Not much joy for SA surfers

2008-06-13 15:06

Maldives - Perfect two metre surf, offshore winds and warm water did little to assist the ambitions of the South African contingent in the 6-Star Prime rated Sri Lankan Airlines Pro at Pasta Point in the Maldives this week.

Despite great performances in their opening encounters by the likes of Damien Fahrenfort, Royden Bryson, Gavin Roberts and Antonio Bortoletto, none of the SA campaigners on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) managed to advance out of a second heat and all had been eliminated by the end of the Round of 48 on Thursday.

After UK based Reubin Pearce and rookie touring pro Rudy Palmboom Jnr had been bundled out in the Round of 144, Roberts and Bortoletto advanced to the last 96 before themselves being sidelined there.

Seasoned pros Greg Emslie and Travis Logie could make no headway and David Weare was unlucky to finish third when he scored an outstanding 9.0 point ride, the highest in the heat, but needing an easily achievable 4.03 with 10 minutes remaining, the current WQS No. 3 could only post a 3.73.

Fahrenfort and second-year ASP World Tour campaigner Bryson each managed second places to reach the last 48 but both slipped to fourth place in their respective heats to finish equal 37th overall with 975 ratings points and US $1 200 (approx R9 000).

The top class field in the event has been whittled down to the last 16, including a resurgent Sunny Garcia (HAW), the 2000 ASP World Champion, whose determination to re-qualify for the top tier of world surfing at the age of 36 has impressed everyone. p>With the waves predicted to continue pumping, the event is set for a grandstand finish.

Brazil is the next leg on the World Qualifying Series and a small group of ASP Africa members will be chasing WQS ratings points in two men's and one women's 5-Star rated events in June.

Nikita Robb and Tammy-Lee Smith have entered the Billabong Eco Surf Festival, the first women's WQS event since April, where Greg Emslie, David Weare, Antonio Bortoletto and Brandon Jackson will compete in the men's event

The quartet of men will be joined by Warwick Wright and Damien Fahrenfort for the Local Motion Guaruja Surf Pro the following week, June 24-29.

From now until the WQS season ends at Sunset Beach in Hawaii in December, there is at least one WQS event happening every week somewhere around the world.

* ASP Africa members are gearing up for the Mr Price Pro in Durban at the beginning of July with 45 in the 6-Star rated men's event and 14 in the 5-Star women's.

The ninth edition of the event that took over from the long running Gunston 500 in 2000 features outstanding fields in both men's and women's events with almost half of the World's Top 45 men and Top 18 women entered.

Jeremy Flores (FRA), last year's runner-up, heads the men's seeds where 2006 event winner Ricky Basnett leads the South African challenge along with fellow World Tour campaigners Royden Bryson, Jordy Smith and Travis Logie. David Weare and the vastly experienced Greg Emslie are also seeded amongst the top 48 who get to start in the Round of 96 in the event

Diminutive Brazilian Silvana Lima, the World No. 3 at the end of 2007, tops the women's seedings in Durban with fifth seeded Rosanne Hodge the highest ranked South African.

The Mr Price Pro runs from June 30 to July 6, with the men's trials, for those who do not have ASP ratings points from last year, set for Sunday 29 June. The women's final is scheduled to run on Saturday 5 and the men's final on Sunday 6 July.

* Jeffreys Bay will host the next event on the 2008 ASP Men's World Tour when the R2.4 million Billabong Pro runs at Supertubes from July 10-20.

The four SA contenders - Logie, Bryson, Basnett and Smith - will welcome the opportunity to boost their World Tour standings in familiar conditions after mixed results in the first four events of the year.

Rookie campaigner Jordy Smith, in equal 19th spot, is currently the only South African rated amongst the top 28 who automatically re-qualify for another year on the Dream Tour.

Kelly Slater (USA), the former 8X World Champion, holds a substantial ratings lead going into J-Bay after winning three of the first four events of 2008. Ominously for his opponents, Slater is yet to be defeated by a World Tour competitor this year, having lost to a wildcard in Tahiti, and is also the only surfer to have won the J-Bay event three times.

- SAPA