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El Confital Fires for Ocean & Earth Pro Kick off, Walsh Scores Perfect 10
October 9, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
EL CONFITAL, Gran Canaria (Thursday, October 9, 2008) -
The Ocean & Earth Pro pres. by La Caja de Canarias, an
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying
Series (WQS) 4-Star event, got underway today at the world
famous venue of El Confital with consistent three to five foot
(1 to 1.5 meter) barreling waves breaking over the righthand
reef for the kick off of the 2008 edition. After three days of
flat conditions, the new North-East swell gave competitors all
the potential to show their skills and get covered in
clear-water barrels.
>From ASP Top 45 members to outsiders, the whole 96-man field put
on a show on Day 1 of competition and excellent to perfect
scores were usual throughout the day. Anthony Walsh (AUS) and
Ricardo Dos Santos (BRA) both took top honours respectively
winning Heats 7 and 4 of Round 1 with deep thrilling barrels
disappearing for three to four seconds before claiming their
reward to the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) judges.
Anthony Walsh (AUS), 25, renowned charger and Ocean & Earth
teamrider, found the deepest barrel of the day posting a perfect
10.00 point ride (out of a possible 10) on an exceptionnal solid
six foot (two meter) set wave. Walsh, who has been coming to El
Confital for five years now, knows the wave really well and was
in rhythm with the building swell.
"I was lucky to get it because there are many waves that can
score nines or tens out there," Walsh said. "I was sitting at
the right place at the right time and I came out of it. I just
want to take it heat by heat with still the will to win it for
sure. I have had some good results here in the past, placed
second when the event was on another location but would like to
make it here."
Walsh, who will be at ease if the conditions remain as solid,
has not been on tour this year and came to the Canary Islands to
compete in the back-to-back events in Gran Canaria and
Lanzarote.
"I have not competed a lot this year and it was more about free
surfing," Walsh said. "I came here because I love the wave and
it is my sponsor's event and I am stoked we get such good waves.
I am not here to qualify but I definitely want to get the win if
possible."
Walsh secured the performance of the day ahead of ASP Top 45
members Jay Thompson (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS) and Aritz Aranburu
(EUK) starting in Round 1 after losing their seeding rights due
to a late entry.
Daniel Ross (AUS), 25, who placed 3rd in the Ocean & Earth Pro
last year, flew to the Canarian archipelago after surfing in the
ninth event of the ASP World Tour in Mundaka, and aims at
getting a big result with hope to improve his ASP World
Qualifying Series (WQS) overall points' total.
"It was good to have these days off to get the feeling right and
surf the beachbreaks around," Ross said. "It was a good call to
wait for that new swell and I am stoked the event gets waves
like that. It is fun surfing and watching so I am just stoked."
Ross, who is sitting No. 42 on the ASP World Tour, is definitely
chasing points and was very focused for his opening battle.
"I am here for business and I need to get a result," Ross said.
"I did good here last year and I am definitely focused on the
ratings to try and keep it strong going into Hawaii. I can still
requalify through the WQS so I am going to give it my best."
Ross' fellow ASP Top 45 surfer Aritz Aranburu (EUK), one of four
Europeans on this year's ASP World Tour, had a tough start in
the event ending up winning his heat thanks to a last minute
wave and an average result after falling off on solid excellent
scroring potential waves. The Basque surfer, who is still
recovering from an ankle and knee injury that kept him out of
the water for three months this year, is a favorite in the Ocean
& Earth Pro where he reached the final three years ago and
placed equal 5th last year.
"I think I had the wrong board for these waves today," Aranburu
said. "I fell a lot on my waves and I was a bit shaky because it
was my first surf here in a year as it was flat until today with
a bit of practice here I would never have gone out with that
board. I still got the better waves but fell on a couple of good
ones and had to struggle to end up winning."
Aranburu, who missed several events this year on both ASP World
Qualifying Series (WQS) and ASP World Tour, is under pressure to
wrap up the year well.
"After such a tough year you definitely want to do good and it
does put some pressure," Aranburu said. "It seems almost
impossible for me to requalify this year but I still want to try
my best. So I do hope for a big result here, for sure."
Locals suffered heavy losses with famous charger Aaron Romero
(CNY) failing to advance through to Round 2 in Heat 14 of Round
1 and losing to top ASP WQS campaigner Adam Melling (AUS).
Romero, who reached Quarterfinals in 2006 at his home break, was
left aside leaving the water disappointed in front of hs
friends.
Similar conditions are expected for tomorrow's action and the
Ocean & Earth Pro will move closer to its business end as three
days only remain in the waiting period to wrap ut the event.
The Ocean & Earth Pro pres. by La Caja de Canarias is webcast
LIVE at www.aspeurope.com [1]
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