Day 5 action : photo S Yamamoto/ASP Japan

Hyuga Pro
Presented by Asahi

2-Star ASP World Qualifying Series Event
Okuragahama Beach, Hyuga Miyazaki Japan
8 - 12 October 2008

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

Hyuga Pro presented by Asahi Climaxed to battle betweeb Shota Nakamura and Jason Shibata

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 12 October, 2008 : - - Day 5 and final day for Hyuga Pro commenced with action of semi finals of all divisions. Hyuga enjoyed another beautiful sunny summer day. The wave conditions at Oguragahama was in the 2 to 4 feet range and fanned by a light offshore winds the conditions was nothing but beautiful for the grand final day. 

In the WQS action the 4 men who made their way Friday set an epic showdown. At semi final heat 1 Japanese top young gun Shota Nakamura (JPN) was on fire once again at this event and won thru a lot of number of top seeded surfers. Nakamura surfed against local favorite Rikiya Kitada(JPN) and Kitada went to business right away and scores a 7.00 nut Nakamura fights back and scores an excellent 8.50.

Then both score high with high tactics and Nakamura succeeds in his backup with a 6.25 and makes a total of 14.75. Kitada fights back with a 5.50 but the 25 minute heat was over and his score was a 12.50 and is eliminated. Nakamura made the final at Kitaizumi and makes 2 straight events to the final. Heat 2 was a battle by Darren Turner (AUS) VS Jason Shibata (HAW).

Shibata scores a 7.00 from the beginning of heat and Turner makes his wave choice with extra care but could not succeed in making the scores he intended. He scored a 5.50 but his backup ended with a 5.25 and the total was 10.75. Shibata backs up with a 4.25 and total of 11.25 and moves to the final. Final was a 30 minute battle with Shota Nakamura (JPN) who made 2 finals of WQS and Pro Junior and Darren Turner (AUS) who made 2 semi finals of WQS and LQS.

Although both surfers are iron men both were fighting there physically ability. Nakamura’s 1st wave was a 6.00 and Shibata was a 5.50. As the tide was way out a lot of the waves turned wide. Both struggle with a backup and Nakamura succeeds in a 6.75 and Shibata a 7.00. Nakamura’s total was a 12.75 and Shibata a 12.50 and Nakamura succeeds in a small lead. At this stage Shibata requires a 5.76 or higher to take the lead. This didn't happen at Hyuga and Nakamura makes his first ever win in WQS and the 2008 season is over.

LQS action went on conjunction with this event and local standout hero Yasuaki Higashikawa (JPN) of Miyazaki and former world ranking 2nd surfer Kekoa Uemura (HAW) went to battle but Uemura showed excellence and Higashikawa scores a 11.00 but Uemura wins with a 16.65 and moves to the final. Heat 2 was former domestic champion Kenji Miyauchi(JPN) and Jason Shibata (HAW) who entered both LQS as well as WQS. IfShibata wins it would be a all Hawaii battle.

But the former domestic champ showed excellence and scores a 7.00 and 7.50 from the beginning. Shibata fights back with a 6.00 and 8.00 and thru the internet the Hawaiian fans send so many messages in favor of Shibata. But Miyauchi takes the win with a 14.50 and moves to the final. The 30 minute final starts and MIyauchi goes to work first but could not succeed to a high score. First wave for Uemura was an excellent 9.25. Miyauchi fights back with a 5.00, 6.25 and a 6.60.

As the heat goes toward the end it was once again Uemura who scored another 8.00 and the total is a 17.25 and marks the highest heat score of the day. Uemaura is crowned the first Hyuga Pro Longboard Champion. 

Pro Juniors for the "Ocean & Earth Teen Age Rampage" it was the lightning fast Shota Nakamura and power house Nobuyuki Osawa,as well as dark horse Kaisa Kawamura and Kenichi Kurosawa who went to battle for the win. Kawamura marks a 7.15 and 7.50 but it was this time Kenichi Kurosawa with a total of 15.00 to be crowned champion. 

The 2008 ASP JAPAN REAL TOUR comes to the end of season. Thank you everybody for all the messages thru the internet and the whole season. We will see you all again in 2009.

