Antonio Bortoletto at 2008 Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro : photo Cestari/Covered Images

Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro

ASP 1 Star Mens WQS event
North Beach Durban South Africa
14 - 17 May 2009

Durban’s Bortoletto eyes Lizzard Nando’s Surf Pro victory to ignite WQS campaign

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 6 May, 2009 : - - Lizzard-sponsored Antonio Bortoletto, Durban, is one of many of South Africa’s top surfers who will be taking part in the seventh edition of the 1* WQS rated Lizzard Nando’s Surf Pro. The event, which will run between 15 - 17 May, has R100 000 in prize money up for grabs, as well as 250 WQS points for the winner.

Bortoletto, who was born in Sao Paulo Brazil in 1979, only started surfing after he arrived in South Africa. His first stand up wave was at Durban’s Addington Beach in 1986, where he used to go surfing with his mother. Bortoletto has been surfing for 22 years, 14 of them competitively, and has travelled extensively throughout his impressive career. Having spent the last many years surfing on the international WQS, Bortoletto has a vast amount of contest experience.

Having already tasted success on the WQS with a massive win in the 2005 5* WQS Rip Curl Boardmasters in, Newquay, England, Bortoletto is looking to his sponsors event to reignite his 2009 WQS campaign. Mike Frew, Lizzard's Marketing Manager, is optimistic about Bortoletto’s prospects in the upcoming Lizzard event.

Frew believes that “Antonio is always one of the biggest threats at any contest in Durban because he lives on the beachfront and surfs those waves every day. He knows how to deal with everything from tiny howling onshore's to a big offshore groundswell and everything in between”.

Bortoletto is a true Durban local, as he calls New Pier his local break, and rates “a secret spot just south of Durban” as his favourite wave. He has as string of amazing results on his surfing resume, and rates his victories in the 2003 Mr. Price Night Surfing, the 2002 SA Champs Open Division, and the 2007 Quiksilver Goodwave as his most memorable.

Bortoletto is the first to admit that “the WQS is really tough, and there are so many factors determining results outside surfing abilities”. As such, having a good relationship with your sponsors is central to your success on the tour. In the four years that Bortoletto has been with Lizzard, “they have given me great opportunities and supported me and it’s great to have a brand that is based just up the road from my house and is South African and Durban based.”

Frew speaks of how Antonio’s input into the Lizzard team is so much more than just surfing contests. As a senior member of the Lizzard crew, “Antonio is the most experienced WQS competitor on the Lizzard surf team and has a wealth of knowledge he shares with some of the younger guys like Shawn Dennis who are just kicking off their WQS campaigns”. “Last year the guys learnt a lot from Ant over the European leg, especially things like how to deal with tough heats, and knowing where to stay and travel”.

For more information on the contest, Lizzard products, team riders and more check out lizzardsurf.net. During the event, the site will feature videos, heat scores, results, pictures and news uploaded directly from the Lizzard site office at North Beach. Co-sponsors for the event are Bokomo, Nestle Pure Life Water and Bavaria, and the event is organized by Nerve Events.

About Lizzard: Established in 1991, Lizzard is a clothing, accessories and footwear brand with roots in authentic surf culture. From offices in Durban (South Africa) and Burleigh Heads (Australia), products are distributed to 27 countries globally. Lizzard supports independent and core retailers. Lizzardsurf.net showcases the latest ranges, making it easy to find product and locate the nearest stores or distributors around the world.

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Previous reports:
# 1 : Lizzard Nando's Surf Pro WQS 1 Star returns to Durban
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

www.lizzardsurf.net
www.aspworldtour.com

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Rob Evans

WQS Contests - Surfersvillage