Kalani and Blanche : photo Lucia/RipCurl.com

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KALANI VIERA & BLANCHE YOSHIDA CROWNED TANDEM SURFING WORLD CHAMPS    > Francaise ci-dessous

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 9 September, 2007 : - - Liencres -- Hawaiian tandem surfing partners Kalani Viera and Blanche Yoshida have won Stop 5 of the final World Tandem Tour in Liencres, Spain this weekend. The contest win was the couple's third of the season and kept them in first overall on the World Tandem Tour ratings.

For Yoshida, aged 54, the world title is a return to the elite stage, having won her first tandem surfing world title in 1968. "It's really good coming back and this year has been a really nice journey," said Yoshida. "I won the world championships in 1968 and then four out of the five years until 1973, so it's been a long time since then."

Yoshida retired from tandem surfing shortly after 1973 and didn't return to the sport until last year. "I fell out of surfing after 1973," she continued. "I moved, I got a job, got married and wasn't around surfing at all. It wasn't until I went to Waikiki last year to watch one of the contests there that I got interested again."

While she was in Waikiki, Yoshida met ITSA tour manager Rico Leroy (FRA) and her passion for the sport was re-introduced. Leroy and his tandem partner Sarah Burel (FRA) finished runner-up in the overall world title race after finished fourth in Spain this weekend. "I met Rico and asked him to take me out into the surf for one wave. We paddled out, caught two waves and I was hooked again. It was amazing."

Tandem competitors : photo Lucia/RipCurl.com

Yoshida returned to Kauai and went on the search for a partner. She met with 41-year-old Viera and they began training this year. "It's been a really fun year and it's a good feeling right now," said Viera. "I never thought I would be a world champion in anything, let alone tandem surfing. It's a great!"

"Blanche and I owe everything this year to Rico and the rest of the tandem teams, because they taught us everything this year and were always so helpful and nice to us. They are the real winners to us!" Coming into Stop 5 in Spain, Leroy and Burel were the only couple that could steal the world title from the Hawaiians' grasp. If Leroy and Burel finished first overall in Spain, they would have won the world title.

"It was exciting that it came down to this last stop," continued Viera. "We had a small lead coming into this event, so it was important for us to place ahead of Rico and Sarah. In the final we really scored, got some good waves which enabled us to get plenty of maneuvers and some good connecting lifts."

Leroy was pleased about finishing a successful tandem season, but was disappointed about the fourth place finish in Spain and missing his world title chance. "I'm a little disappointed not to finish first today and to miss the world title again, but I'm happy that the Tandem Tour has had support from Rip Curl this week. I'm looking forward to next year when we're going to have even better support all season."

"Kalani only arrived in Tandem surfing last year, but he has got stronger and stronger in every competition he's done," continued Leroy. "I knew he was going to be really tough today and unfortunately I wasn't lucky with my waves and wave choice."

RESULTS - STOP 5 (part of the Rip Curl Girls Festival)
1st. Kalani Viera and Blanche Yoshida (HAW)
2nd. Chuck Inman and Tiffany (HAW)
3rd. Brian Keaulana and Kathy Terada (HAW)
4th. Rico Leroy and Sarah Burel (FRA)

2007 ITSA TOUR RESULTS
Stop 1 - Hookipa, Maui: Kalani Viera and Blanche Yoshida (HAW)
Stop 2 - Noosa, Australia: Rico Leroy and Sarah Burel (FRA)
Stop 3 - Seignosse, France: Rico Leroy and Sarah Burel (FRA)
Stop 4 - Huntington Beach, USA: Kalani Viera and Blanche Yoshida (HAW)
Stop 5 - Liencres, Spain: Kalani Viera and Blanche Yoshida (HAW)

2007 ITSA World Title
Kalani Viera and Blanche Yoshida (HAW)

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www.ripcurl.com/girlsfestival

Kalani and Blanche : photo Lucia/RipCurl.com

Francaise

Rip Curl Girls Festival :  le couple hawaien Kalani et Blanche remporte le World Tandem Tour

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 9 September, 2007 : - - Liencres (Espagne) - Sous un soleil radieux et dans de petites conditions, les 1/4 finales ont pu commencer. Le public est venu nombreux pour encourager les 9 couples encore en lice, venus des 4 coins du monde.

Dès la première série, le ton est donné. Les 3 couples enchaînent pirouettes et autres portés sur des vagues d'un mètre, longues. Chaque couple veut gagner son ticket pour les demi-finales, et peut-être espérer remporter cette 4ème étape du Championnat du Monde de surf tandem.

Dans la série 3, Rico & Sarah, le couple favori sur cette compétition passe de justesse en demi-finale, en réussissant à prendre une belle vague dans les dernières minutes. Ils offrent au public un enchaînement de manoeuvres incroyables, et notamment leur signature, le scorpion.

Après les demi-finales, les organisateurs décident de faire le prochain call dans l'après-midi. Les conditions ne sont plus à la hauteur d'une finale mondiale. La compétition est relancée à 16.30. Le couple hawaien Kalani et Blanche prend vite l'avantage avec 2 vagues notées à 9 et 7.80. Rico & Sarah ne trouvent pas les vagues qui leur permettraient de s'exprimer au mieux.

A la fin des 35 minutes, le suspens est à son comble. Un problème technique est survenu en cours de série et les notes n'ont pas pu être données. A la sortie de l'eau des 4 couples, le public les acclament, le spectacle a été exceptionnel, les spectateurs sont sous le charme.

Jusqu'au bout, personne n'est au courant des résultats. Sur le podium, la nouvelle tombe. Les hawaiens Kalani et Blanche remportent le Rip Curl Girls Festival, et également le titre de Champions du Monde 2007. Encore plus incroyable : cela faisait 39 ans que Blanche n'avait pas remporté ce titre. En effet, elle avait gagné son premier titre en 1968!

Rico & Sarah terminent 4 ème et deviennent vice-champions du Monde. Une très belle performance de la part de ce beau couple de Lacanau. Bravo Kalani, Blanche, Rico et Sarah, et merci pour le spectacle. Retrouvez les meilleures actions et moments de la toute compétition sur ripcurl.com/girlsfestival.

Check the Live Coverage 

Previous reports:
# 1 : Pauline Ado starts off strong at Rip Curl Pro Junior Spain 
# 2 : Alana Blanchard wins the Rip Curl Girls Pro Junior Spain
# 3 : ASP World Champs primed to make their mark in Spain
# 4 : Rip Curl Girls Festival awaits swell to kick off this week
# 5 : Women move through tricky surf at Rip Curl Girls Spain
# 6 : Rip Curl Girls Fest gets dramatic: Gilmore & Hedges out

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www.ripcurl.com/girlsfestival 
 

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