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SAN
CLEMENTE, California (Wednesday, November 05, 2008) -- The Association
of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Longboard Tour (WLT) saw top seeds
Harley Ingleby (AUS), 25, Antoine Delpero (FRA), 23, and Bonga Perkins
(HAW), 36, standout on the opening day of the Oxbow World Longboard
Tour event in peaky two-to-three foot (1 metre) surf at San Onofre
State Beach today.
The Oxbow World Longboard Tour event is a new addition to the ASP WLT,
allowing the globe's finest longboarding competitors a chance to earn
the title of Oxbow World Longboard Tour and ASP World Longboard
champion by the event's end.
The first event of the ASP WLT saw Harley Ingleby (AUS), 25, win the
Oxbow World Longboard Tour contest at Les Cavalliers in Anglet, France
and the current ratings leader picked up where he left off by jumping
out to an early lead in his Round 1 heat at San Onofre State Beach
today. Ingleby made the best of the inconsistent conditions caused by
the high tide and posted two solid scores on the way to his heat
victory.
"It was pretty tough and I think the tide is hitting the high so it was
really inconsistent," Ingleby said. "I was just lucky that I got a
bigger one right off the bat so I could relax a bit and the other guys
were sort of scratching to get their first waves."
The heat victory moves Ingleby one step closer to the coveted ASP World
Longboard Champion title, but the young Australian is trying to
approach this event as he would any other contest.
"I'm trying not to think about it too much and just surf as if its any
other contest and get as far as I can," Ingleby said. "A lot of the
boys have asked me if I've counted up the points and all that and
honestly I haven't really looked. I'm just trying to not really look at
it."
Perkins proved his surfing ability stretches far beyond the heavy waves
he's familiar with at home on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii by
posting one of the day's highest single wave scores of a near-perfect
9.10 out of a possible 10 in the small, peaky surf on offer in his
opening heat.
"There are pretty soft waves out there, really peaky, and nothing was
really linking up for me, but all you need is one," Perkins said. "I'm
happy to get that one and get the cobwebs out."
Perkins started
the wave off with a huge forehand blast and followed up with several
powerful carves to earn the impressive score.
I didn't know that the judges were going to give me that high of a
score," Perkins said. "I just wanted to get that big hit on the
outside. I know that the judges are looking for the outside maneuvers
especially when there are not many sets coming through. Luckily I got
that one big hit on the outside and followed it up with some one the
inside."
Matthew Moir (ZAF), 31, who is currently rated fifth on
the ASP WLT, was also a standout in Round 1 today, earning the day's
highest heat total of 17.15 out of a possible 20 and advanced
confidently into Round 3 over longtime competitor Alex Salazar (BRA)
and Brad Vetter (USA). The stylish longboarder found the wave needed to
claim his Round 1 win in the remaining minutes of his heat and was
thrilled with the result.
"Alex (Salazar) has always been a long time competitor and I've never
actually beaten him, so I was amping for it," Moir said. "The waves
came through and I was a little bit nervous on that first one and I got
quite a good score and I tried to get a few inside ones and it went
flat. All of a sudden that one came through at the end and I got a good
score, so I'm stoked on that one."
The innovative goofy-footer
combined several progressive maneuvers with classic nose riding to
dominate his opening heat. It was obvious that Moir felt right at home
at San Onofre State Beach today, as Moir claims that the famed
cobblestone reef-break reminds him of his local surf spot in South
Africa.
"It's very similar to what I ride back home," Moir said. "I've been
here a couple of times, so If you get the right one that actually links
up it's a good wave. You can do a lot of modern maneuvers and a lot of
old school nose riding, so at least you can do a whole variety and it's
really good for longboarding."
Current ASP WLT No. 2, Delpero,
advanced directly into Round 3 of the Oxbow World Longboard Tour event
as well. The young French talent made the best of a wave starved heat
and is satisfied about his Round 3 berth.
"There were not enough waves in that heat," Delpero said. "It was just
peaks and no wall so it was difficult to make some turns, but it's
good, I got first so I'm into the next round."
