FOSTER’S ASSOCIATION OF SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) WORLD TOUR & ASP WOMEN’S WORLD TOUR
The worlds best surfers in the worlds best waves LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com
COOLANGATTA, Australia (Jan. 18, 2007) While the major focus of the upcoming ASP World Champions Banquet to be held on the Gold Coast of Australia on February 24, 2007 will be the official crowning of 2006 World Champions Kelly Slater (USA) and Layne Beachley (AUS), two surfers who will also be savouring their moment in the spotlight will be 2006 ASP Rookies of the Year Bobby Martinez (USA) and Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS).Martinez and Miley-Dyer spent 2005 battling through the ASPs second tier tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS), then unleashed on surfings elite Fosters ASP World Tour and ASP Womens World Tour in 2006 notching up three top tour wins between them.
Martinez who finished the year in fifth place on the final ratings blew minds when he began his stellar season with an astonishing third place at the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast.
He was ousted from that event by eventual winner and good friend Slater but the experience was enough for him to gain the confidence to claim two top tour events the first at the infamous Billabong Pro Teahupoo in Tahiti and the second when he returned a blow to Slater by defeating him in the final of the Billabong Pro Mundaka in Spain.
Its still quite hard to believe, 2006 just moved so fast with the tour, traveling and all the new events that I went to, said the ever-humble Martinez of his Rookie of the Year status. As it is for every guy who makes it on the Fosters ASP World Tour, its a dream come true to be here competing with the best surfers in the world.
And while the wins were sweet Martinez did encounter a few low points when things didnt go his way So how will his 2006 learnings affect his 2007 campaign?
I think I learnt a lot as a person and a competitor last year and hopefully Ive matured with all the experience I gained from the ups and downs of traveling and competing on the tour, said Martinez. Gold Coast, Tahiti, Fiji and Mexico were awesome events and I was lucky to get some good results. But from South Africa to France I kind of hit a slump, which can easily take away any competitors confidence.
Luckily I was with good friends on the road, he continued. I traveled with the Hobgood brothers, my Reef team manager and a great buddy from home. Those guys really helped me out and helped me to stay confident and to just have a good time with it.
I had fun year in 2006 but I still feel I made some little mistakes here and there and I am looking forward to trying a couple of different things in 07 and hopefully the results will come.
For ASP Womens World Tour rookie Miley-Dyer, her first year was equally as satisfying with her list of achievements beginning back in January 06 when she claimed the inaugural womens Billabong ASP World Junior Championship crown.
From there she excelled by taking the ASP Womens World Qualifying Series title plus the final event of the ASP Womens World Tour the Billabong Pro Maui in Honolua Bay.
Im really happy. All Ive ever wanted was to do well on the ASP Womens World Tour and to get rookie of the year is a prestigious honour, said Miley Dyer. If you look at the list of names who have won it its such a great thing. Plus to have won the Billabong ASP World Juniors, the ASP World Qualifying Series then the last event of the year and now Rookie you cant ask for much better than that!
As to taking on her childhood heroes and winning
To have looked up to girls like Megan, Layne and Rochelle for so long then to be able to compete against them is a privilege, said Miley-Dyer. And then to do well is just a bonus! Its something that Im really grateful for to be on tour and have such an amazing life I cant believe that Ive done so well.
Going into 2007 Miley-Dyer indicated that she has shed the nerves associated with being a fresh face on tour and is hopeful that more success is only a few weeks away when the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast kicks off this years ASP Womens World Tour.
I learnt a lot [in 2006] When you are the rookie on tour you make a lot of mistakes and I think Ive ironed out a lot of them, said Miley-Dyer. I just hope to do well again in 2007 but most importantly have fun and appreciate what Ive been given. What Im doing is traveling around the globe with a massive group of mates chasing waves! Ill be a lot more comfortable this year especially after winning the last event, gaining confidence in yourself that you can win. Im just going to relax and not put so much pressure on myself.
See the worlds best surfers tackle the worlds best waves on this years Fosters ASP World Tour and ASP Womens World Tour beginning on February 27 on Australias Gold Coast.
For the full tour schedule and 2007 surfers list and more head to www.aspworldtour.com
Fosters ASP World Tour Schedule
Event Location Date
ASP Banquet Gold Coast, Australia Feb 24
Quiksilver Pro Snapper Rocks , Australia Feb 27-Mar 11
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Vic, Australia Apr 3-13
Billabong Pro Teahupoo, Tahiti May 4-14
Globe Pro Fiji TBC May 20-31
Rip Curl Pro Search Somewhere in Chile June 20-July1
Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, South Africa July 11-22
Boost Mobile Pro Trestles, California Sep 7-18
Quiksilver Pro France Hossegor, France Sep 21-Oct 1
Billabong Pro Mundaka, Basque Region, Spain Oct 1-14
Nova Schin Festival Imbituba, Brazil Oct 30-Nov 7
Billabong Pipe Masters Pipeline Hawaii Dec 8-20
ASP Womens World Tour Schedule
Roxy Pro Snapper Rocks, Australia Feb 27-Mar 10
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Australia Apr 3-8
Roxy Pro TBC Apr 21-26
Billabong Girls Praia da Tiririca, Itacare, Brazil Aug 20-27
Rip Curl Girls Festival Santander, Liencres-Spain Sep 4-9
Havaianas Beachley Classic Manly Beach, Australia Oct 8-14
Roxy Pro Sunset Beach, Hawaii Nov 23-Dec 6
Billabong Pro Honolua Bay, Hawaii Dec 8-20
The 2007 Fosters ASP Mens World Tour Lineup
Kelly Slater (USA)
Andy Irons (HAW)
Mick Fanning (AUS)
Taj Burrow (AUS)
Bobby Martinez (USA)
Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Damien Hobgood (USA)
Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Taylor Knox (USA)
Dean Morrison (AUS)
Tim Reyes (USA)
Phillip MacDonald (AUS)
Cory Lopez (USA)
Bruce Irons (HAW)
Bede Durbidge (AUS)
C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Daniel Wills (AUS)
Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Chris Ward (USA)
Shaun Cansdell (AUS)
Travis Logie (ZAF)
Michael Lowe (AUS)
Luke Stedman (AUS)
Mark Occhilupo (AUS)
Pancho Sullivan (HAW)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Michael Campbell (AUS)
Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Royden Bryson (ZAF)
Dayyan Neve (AUS)
Troy Brooks (AUS)
Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Josh Kerr (AUS)
Ben Dunn (AUS)
Bernado Miranda (BRA)
Gabe Kling (USA)
Victor Ribas (BRA)
Leonardo Neves (BRA)
Kai Otton (AUS)
Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Luke Munro (AUS)
Replacements:
Trent Munro (AUS)
David Weare (ZAF)
Peterson Rosa (BRA)
2007 ASP Womens World Tour Lineup
Layne Beachley (AUS)
Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)
Chelsea Georgeson (AUS)
Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Silvana Lima (BRA)
Megan Abubo (HAW)
Rochelle Ballard (HAW)
Samantha Cornish (AUS)
Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Amee Donohoe (AUS)
Caroline Sarran (FRA)
Roseanne Hodge (ZAF)