Seven-time World Champion Layne Beachley and Punta Roca barrels are proving to get along really well. Pictured above, Beachley getting shacked in El Salvador. Photo: ISA/Watts
Another historic day of Masters competition with plenty of sun, offshore winds and flawless barreling rights
COMPETITION STARTS BACK UP TOMORROW AT 8am local time (7am PDT – 10am EDT). Watch it online on www.elsalvadorisawmsc.com
El Salvador ISA World Masters Surfing Championship
October 20, 2011
La Libertad, El Salvador
Nine days of rain and stormy weather that caused one of the worst tragedies in the history of El Salvador came to an end today with sunny skies and warm weather. The El Salvador ISA World Masters Surfing Championship enjoyed an entire day of perfect, long 3-to-5 feet barrels, putting a smile on the faces of all the competitors and locals.
The following heats were held today:
- – Qualify Round 2 Grand Kahunas
- – Qualify Round 2 Women Masters
- – Repechage Round 1 Masters
- – Repechage Round 1 Kahunas
- – Repechage Round 1 Grand Masters
- – Repechage Round 1 Masters
- – Repechage Round 1Grand Kahunas
- – Repechage Round 2 Women Masters
Two completely different moods dominated the event today. The Main Event ended with smiling winners who still have two chances before elimination, while the Repechage rounds consisted of nerve-wracking heats.
The Main Event finalists for the Women Masters and the Grand Kahunas divisions were determined today after four impressive heats of elite surfing. Meanwhile, the Repechage ended with the first group of surfers to say goodbye to the event.
Grand Masters Allen Sarlo (USA), Javier Gorbea (PUR), Nick Pearson (AUS) and Chris Knutsen (RSA) won their heats, and are now one step away from the medal in the Main Event final.
A California legend, Sarlo, known as one of the famous Dogtown Z-Boys, was the star surfer of the division today. He won another heat and posted the highest combined total of the round, 12.40 (6.00+6.40). “It was so much fun, it’s so good out there,” said Sarlo. “The waves were like 3-to-4 feet, perfect little bowls. I’m so stoked to be on the USA Team with Tom Curren, Jimmy Hogan and Ian Cairns as our coach. All of us are stoked to be in El Salvador at a perfect right-hand point break.”
On the ladies’ side, Layne Beachley (AUS), Andrea Lopes (BRA), Heather Clark (RSA), and Melissa Proud (HAW) were the division standouts again, qualifying for the Winners Bracket finals.
Beachley put on a great display of carvings and barrels, surfing with amazing flow and rhythm to post the highest combined total of the division so far, 14.67 (8.00+6.67). The seven-time World Champion Beachley said after her heat, “I just put more rail in the water. I was actually starting to get really angry with myself because I wasn’t surfing to the best of my ability. Once I got angry I started to surf really hard and the judges rewarded me.”
France Team Member Olivier Salvaire attacks the lip of Punta Roca and makes it through to the second round of the Masters Repechage. Photo: ISA/Watts
The Repechage round brought exciting match-ups, with the crowd and fans screaming, wave after wave, for their teammates’ performances. The five divisions in contention hit the water in the “do or die” round and ended with 40 competitors (out of the 124 that started the event) eliminated.
Some surfers had to surf twice today. That was the case for Germán Aguirre (PER), who won both of his Repechage match-ups. “It’s a relief to win these two Repechage heats, because now it’s all or nothing so I’m competing with more enthusiasm,” said the Peruvian. “I’ve been feeling very well and happy because I could catch waves that allowed me to do some big turns. My surfing is on the rise and hopefully it continues that way.”
Other standouts in the Repechage rounds were, Che Lovelace (TRI), Mark Richardson (AUS), Carlos Cabrero (PUR), Darren Tatsuno (HAW), Pedro Díaz (VEN), Pierre Fourcade (FRA), Sebastián Galindo (ARG), Eric Graciet (FRA), Craig Schieber (CRI), Gonzalo Madrid (URU), Alissa Cairns (USA) and Andrea Díaz (CRI).
The event will continue tomorrow at 8am local time with the following heats:
- – Repechage 2 Kahunas
- – Repechage 2 Grand Masters
- – Repechage 2 Grand Kahunas
- – Qualifying 3 Masters
- – Qualifying 3 Grand Masters
- – Qualifying 3 Kahunas
- – Repechage 3 Kahunas
- – Repechage 3 Grand Masters
- – Repechage 3 Masters
Follow the action live on www.elsalvadorisawmsc.com
Webcast schedule
8am local time is 7am PDT and 10amEDT
The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship is sponsored by El Salvador Impresionante, Alcaldía del Puerto de La Libertad, Surfos, Alcatel, TACA), El Gráfico, Olas Permanentes Magazine, TIGO, Decameron, Cushe, Maya Realty, Yamaha, Alamo, La Femenina, CONJUVE, Amate Travel, Línea Ejecutiva, Surfline, Hospital de la Mujer, Arreconsa, Torogoz, Pepsi, Adrenaline, Gray Line El Salvador, CASATUR and POLITUR
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running Open Division World Championships since 1964, Junior World Championships since 1980, and Masters World Championships since 2007. The ISA also sanctions the World Kneeboard Titles and the Tandem Surfing World Title, and will hold the first World Bodyboard Championship in 2011, and the first World Standup Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship in 2012.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 69 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro and re-elected seven times since. The ISA´s three Vice-Presidents are Alan Atkins (AUS), Karín Sierralta (PER) and Debbie Beacham (USA).
