Hawaiian Ross Williams hits Punta Roca's lip and makes it to the Main Event final. The former ASP World Tour competitor is one step away from the medals. Photo: ISA/Watts
After a long day of Repechage heats, the USA is the only country that has all of its competitors still in the event with perfect scoring potential
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 21, 2011
La Libertad, El Salvador
It was a last chance day today at the El Salvador ISA World Masters Surfing Championship for many competitors, crucial for the race towards the Eduardo Arena ISA World Team Trophy.
Of the 22 heats held, only six were part of the Main Event rounds, and out of the 124 competitors that started the event, only 52 remain in the tournament. Eight are from the USA, the only country that has all their athletes still in competition and, therefore, leading the race for the ISA Masters World Team Title.
Defending Champion Australia saw Grand Master Jason Schmidenberg losing his Repechage Round 3 match-up. Two-time World Champion Team South Africa had Graeme Field eliminated in the Masters division. Surfing powerhouses Hawaii and Brazil suffered the elimination of Darren Tatsuno and Jorge Bittencourt respectively.
The following heats were held today:
- 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
The three qualifying rounds determined the Main Event finalists in the Masters (+35), Grand Masters (+40) and Kahunas (+45) divisions.
Former ASP World Tour Competitors Ross Williams (HAW), Jojo de Olivença (BRA) and Davey Gonsalves (HAW), along with Gary Van Wieringen (RSA), are now one step away from the grand final.
Williams, a 1990s ASP Top 16, commented after placing second in his heat, “Everyone wants to win a contest and for me that’s a little bit of a thorn. I was never the best competitor in the world, I surfed good enough to win events, but I just didn’t have that animal instinct a lot of guys do. For me, at the age of 38, winning a Gold Medal here would be great.”
The Grand Masters Main Event Final will have Fabio Gouveia (BRA), Jojo de Olivença (BRA), Juan Ashton (PUR) and Dean Randazzo (USA).
After a last minute withdrawal by another member of the Brazil squad, Olivença was forced to compete in two divisions. It was a happy accident for the Brazilian Team, as Jojo is now in the two Main Event finals. “Today was a great day and I’m happy for having surfed well in both divisions. I’m used to doing this so it’s not a big issue for me. Let’s hope for the best now”.
The Kahunas had Tom Curren (USA), David Malherbe (RSA), Mike Latronic (HAW) and Jim Hogan (USA) making it through to the Main Event final. Curren was the round’s best surfer, scoring a combined total of 14.43. “We have a very good team and so far things have been going well for us so we will try to stay strong and do well,” said Curren.
Puerto Rican Carlos Cabrero is taking advantage of his great backhand approach. Today he made it through his Repechage heat in the Masters division. Photo: ISA/Quincho
The Repechage rounds had many high performance heats with nerve-wracking situations. Brazilian Sergio Penna took advantage of his strong backhand approach to earn the highest singe wave score, 9.17, in his Kahunas heat.
The day’s surprise was Germany’s Patrick Castagnet who outscored Mark Richardson (AUS, second), Martín Passeri (ARG, third) and Germán Aguirre (PER, fourth).
“That was a really tough heat, with the 2006 Latin American Champion (Passeri) and one Australian!” said Castagnet. “I just gave my best to make it through. With seven minutes left in the clock I was able to catch two good ones that took me to the first place. It’s motivating to make it through this heat and that gives me a lot of strength”.
Other Repechage standouth were Carlos Cabrero (PUR), David Giddings (USA), David Husadel (BRA), Andre Malherbe (RSA), Santiago Di Pace (ARG) and Ricardo Villanueva (PUR) among others.
Conditions were again perfect at Punta Roca. Two-to-four feet waves, long and glassy, under sunny skies. As the event comes to an end, things are getting better in El Salvador. Photo: ISA/Quincho
The event will continue tomorrow at 8am local time with the following heats:
- Qualify Round 4 Masters
- Qualify Round 4 Grand Masters
- Qualify Round 4 Kahunas
- Qualify Round 3 Grand Kahunas
- Qualify Round 3 Women Masters
- Repechage Round 4 Masters
- Repechage Round 4 Grand Masters
- Repechage Round 4 Kahunas
- Repechage Round 3 Women Masters
- Repechage Round 3 Grand Kahunas
- Repechage Round 5 Masters
- Repechage Round 5 Grand Masters
- Repechage Round 5 Kahunas
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).
