Sebastien Zietz : photo Hilleman

6.0 Lowers Pro

Oakley Pro Junior

Men's 4 Star WQS Event #12
Grade 2 ASP Junior Men's Event
Lower Trestles San Clemente
29 April - 3 May 2008

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

Big youth uprising in dismal surf on Day 2 of 6.0 Lowers Pro

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 30 April, 2008 : - - San Clemente -- Day two of the 6.0 Lowers Pro opened up in unfavorable two-to-three foot stormy conditions at Lower Trestles this morning, but competitors overcame the testing winds to produce the biggest scores of the event thus far.

Completing both Rounds 2 and 3 of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-Star event, day two of the 6.0 Lowers Pro saw the upcoming generation of surfers revel in the tricky-yet-performance-oriented conditions.
 
Jesse Heilman (Daytona Beach, FL) took top honors for the day, netting the event high heat total of an 18.07 out of possible 20.  The progressive natural-footer blasted away on his backhand, finding solid waves in the less-than-ideal conditions.
 
“That first left that I got the 9 on, I got lucky, because I almost kicked out after my first two turns,” Heilman said. “I looked again and it bowled open on the inside, so I’m pretty psyched with how it ended up.” Recently graduated from the ASP Pro Junior Series to the ASP WQS full time, Heilman is adjusting to the next level of surfing with maturity.

“The transition from the Pro Juniors to the WQS is going well, but there’s definitely a big difference in competition,” Heilman said.  “The ’QS competitors have a lot more experience and use more strategy when they compete, so it’s kind of a different game plan.”

Brent Dorrington : photo Hilleman

 
 
Gabriel Villaran (Lima, PER) proved that the youngsters didn’t take all the honors as the 23-year-old donated the day’s highest single wave heat score with a near perfect 9.60 out of possible 10. Villaran will use the momentum gained from his heat victory in Round 4.
 
“Before my heat I didn’t think things would go well because the waves are crappy and all of the guys o the ’QS know how to surf small waves really well,” Villaran said.  “However I got a good start with the 6.3, so I was stoked.  I saw that one good wave and it had an open face to it, and I got lucky because the wave was kind of clean so I could do a lot of good turns.  It’s really good motivation for the next round.”
 
Casey Brown (Kona, HAW), who has had previous success at Lower Trestles throughout his amateur career,  dominated his heat this afternoon, putting his fellow competitors in a combination situation with a 16.00 out of a possible 20.
 
“I’m stoked to be back at Trestles, and I seem to go good at this wave,” Brown said. I’ve got a title here from when I was younger, so I’m stoked to be back. The swell forecast looks good, and I’m looking forward to going out and getting some waves in the next heat.”
 
In addition to the importance of helping surfers qualify for the prestigious ASP World Tour, the 6.0 Lowers Pro also kick starts the 2008 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series (and ASP North America Specialty Series). 

Jesse Heilman : photo Hilleman

The event at Lowers will see all three past Trifecta Champions in Asher Nolan (Jacksonville Beach, FL), Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA) and Adam Virs (Ventura, CA) all donning competition jerseys in the coming days so the Surf Series is looking at an explosive start.

Tomorrow will see the 6.0 Lowers Pro complete the Round of 64 before seeing the top seeds hit the water for Round 5. Amongst the marquee names will be ASP World Tour campaigners Ben Bourgeois (Wrightsville Beach, NC), Chris Ward (San Clemente, CA), Taylor Knox (Carlsbad, CA), ASP WQS campaigners Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA), Shaun Ward (Huntington Beach, CA), among others.
 
In one of the most highly-anticipated bouts of the events, 15-year-old wildcard Carissa Moore (Waikiki, HAW), the only female in the competition, will face off against former ASP World Junior Champion and current campaigner on the ASP World Tour Adriano de Souza (BRA).
 
In addition to title sponsor Nike 6.0, the 6.0 Lowers Pro is happy to have support from Red Bull, Oakley, SURFER, SURFING, WaveWatch and FUEL TV. All 6.0 Lowers Pro action is being webcast LIVE via www.nike6lowerspro.com

Forecast for Thurs., May 1
Thursday both the surf and the conditions will turn around and start to improve. A mix of S-SW swell, local NW windswell, and a new SW swell (200-220) will be filling in with long swell-periods and inconsistent sets. Wave heights will continue to hold in the waist-chest high range on the average sets and there will be some shoulder high+ sets sneaking through at times, particularly as the new SW swell builds in more during the afternoon.
 
The winds/conditions will make the biggest improvement compared to the last couple of days. Look for mostly light and variable to light ESE winds all below 5 knots through the morning. Winds will shift light onshore around lunchtime, and then will pick up out of the W-WNW around 10-15 knots by the afternoon. There will also be sunny skies after the morning marine layer burns off.  Should be a pretty nice day for competition. 

