Sebastian Zietz : photo Hennings
 

Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge Championships

ASP Pro Junior Men's event
Keramas, Bali
7-17 October 2008

Waiting period for $75K Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge Championship in Bali begins today

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 October, 2008 : - - Foothill Ranch, Calif. – The waiting period for the inaugural Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge Championships, the final event of a six-event international series for junior men, begins today, Oct. 7, in Bali, Indonesia, and runs through Oct. 17. Yesterday, 32 of Bali’s top surfers competed for the final wildcard slot at Keramas Beach on Bali’s east side. Garut Widiarta from Kuta narrowly defeated Raditya Rondi in an explosive wave-for-wave count-back final.
 
“It was great to see the boys all really going for it,” said Contest Director Tipi Jabrik. “Even in these tough conditions, they were charging, knowing only first place would qualify for the event. Now we’ll get to see how our local guys [Widiarta and Yuki Seedwell] will do up against some of the best pro juniors in the world.”
 
In addition to the $163,000 the series has already doled out via the five qualifying events, an elite field of 18 of the world’s best juniors will compete in a man-on-man WCT-style format for a chance at the $20,000 first-place prize, the richest Pro Junior in the world. The primary competition venue will be based at Keramus, with an option to go mobile based on conditions.

“It’s incredible to have this level of talent in Bali, one of the most diverse, high- performance venues in the world,” says Oakley Surf Marketing Manager Ronny Nelson. “From the location, to the format, to the communal housing, this is truly an event that caters to the surfers. The Dream Tour format and the ability to only run when conditions are the best should create a platform for some of the best junior surfing to date.”

- -

 
In its inaugural year, the 2008 Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge has traveled the globe since February.  With a total of six events for junior surfers to qualify, the Global Challenge Championship will connect four days of competition during a 10-day waiting period, October 7-17 in Bali, Indonesia. The series kicked off at North Stradbroke, Queensland, Australia, followed by, New Pier, Durban, South Africa; Lower Trestles, San Clemente, Calif., USA; Itamambuca Beach, Ubatuba City, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Shidashita Point, Chiba, Japan and Grand Plage, Lacanua, Gironde, France.

The Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge qualifiers:

AUSTRALIA
1.    Lincoln Taylor (QLD)
2.    Mitch Crews (QLD)*

SOUTH AFRICA
1.    Shaun Joubert (SAF)
2.    Nick Godfrey (SAF)

USA
1.    Sebastian Zietz (HI)
2.    Jason Harris (USA)

BRAZIL
1.    Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
2.    Franklin Serpa (BRA)**

JAPAN
1.    Keito Matsuoka (JPN)
2.    Kaito Ohashi (JPN)

FRANCE
1.    Miguel Pupo (BRA)
2.    Marc Lacomare (FRA)

*Mitch Crews replaces Julian Wilson who is out due to injury
**Franklin Serpa replaces Thiago Camarao

In addition to the 12 qualifiers, six wildcards will round out the field of 18 competitors. Five top juniors have been awarded wildcards, and one local Balinese surfer will get the final spot based on the outcome of a local trial the week prior to the event. Wildcards were chosen based on their performance throughout the year with the goal of ensuring a well-rounded group of the world’s best up-and-coming talent.
 
WILDCARDS
Dusty Payne (HI)
Yuki Seedwell (IDN)
Romain Cloitre (FRA)
Billy Stairmand (NZ)
Kai Barger (HI)
Garut Widiarta (IDN)

WaveWatch.com Forecast for Oct. 7-17:
The Indian Ocean mid latitudes will continue with moderate activity providing more SW groundswell for the forecast area by Oct. 11.  Small amounts of SE mid period swell expected through Friday with improvements for the weekend.
 
Wed. (10/8):  Dropping SSW swell will be chest to head high.  Conditions will be fair with E to SE winds 8 to 12 kt.

Thurs. (10/9): SSW groundswell nearly gone. Small surf today waist high+.  Fair conditions.
 
Fri. (10/10):  Small surf today in the knee to waist high range at best.
 
Sat. (10/11): Signs of new SSW groundswell sometime during the day, reaching up to knee to waist high. Chest high sets possible late in the day.  SE winds 10 to 15 kt.
 
Sun. (10/12):  SW swell increases more today reaching waist to shoulder high.  Top sets expected around head high+. SE winds 10 to 15 kt.
 
Longer Term - Mon. (10/13) to Fri. (10/17):  SW swell holds Monday.  Larger surf to double overhead or more, possible by the middle of next week.

About Oakley, Inc.
The global leader in performance sunglasses, goggles and prescription eyewear, Oakley also offers technical and lifestyle apparel, footwear, watches and accessories. The company was created for athletes who see impossibility as just another challenge, and their dedication inspires Oakley to seek out problems, solve with innovation and wrap invention in art. Exceeding the limits of possibility for more than thirty years, Oakley serves the demands of world-class athletes with unbeatable technologies including High Definition Optics® (HDO®). 
 
About Source Interlink Media’s Action Sports Group (ASG)
Reaching more than two million enthusiasts, Source Interlink Media’s Action Sports Group (ASG) is the dominant force in the action sports and adventure sports arenas. In addition to publishing leading lifestyle publications such as Surfer, Surfing, Snowboarder, Skateboarder, Bike, Powder and Canoe & Kayak, Source Interlink Media’s ASG delivers a cutting-edge network of online properties, events and television programming.

www.oakleyprojunior.com

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Junior Contests - Surfersvillage