6.0 Lowers Pro

ASP 6-Star Prime Mens WQS event
Lower Trestles, San Clemente Ca
28 April - 3 May 2008

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

Michel Bourez dominates opening day of 6.0 Lowers Pro

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 April, 2009 : - - San Clemente -- The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star PRIME 6.0 Lowers Pro saw the opening day of America’s first ASP 6-Star PRIME event end in dramatic fashion when ASP World Tour rookie Michel Bourez (Toahotu, PYF), 23, delivered the day’s highest scores in the second-to-last heat of the day.

The 6.0 Lowers Pro’s ASP 6-Star PRIME status offers the maximum amount of points available for an ASP WQS even and a $145,000 prize purse, making the prestigious contest a significant stop on all competitors’ calendars in their quest towards qualification for the coveted ASP World Tour.

Bourez crushed the day’s highest single wave score when he annihilated an amazing Lowers lefthander, blasting several backside turns and earning a near-perfect 9.77 out of 10. The talented Tahitian then capitalized on a beautiful righthand wall and went ballistic on his forehand, donating another nine-point ride for the day’s highest heat total of 18.77 out of 20.

“That left came from nowhere,” Bourez said. “There were no waves in my heat and there was the first wave and the biggest set had came and all of the guys were paddling for it and I let it go. Just behind it was that sick left.”  Bourez had never surfed Lower Trestles before, but he wasted no time in becoming familiar with the coveted pointbreak.

Sebastian Zietz : photo Hilleman

“This is my first time here,” Bourez said. “Lowers is such a good wave and you have the left and the right on the main peak. It’s way different than most spots on the ‘QS because you have time enough to catch one or two of the best sets, so you don’t have to wait or change the way you act in the water.”

The powerful regular-footer is hoping to utilize his time at Lower Trestles as a good practice run before he tackles the world’s best at the Hurley Pro, mainland America’s only ASP World Tour event. “That was my plan,” Bourez said. “It’s even better for me to come and practice here before the World Tour event, so it’s great. My coach has told me a lot about this wave and I think that’s what helped me in that heat.”

Sebastian Zietz (Hanalei, HI), 21, picked off one of the day’s best righthanders and unleashed a wrath of critical, fins-free turns to earn a 9.43 out of 10 on the way to his heat victory. The progressive regular-footer dropped a second solid score of a 7.33 while advancing into the Round of 96.

“I had been looking at it all morning and it has been mostly lefts, but that wave came in and it was just a perfect right,” Zietz said. “Dropping in, I just told myself to calm down and luckily I got a few good turns in on it.” Zietz claimed the ASP Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge USA Qualifier last year, which runs in conjunction with the 6.0 Lowers Pro, and has now graduated from ASP Pro Junior competition to full-time ASP WQS status.

“Last year was my last year on the Pro Junior, so now I’m just doing the ‘QS,” Zietz said. “It’s been tough. I had only made one heat so far, so that was the second heat I’ve made this year. It’s definitely a lot tougher at these 6-Stars; the judges are a lot more critical and everybody rips.”

The talented regular-footer is looking to use his Round 1 success to build momentum throughout his 6.0 Lowers Pro campaign. “It’s good to build up your speed in the early rounds,” Zietz said. “I’m sure if my seed is better for next year that it will be fun to be seeded straight into the later rounds too.”

Luke Dorrington (Coolangatta, AUS), 23, traveled over to the States from Australia on his own dime and the dedicated competitor surfed explosively in his opening round heat. “Not being sponsored makes you try a bit harder, that’s for sure,” Dorrington said. “I’m just happy to be here and get a spot in the event. Trestles is a great wave, so it’s good to be a part of it.”

The Australian is out to post a solid result at Trestles so he can continue to fund his campaign on The Grind this year. “I just want to do as many events as I can and make some money,” Dorrington said. “For now, I’m just going event-by-event and am working at home to fund my own trips for the moment.”

Tomorrow’s ASP 6-Star PRIME 6.0 Lowers Pro action will pick back up with Heat 5 of Round 2 at 8 a.m. and will see today’s top performers tackle the event’s top seeds, including several ASP World Tour surfers. World Tour veteran Damien Hobgood (Satellite Beach, FL), Simao Romao (BRA), Stuart Kennedy and Jesse Merle-Jones (HAW) will kick off the day in Heat 1.

Watch all of the LIVE action via nike6lowerspro.com  An enhanced quality webcast will be available for the last two days of competition exclusively at fuel.tv  The additional webcast, that rivals broadcast quality, is thanks to a partnership between Action Sports Group and FUEL TV.

The 6.0 Lowers Pro and Oakley Pro Junior wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of sponsors Nike 6.0 and Oakley, co-sponsor Red Bull, and media sponsors Surfer (surfermag.com), Surfing (surfingthemag.com), WaveWatch.com and FUEL TV.

Forecast for Wed., 4/29 courtesy of WaveWatch.com

On Wednesday expect a new and inconsistent SW swell (200-220) peak over the last leftovers of our weekend S swell while it mixes with some background NW windswell. Wave heights will continue to average around waist-chest high, while the bigger sets come through around shoulder high. Since Lowers likes the SW swell, I wouldn’t count out a few head high sets on that midmorning-lunchtime tide push.  Weatherwise, the weak coastal eddy will continue on Wednesday. Look for light onshore to light S winds around 5 knots for the morning, with some possible cleanup around midmorning. NW winds around 10-13 knots move in through the afternoon.

Wednesday generally looks pretty playful but a little inconsistent at times. Shape will be a little funky in the morning again thanks to the eddy winds and extreme low tides...look for the best shape and most consistently around midday.

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. 

About Oakley, Inc. Oakley, Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes high-performance sunglasses, prescription lenses and frames, goggles and technology-enabled eyewear that utilize the company’s High Definition Optics® (HDO®), a collective platform of patented technologies that offer unbeatable optical performance. The company also produces technical and active apparel, footwear and accessories.

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.

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Previous reports:
# 1 : 6.0 Lowers Pro first ASP 6-Star Prime on U.S. mainland
# 2 : Top seeds preparing for ASP 6-Star 6.0 Lowers Pro WQS
# 3 : Wildcards finalized for 6.0 Lowers Pro & Oakley Pro Jnr..
# 4 : Good surf predicted for 6.0 Lowers Pro start at Trestles.. 
 
www.nike6.com
www.oakley.com
www.oakleyprojunior.com
www.nike6lowerspro.com
www.aspnorthamerica.org

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