6.0 Lowers Pro – ASP WQS 4-Star

Round 2: 160 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 10: Ted Navarro (USA) 13.83, Sean Taylor (USA)8.67, Zach Plopper (USA) 7.17, Omar Etcheverry  (USA)
Heat 11: Colin Schildhauer (USA) 9.84, Hunter Heverly (USA) 7.43, Matt Turner (USA) 6.06, Eric Worley (USA) 5.83
Heat 12: Bobby Morris (USA)11.83, Corey Garcia (AUS) 8.57, Dillon Perillo (USA) 11.00 , Rikaya Kitada (JPN) 4.33
Heat 13: Ryan Briggs (USA) 15.17, Roger Eales (USA) 10.76, Matt Myers (USA) 10.53, Travis Mellem (USA) 6.72
Heat 14: Albee Layer (HAW) 15.00, Eric McHenry (USA)12.60, Ian Ekberg (USA) 12.16, Jensen Callaway (USA) 9.96
Heat 15: Brent Dorrington (AUS) 16.84, Blake Jones (USA) 12.83, Sean Hayes (USA) 8.63, Adam Lambert (USA) 6.17
Heat 16: Phillip Goold (USA) 11.53, Nils Schweitzer (USA) 11.50, Sean Tubbs (USA) 6.73, Jason Harris (USA) 6.70

Round 3: 128 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Kellen Ellison (USA)13.66, Sebastian Seitz (HAW) 11.26, Matt Keenan (USA) 7.10, Alek Parker (USA) 7.67
Heat 2: Jacob Kirshenbaum (USA) 12.33, Shota Nakamura (JPN) 12.07, Johnny Craft (USA) 9.50, Ricky Whitlock (USA) 8.47
Heat 3: Zach Keenan (USA) 12.40, Dane Johnson (USA) 12.07, Peter Mussio (USA) 9.90, Eddie Guilbeau (USA) 7.00
Heat 4: Jesse Heilman  (USA) 18.07, Aaron Cormican (USA) 12.00, Parrish Byrne (AUS)11.00, Jason Miller (USA) 10.04 
Heat 5: Josh Montgomery (USA) 5.64, Sean Marceron (USA) 9.06, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 13.70, Chris Abad (USA) 4.52
Heat 6: Gabriel Villaran (PER) 15.93, Richie Collins (USA) 15.07, Kyle Ramey (HAW) 10.83, Kai Barger (HAW) 9.87
Heat 7: James Woods (AUS) 15.06, Shane Beschen (USA) 14.93, Nobuyuki Osawa (JPN) 10.23, Tarik Kasogi (USA) 3.97
Heat 8: Jason Collins (USA) 12.93, Michael Hoisington (USA) 9.16, Rylan McCart (USA) 8.66, John Daniels (USA) 6.43  
Heat 9: Cory Arrambide  (USA) 9.83, Brent Reiley (USA) 8.20, Sean Taylor (USA) 6.74, Dane Ward (USA) 3.49
Heat 10: Adam Wickwire (USA) 13.40, Alex Smith (HAW) 13.83, Ted Navarro (USA) 12.10, Darren Muschett (PRI) 5.17
Heat 11: Torrey Meister (HAW) 11.67, Dillon Perillo (USA) 8.83, Shey Yates (USA) 8.33, Colin Schildhauer (USA) 4.80
Heat 12: Hunter Heverly (USA) 8.50, David Rutherford (MEX)8.33, Bobby Morris (USA) 6.69, Sean Poynter (USA) 5.90
Heat 13: Ryan Briggs (USA) 13.67, Eric McHenry (USA) 13.27, Naoto Tekamah (JPN) 7.50, Will Tant (USA) 5.47
Heat 14: Casey Brown (HAW) 16.00, Albee Layer (HAW) 11.17, Roger Eales (USA)7.87, Peter Mel (USA) 5.47
Heat 15: Brent Dorrington (AUS) 16.74, Nils Schweitzer (USA) 10.16, Matt Mohagen (USA) 9.74, Josh Loya (USA) 6.77
Heat 16: Brandon Ragenovich (USA) 11.90, Blake Jones (USA) 11.17, Magnum Martinez (VEN) 11.16, Phillip Goold (USA) 10.37
 
Round 4: 96 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Dylan Graves (PRI) 14.67, Shota Nakamura (JPN) 10.20, Gavin Beechen (HAW) 9.00, Kellen Ellison (USA) 4.00
Heat 2: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 16.60, Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.17, Jacob Kirschenbaum (USA) 9.93, Liam McNamara (HAW) 7.63 

About Nike 6.0:
Welcome to Nike 6.0 … a  multi-action sports brand supporting the next generation. Our mission is simple: Instigate, inspire and elevate the next generation.  The barriers that once existed between action sports have been reduced by those who skate, surf, and ride with equal and inclusive passion. 6.0 is dedicated to this new crop of athletes through our multi-sport team, innovative product, and events. From the streets to the surf, from the dirt to the park, Nike 6.0 symbolizes the creativity and progression inherent in the DNA of action sports. 

 
Previous reports:
# 1 : Nike 6.0 gets behind Trestles WQS for the 6.0 Lowers Pro
# 2 : 6.0 Lowers Pro/Oakley Jr. announce wildcards, top seeds
# 3 : World superstars to hit ASP WQS 4-star 6.0 Lowers Pro
# 4 : Finals day swell, aid for Trestles aimed at 6.0 Lowers Pro  
# 5 : 6.0 Lowers Pro kicking off with high performance surfing  

www.nike6.com
www.oakley.com
www.aspworldtour.com 
www.nike6lowerspro.com
www.aspnorthamerica.org

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