ASP International News (08/2007) II

The Situation Room
The ASP WQS 6-Star Sooruz Lacanau Pro has just finished with South African phenom and current ASP World Junior Champion Jordy Smith not only taking down the event, but also grabbing the ratings lead with a staggering 12,200 points. The race is far from over though and with the Rip Curl Pro Super Series in Hossegor offering the biggest points purse of the season up next, this week’s action will be critical to the ’08 Dream Tour qualifications.

South of the Border
Look out below! The women of the elite ASP Top 17 have descended from their Swiss Family Robinson-style tree houses for day 1 of battle in the punchy beachbreaks of Prais de Tiririca for the Billabong Girls Pro Brazil, stop No. 3 of 7 on this season’s ASP Women’s World Tour. Two Aussies in Hedges and Gilmore currently lead the ratings, but Brazil could prove to be a turning point in this season’s race for the Title.

Out of the Dark Ages
It only took them 45 years, but North America’s East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC) will be webcasting this season’s competition for the first time ever. The event, which runs from August 22-26, 2007, hosts a bevy of divisions including an ASP WQS 2-Star Men’s, a 1-Star Women’s, a Grade-1 Pro Junior as well as a regional men’s longboard event all going down at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Be sure to catch all the action.

Does Jimmy Choo Make a Beach Thong?
It won't be long before we see the formerly sweet and innocent longboard girls of the ASP World Tour transformed into grill-sporting, Bentley-driving money moguls as the nosesliders are about to do battle in yet another event this season with the first annual Roxy Jam Honolulu from August 23-25, 2007. Going down at Queens in Waikiki, the longboarding lasses will be competing for a $5,000 prize purse as well as airfare for two to September's Roxy Jam Cardiff in California.

Showdown in Portugal
The final event of the ASP European Pro Junior Men’s Series will be go down this week from August 23-26, 2007 at the reeling righthander of Ribeira d’Ilhas in Ericeira, Portugal for the ASP Grade-2 Billabong Pro Junior. After four events of the ’07 season, including the ASP Grade-3 Rip Curl Pro Junior which wrapped last week, it’s Reunion Island’s Romain Cloitre who’s out in front with a sizable lead. Portugal’s Pro Junior will be the deciding event in who qualifies for the prestigious Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in January.

Hedges On Fire After 4 Month Hiatus
Chelsea Hedges hasn’t competed in four months, but her Round 1 performance at the Billabong Girls Pro Brazil today could have fooled us. The former world champ rocked up to the beach, threw down a 9.5 and a 9 point scoring ride, and then had enough breath left to tell us about how much of a rock star her current co-ratings leader Stephanie Gilmore is! Hedges, the 2005 ASP Women’s World Champion, shares the World No. 1 spot with travel-buddy and rookie title contender Gilmore. The day’s high scorer is well aware that she cannot give Gilmore an inch, and as her Round 1 performance proved, is thoroughly enjoying the challenge.

Upcoming Events
Billabong Girls Pro Brazil
August 20-27
Itacare, Brazil

Rip Curl Super Series
August 20-26
Hossegor, France

45th Annual East Coast Surfing Championships
August 22-26
Virginia, USA

Sunshine Surfmasters pres. by Toohey's Extra Dry
August 24-28
Western Australia, Australia

BPI Cascais Girls Pro pres. by Rock Sisters
August 20-21
Cascais, Portugal

Billabong Pro Junior
August 23-26
Ericeira, Portugal

Roxy Jam Honolulu
August 23-25
Honolulu, Hawaii

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