal I’ve set in this event.”
Charly Quivront (FRA) 17, top European junior surfer, stepped his game up in Pantin to match the standards of Star-tour campaigners and profited from the small conditions on offer to express his dynamic surfing. The young Frenchman seized the opportunity to surf amongst a different crowd to test his skills and was surprised of the result.
“No pressure, I’m super relaxed and I was just cruising with everybody before my heat,” Quivront stated. “I’m not here for the rankings, I want to gain experience, have fun and it’s great to see new faces from all over the world. I’ve caught a couple waves, it’s been fun but water’s cold! I even had to borrow a wetsuit from my mate Angelo.”
Joan Duru (FRA) 24, runner-up at the Pantin Classic Galicia Pro last year and current European No.5 continued to perform today in Pantin, scoring in the excellent range again. The powerful goofy-footer managed to produce speed in the knee high surf to showcase his radical backhand surfing.
“I didn’t play the patience game today, I tried to be active right from the start and build from there,” Duru explained. “I felt good in the previous event in Lacanau and I had a very tough heat where the guys outsurfed me, but I’m pretty confident and I’ve come here to try to win the event, go one better from last year!”
Marlon Lipke (PRT) 29, defending event champion at the Pantin Classic Galicia Pro, will try to make sure the Galician crown stays on his side for the second consecutive year. Lipke had a great start to his campaign here advancing through the first two rounds easily and will use his local knowledge to continue his dominant streak when competition resumes.
“Like most guys I’m taking the opportunity here to warm up for the Azores, but for sure I’d love to win again, my sponsor’s from here too.” Lipke said. “I feel relaxed though, I want to surf and try my equipment, that’s why I chose to sit on a different peak, there was no hassling involved. Portuguese and people from Galicia are very close and I always have a great time here, I’ve come to know the place very well and I knew that peak to the left offered more room for bigger turns and that’s how I like to surf. I found a couple good waves and I got the opportunity to work on rail surfing more than on the other peak.”
Jordin Watson (AUS) and Carlos Munoz (CRI) put on a show in Heat 11 late this afternoon, taking full advantage of a little push in the swell on the reversing tide. Despite Watson taking the heat, it was Munoz who claimed the highest scoring ride of the day, an impressive 9.00 Point ride to take second and advance into the round of 32.
Event organizers and surfers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 9:30am.
The 2013 Pantin Classic Galicia Pro is scheduled from August 27 – September 1, 2013 in Playa de Pantin, Galicia. For all results, photos, video highlights, press releases and LIVE webcast, log on to aspeurope.com/pantin2013.
