Category: ASP (WSL) Surfing News 2005-2015

Michel Bourez Gives News from his Tahitian Paradise
TAHITI, French Polynesia (Friday, January 23, 2009)

Michel Bourez, 23, second Tahitian ever to enter the ASP Top 45 elite circle, will head for the Gold Coast of Australia in a month to surf his first Dream Tour event as a fulltime touring competitor. Bourez, who will be part of an unprecedent 7-Man European contingent on this year’s ASP World Tour, is seen as one of the best newcomers and is expected to cause some serious damage against the big names. Here is a post he sends from French Polynesia.”Since the win at the ASP WQS 6-Star Prime Reef Hawaiian Pro, so many things have changed in my life and it seems like everything is different now. There has been big talks with sponsors, I feel like people see me differently now but above all is the fact I have achieved my dream by qualifying for the ASP World Tour.… Read the rest

Owen Wright Claims Back-to-Back ASP Pro Junior Victories at Stradbroke

NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND, Australia (Saturday, February 7, 2009) – Australian surfing ace Owen Wright (Lennox Head, NSW) cemented his dominance on the ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series, taking out the ASP Grade-5 Oakley Pro Junior in tricky three-to-four foot (1.2 metre) beachbreak waves on North Stradbroke Island today.

Wright, 19, collected his second win on the ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series today, recording a two-wave combined total of 17.75 (out of a possible 20) to outgun Brazilian Jadson Andre in a see-sawing, man-on-man Final at Main Beach, Point Lookout.

Wright, who won the opening event of the 2009 ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series at Burleigh Heads last month, pulled out some big moves across the final day of competition, disposing of Coolangatta’s Jack Freestone in the Quarterfinals, Ulladulla’s Sam Wrench in the Semifinals before dispatching of Andre in the decider.“The… Read the rest

Emotional Evening for World’s Best at ASP World Champions’ Crowning

COOLANGATTA, Australia (Friday, February 27, 2009) – The world’s best surfers congregated at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre last night for the ASP World Champions’ Crowning.

Surfing’s “night of nights”, the ASP World Champions’ Crowning would prove an emotional evening, with a final farewell from a sporting icon and the acknowledgement of two surfing dynasties.

Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew (AUS), 54, will be stepping down from his post as ASP International President at the end of March, and last night’s ASP World Champions’ Crowning would prove a fitting farewell for the legendary sportsman. As Bartholomew finished a heart-warming diatribe chronicling the rise of professional surfing, the former world champion received a raucous standing ovation by the 600 strong in attendance.Kelly Slater (USA), 37, reigning ASP World Champion, was awarded with a phenomenal ninth World Crown, and thanked his fellow athletes for pushing the high-performance boundaries of competitive surfing as well as announcing his intentions for a tenth ASP World Title campaign in 2009.… Read the rest

Joel Parkinson Claims Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in Solid Conditions at Kirra

KIRRA, Australia (Wednesday, March 11, 2009) – Joel Parkinson (AUS), 27, has won the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by LG Mobile, defeating fellow finalist Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, in solid six-to-eight foot (3 metre) surf at Kirra.

After a 12-year hiatus, today’s action brought the ASP World Tour back to Kirra for the Finals of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast. Whilst it was not classic Kirra, the challenging conditions at the historic pointbreak offered churning barrels with massive scoring potential.

Parkinson, winner of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in 2002, was fearless from the outset in the hard-fought Final, collecting an excellent 8.83 out of a possible 10 on his opening ride, breaking his board in the process.“That first wave was a good one but I came down funny on the floater and buckled my board,” Parkinson said.… Read the rest

Gilmore Wins Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Takes ASP Women’s World Tour Lead

SNAPPER ROCKS, Australia (Sunday, March 8, 2009) – Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion, has won the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by LG Mobile, defeating Melanie Bartels (HAW), 26, in the Final to claim the inaugural event on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour.

Gilmore wasted no time in the Final, securing the day’s high single-wave score of a 9.57 out of a possible 10 on her opening wave for a fluid series of fin releases and power carves.“It was a really little wave,” Gilmore said. “I had a few flashbacks from 2005 where I was trying to pick off the little ones that were going to grow down the line. Today it just so happened I picked a good one. It is important to get a good start and get a lead early in the heat.”… Read the rest