Relentless Boardmasters fires off Round 1 action

Eneko Acero © Aquashot / aspeurope.com

Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters
In association with Vans

ASP World Tour 6-Star Men's event

Boardmasters Men's Longboard Pro
ASP 3-Star Men’s LQS event

Boardmasters Ladies Longboard Pro
ASP LQS 3-Star Women’s Event

Fistral Beach, Newquay England
6 - 12 August 2012

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos

Round One Completed at Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters in association with Vans

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 August, 2012 : - - The Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters in association with Vans completed Round One of competition in small 1-2ft waves with the strong international field of surfers pitting their small wave skills against each other in the testing conditions. The ASP 6-Star Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans is the first event of a string of ASP Star competitions set to run over the coming weeks. Surfers are out to gain crucial world ranking points in their campaigns to qualify for the elite 34-man ASP World Tour.

Miguel Tudela (PER) 17, exploded into action with the highest heat total of the day, 17.26 out of 20 taking advantage of the incoming tide push late in the afternoon. Opening his score tally with a 7.17, Tudela who is appearing at the Relentless Boardmasters for the first time, quickly improved with an incredible combination of forehand snaps and carves to earn an 8.83 followed by another 8.43 in the final minutes of the encounter.

“I am very happy and I got some good waves. It is difficult and I was lucky that the waves came to me and I was able to surf them the best I could and take advantage of them as well. “After the first 8-point ride and the 7.00 I felt relaxed and waited to see if a better wave came through to improve my scores,” explained Tudela. “In the end a good right came through and I could do four turns and with that I got an 8.43.”

Andre Silva (BRA) 29, showed tactical skills as well as excellent surfing ability in a well rounded performance to earn a two-wave heat total of 15.34 out of 20 which included and excellent 8.17 out of 10. The experienced Brazilian was first to move over to the low tide peak in front of the headland and his decision proved decisive in the final result.

William Aliotti © Aquashot / aspeurope.com

“I checked it a little bit before and I saw a right there and with this wind the right stays longer than the left so it was a good choice. You always have to make a choice in these types of conditions so it’s a good thing.”

Alone on the peak Silva was able to pick and choose to maximize the small right-handers coming off the sand bank. Speed combined with powerful rapid fire snaps earned the scores for a comfortable win and a spot into Round Two with the event’s Top seeds. “It’s another good thing to be on your own because you surf more relaxed without the pressure and you can feel the wave and do your best there. The right is really good but from here it looks bad. In the water it has a longer wall and it is enough to make a couple of turns.

Other standout scores were achieved by Halley Batista (BRA), Pierre-Valentin Laborde (FRA) and Matt Pagan (USA) along with defending Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters in association with Vans champion Romain Cloitre (REU) advancing through the round.

Romain Cloitre (REU) 23, 2011 Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans title holder and current ASP European champion put on a dominating performance in his early morning high-tide heat. Working both the rights and left peaks Cloitre built a solid two-wave total of 11.33 out of 20 ahead of fellow European Justin Mujica (PRT).

Romain Cloitre © Aquashot / aspeurope.com

“The conditions are a little bit tricky this morning with the tide coming up so it is getting smaller and smaller. I am happy to get through the heat. I got two good ones at the beginning of the heat. Not big scores but enough to make it through so I am really happy.” Having missed the entry cut-off deadline Cloitre found himself surfing from Round One of competition against a stacked field of opponents. Despite an extra heat Cloitre is feeling comfortable in all conditions and is focused on making it to the business end of the event.

“I feel more confident to be back here for sure. I feel good to be here and the conditions are not the same as last year but I feel got and I have got confidence so I hope to make it through this comp again.” Pierre-Valentin Laborde (FRA) also claimed one of the excellent scores that fell throughout the day with an 8.17 out of 10 to match one of the highest single wave scores of the day. The powerful goofy footer latched onto one of the better waves on offer to tear apart a series of turns to earn his score and a win in the heat.

“The waves were pretty hard but I got an 8.17 one of the best of the event and a back up score of a 5.0 so it is a good score for these waves. I am happy to get through.” Local surfer Alan Stokes (GBR) was involved in one of the heats of the day to sneak home in second position behind William Aliotti (FRA) in a dynamic last minute exchange with all surfers involved and being in contention to make the heat.

“I started off how I planned and then right through the middle there I was always in the wrong little spot. It is literally a matter of feet out there and if you are in that wrong part you are not going to catch it for a start. William got me on a good right and I was on the back foot then but luckily that set came in.” Stokes, despite leading early, waited for the final set waves to bounce back with a 7.17 out of 10 to regain second place.