Delpero, who was
the runner-up to Ingleby at the Oxbow World Longboard Tour event in
Anglet, France, is in contention to take the 2008 ASP WLT title from
the hungry Australian with a strong enough result here at San Onofre
State Beach.
"It would be perfect, but we're going to see, you never know," Delpero
said. "I hope we have some good waves and I will do my best."
The Oxbow World Longboard Tour at San Onofre State Beach will reconvene
tomorrow with Round 2. For all of your Oxbow World Longboard Tour event
needs including event photos and live scores log on to www.oxbowpro.com
For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org
Oxbow World Longboard Tour Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Kekoa Uemura (HAW) 13.75, Jackson Close (AUS) 8.25, Rusty Keaulana (HAW) 7.35
Heat 2: Troy Mothershead (USA) 11.40, Danilo Rodrigo (BRA) 10.50, David Kinoshita (JPN) 5.75
Heat 3: Jared Neal (AUS) 14.15, Amaro Matos (BRA) 14.10, Jed Morouse (USA) 8.00
Heat 4: Matthew Moir (ZAF) 17.15, Alex Salazar ( BRA) 12.20, Brad Vetter (USA) 13.80
Heat 5: Colin McPhillips (USA) 15.50, Tom Lloyd (USA) 11.80, Zack Howard (USA) 4.03
Heat 6: Ned Snow (USA) 17.15, Carlos Bahia (BRA) 10.75, Kai Lenny (HAW) 4.75
Heat 7: Bonga Perkins (HAW) 14.85, Josh Constable (AUS) 12.85, Joe Aaron (USA) 12.50
Heat 8: Harley Ingleby (AUS) 13.00, Steve Newton (USA) 10.70, Ben Skinner (GBR) 6.50
Heat 9: Antoine Delpero (FRA) 13.60, Kai Sallas (HAW) 11.75, Brendan White (USA) 10.15
Heat 10: Phil Rajzman (BRA) 11.75, Bryce Young (AUS) 9.80, Tom Witt (USA) 9.35
Heat 11: Eduardo Bage (BRA) 14.50, Eugene Teal (JPN) 8.50, Dino Miranda (HAW) 7.75
Heat 12: Damien Castera (FRA) 11.65, Alexis Deniel (FRA) 9.75, Jamie Viudes (BRA) 8.10
Heat 13: Romain Maurin (FRA) 10.80, Sam Bleakey (GBR) 8.65, Cole Robbins (USA) 8.45
Heat 14: Taylor Jensen (USA) 16.75, Josh Baxter (USA) 7.50, Keegan Edwards (HAW) 7.25
Heat 15: Timothee Creignout (FRA) 10.90, Jeremias de Silva (BRA) 10.15, Andri Nabeshima (JPN) 5.80
Heat 16: Duane de Soto (HAW) 13.70, Roger Barros (BRA) 13.65, Jonathan Larcher (FRA) 9.05
Oxbow World Longboard Tour Round 2 Trials Results:
Heat 1: Joe Aaron (USA) 11.10, Tom Witt (USA) 10.05, Makanae de Soto (HAW) 7.90, Kevin Osborne (USA) 5.30
Heat 2: Steve Newton (USA) 14.25, Brendan White (USA) 12.55, Noah Shimabukuro (HAW) 10.90, Sean Hagar (USA) 10.05
Oxbow World Longboard Tour Round 1 Trails Results:
Heat 1: Tom Witt (USA) 12.00, Joe Aaron (USA) 11.75, Michael Gee (USA) 8.35, Dennis Bourg (USA) 5.70
Heat 2: Makanae de Soto (HAW) 10.25, Kevin Osborne (USA) 9.55, Robledo Oliveira (BRA) 7.70, Darren Ledingham (USA) 5.75
Heat 3: Brendan White (USA) 11.75, Steve Newton (USA) 8.55, Gabriel Nasceimento (BRA) 7.10, Brett Heimstra (USA) 4.75
Heat 4: Noah Shimabukuro (HAW) 12.65, Sean Haggar (USA) 12.35, Christian Wach (USA) 11.50, Tony Silvagni (USA) 10.70
Previous Reports:
#2. World Longboard Champion to be Crowned
#1. Longboard Oxbow Pro in San Onofre
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