Check the Full Results

Current WQS Ratings

1	Curran,Nathaniel	USA	13200
2	Davidson,Chris	AUS	12525
3	Boal,Tim	FRA	11888
4	Gudauskas,Patrick	USA	11438
5	Kerr,Josh	AUS	11325
6	Lipke,Marlon	DEU	10950
7	Weare,David	ZAF	10675
8	Bourez,Michel	PYF	10600
9	Emslie,Greg	ZAF	10588
10	Nicol,Yadin	AUS	10500
11	Courtney,Drew	AUS	10475
12	Bettero,Hizunome	BRA	10375
13	Henrique,Pedro	BRA	10263
13	Khodr,Jihad	BRA	10263
15	Kling,Gabe	USA	10088
16	Monteiro,Raoni	BRA	9775
17	Pires,Tiago	PRT	9663
18	Paulino,Pablo	BRA	9600
18	Romao,Simao	BRA	9600
20	Simpson,Brett	USA	9525
21	MacDonald,Phillip	AUS	9450
22	Sedley,Leigh	AUS	9375
23	Gossmann,Shaun	AUS	9363
24	Garcia,Sunny	HAW	9350
25	Barca,Dustin	HAW	9263
26	Dornelles,Rodrigo	BRA	9125
26	Muscroft,Nic	AUS	9125
28	Cansdell,Shaun	AUS	9050
29	Yeomans,Nathan	USA	9000
30	Melling,Adam	AUS	8975
31	Atkinson,Dion	AUS	8851
32	Neves,Leonardo	BRA	8800
33	Robertson,Adam (Vic)	AUS	8715
34	Ware,Austin	USA	8713
35	Sodre,Yuri	BRA	8700
35	Andre,Jadson	BRA	8700
37	Duru,Joan	FRA	8669
38	Hall,Glenn	IRE	8600
39	Centeio,Joel	HAW	8426
40	Cardoso,Willian	BRA	8425
41	Cuizon,Dustin	HAW	8325
42	Alves,Heitor	BRA	8225
42	Wilkinson,Matt	AUS	8225
44	Bacalso,Kekoa	HAW	8176
45	Hedge,Nathan	AUS	8175
46	Bombaci,Rhys	AUS	7925
47	Beven,Patrick	FRA	7850
48	Dantas,Wiggolly	BRA	7738
48	Ross,Daniel	AUS	7738
50	Silva,Andre	BRA	7713
51	Zubizarreta,Gony	ESP	7675
52	Gonzalez,Jonathan	CNY	7638
53	Flintoff,Kirk	AUS	7450
54	Miranda,Bernardo	BRA	7438
55	Gudauskas,Dane	USA	7426
56	Losness,Mike	USA	7350
57	Gudauskas,Tanner	USA	7051
57	Wright,Warwick	ZAF	7051
59	Ziems,Corey	AUS	7025
60	Souza,Adriano de	BRA	6969
61	Thompson,Jay	AUS	6944
62	Savalli,Hugo	REU	6913
63	Padaratz,Neco	BRA	6900
64	Logie,Travis	ZAF	6838
65	Ohno,Masatoshi	JPN	6788
66	Coutinho,Odirlei	BRA	6725
67	Wilson,Blake	AUS	6632
68	Thornton,Blake	AUS	6625
69	Polo,Marco	BRA	6600
70	Collazo,Hodei	ESP	6588
71	Acero,Eneko	EUK	6575
72	Fahrenfort,Damien	ZAF	6557
73	Ward,Shaun	USA	6513
74	Campbell,Ryan	AUS	6500
75	Barron,T.J	HAW	6464
76	Sullivan,Jarrad	AUS	6444
77	Bortoletto,Antonio	ZAF	6313
78	Toth,Brian	PRI	6288
79	Fisher,Paul	AUS	6275
80	Riou,Alain	PYF	6188
81	Galvao,Renato	BRA	6113
82	Aranburu,Aritz	EUK	6094
83	Bastos,Leandro	BRA	6088
84	Silva,Jean da	BRA	6025
85	Hansen,Bobby	NZL	6013
86	Herdy,Guilherme	BRA	5938
87	Rothman,Makuakai	HAW	5844
88	Howse,Jarrad	AUS	5813
88	Laulhe,Romain	FRA	5813
90	Payne,Dusty	HAW	5757
91	Roberts,Gavin	ZAF	5713
92	Geiselman,Eric	USA	5669
93	Benson,Tonino	HAW	5650
94	Rebiere,Eric	FRA	5600
95	Stang,Che	USA	5525
96	Campbell,Luke	AUS	5489
97	Novak,Flynn	HAW	5488
98	Spencer,Sterling	USA	5414
99	Kimmins,Clint	AUS	5313
100	Santos,Robson	BRA	5239
101	Waring,Chris	USA	5231

Check the Full Ratings

www.aspjapantour.com  

Previous reports:
# 1 : Hideyoshi Tanaka gets top score for day 1 of Hyuga Pro
# 2 : Jason Shibata shows his style at Day 2 of Hyuga Pro...
# 3 : Swell rise makes for awesome surf at Hyuga Pro day 3
# 4 : Sky was the limit for high action at Hyuga Pro day 4..