Reubyn Ash © Aquashot / aspeurope.com

“I am really happy. I have been trying my boards all morning and nothing seems to be going well and then I picked up one I haven’t tried and I gambled all on black and it worked!!” (laughs) Australian brothers Ty and Jordin Watson met up in heat 14 and advanced together with younger brother Jordin taking the honours in a low scoring encounter to turn the tables on his older sibling.

“It has happened a few times being in the same heat,” began Jordin. “He (Ty) is older and has got me the last three times we have surfed against each other so even though it’s a first round heat it is good to make it through together.” Tomorrow 8th August will see the Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters in association with Vans will make a first call at 6.30 am for a 7.00 am start with Split Banks to be run to optimise the small swell window on offer.

In its 31st edition, The Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters in association with Vans is scheduled from August 6-12, 2012. The Relentless Energy Drink Boardmasters in association with Vans is made possible with the support of the following event partners: Relentless Energy Drink, Vans, Desperados, Marley amongst others.

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Relentless Boardmasters in association with Vans Round One Results
Heat 1: Gavin Gillette (HAW) 12.67, Jerome Forrest (AUS) 5.50, Jake Bracken (AUS) 3.33
Heat 2: Ruda Carvalho (BRA) 12.20, Alan Jhones (BRA) 11.16, Joao Guedes (PRT) 8.40
Heat 3: Francisco Bellorin (VEN) 14.50, Carlos Munoz (CRI) 8.54, Freddie Meadows, Jaymes Triglone
Heat 4: Romain Cloitre (REU) 11.33, Justin Mujica (PRT) 8.43, Ricardo Ferreira (BRA) 7.60, Armando Colucci
Heat 5: Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 8.70, James Woods (BEL) 8.67, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 8.43, Steven Pierson (PYF)
Heat 6: Matt Pagan (USA) 12.80, Jobe Harriss (GBR) 8.90, Stuart Campbell (GBR) 8.76, Teale Vanner (AUS)
Heat 7: Yannick de Jager (NDL) 8.37, Luel Felipe (BRA) 7.40, Jules Thomet (FRA) 7.06, Lewis Clinton (GBR)
Heat 8: Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK) 10.56, Thomas Woods (AUS) 9.93, Josh Ash (GBR) 6.23, Lucas Santamaria
Heat 9: Rafael Pereira (VEN) 14.56, Kristian Kymerson (BRA) 11.50, Davey Brand (ZAF) 7.17, Oli Adams
Heat 10: Indar Unanue (EUK) 10.43, Manuel Selman (CHL) 8.30, Balaram Stack (USA) 6.90, Hugo Debosc
Heat 11: Edouard Delpero (FRA) 12.00, Matt-Lewis Hewitt (NZL) 10.73, Saxon Lumsden, Marco Fernandez
Heat 12: Diego Cadena (MEX) 11.60, Nic von Rupp (DEU) 10.26, Dimitri Ouvre (GLP) 9.33, Chris Tucker
Heat 13: Soli Bailey (AUS) 8.33, Andre Oziol (BRB) 7.17, Cahill Bell-Warren (AUS) 6.97
Heat 14: Jordin Watson (AUS) 12.56, Ty Watson (AUS) 10.60, Norman Landa (EUK) 7.53, Eduardo Fernande
Heat 15: Tim Macdonald (AUS) 11.30, Bino Lopes (BRA) 11.00, Ruben Gonzalez (PRT) 9.57, Alessandro Piu
Heat 16: Andre Silva (BRA) 15.34, Ethan Egiguren (EUK) 9.10, David Van Zyl (ZAF) 7.84
Heat 17: William Aliotti (FRA) 12.90, Alan Stokes (GBR) 12.50, Davey Cathels (AUS) 11.76, Marcelo Rodriguez
Heat 18: Michael Powell (USA) 13.83, Eneko Acero (EUK) 12.27, Alex Chacon (AUS) 11.66, Alexander El Naib
Heat 19: Pierre-Valentin Laborde (FRA) 13.60, Alan Donato (BRA) 13.50, Dege O'Connell, Romain Laulhe
Heat 20: Reubyn Ash (GBR) 10.20, Leandro Usuna (ARG) 8.64, Derick Peters (USA) 8.40, Daniel Karren
Heat 21: Miguel Tudela (PER) 17.26, Dylan Goodale (HAW) 12.60, Jason Harris (USA) 11.00, Brandon Smith
Heat 22: Halley Batista (BRA) 16.94, Connor O'Leary (AUS) 12.80, Gordan Fontaine (GBR) 8.43
Heat 23: Chase Wilson (USA) 11.76, Ian Crane (USA) 10.30, Keto Burns (USA) 9.67, Tristan Guilbaud
Heat 24: Mark Harris (GBR) 11.57, Filipe Jervis (PRT) 11.14, Luke Dillon (GBR) 5.57