Billabong ISA World Surfing Games

International Surfing Assn.
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
1 - 8 August 2009  

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

Team USA wins the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games in Costa Rica for the first time in 13 Years

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 8 August, 2009 : - - It was a fitting end to an event steeped in a mix of camaraderie and tough competition as Team USA took the overall gold medal today over Team France at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games presented by Monster Energy in Costa Rica. It was the first time that the Americans have won an overall gold medal in since the 1996 World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach, California.

From the opening heats of the Games at Playa Hermosa that began eight days ago, Team USA appeared committed and focused, as they competed against 34 other teams for a spot on the podium. With the final day of competition looming overhead, Team USA stood firm and was able to place five or their eight team members into the three finals, hence becoming the team to beat.

The team was led by Ian Cairns who assumed the position as Coach less than one month ago. "We had good surfers and what we did was to stay very concentrated,” said a low-key Cairns. “This is a long event and it was very important to preserve your energy.”

"I am really very happy” said Cairns of the first American title in more than a decade. “My goal was to come here and win. But also I wanted to establish a different personality for American surfing. I didn't want to make a lot of noise until things were happening. We built the support, the calmness and we focused on being together and concentrating on doing things well. Later, at the final, we went to the beach to wave the flag.”

Jeremy Flores : photo Watts/ISA

ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said about the amazing Billabong ISA World Surfing Games: "This was a great event. The new team format (4 open men, 2 open women and 2 longboarders) proved to be the right decision. The inaugural Billabong ISA World Surfing Games will go down as a historical moment for surfing, with record number of competitors and national teams in attendance. Congratulations to all the nations and see you next year!”

Hot on the USA's heels was the French team, led by ASP World Tour surfer Jeremy Flores. He looked in stellar form throughout the entire contest. France managed to put a one athlete in each of the Open, Women's, and Longboard divisions.

Kick-starting the final day of the contest was the ISA Aloha Cup, run as a tag-team event with five surfers from each team taking turns competing in the hour-long final. The unique format brought the national pride and overall competitiveness that had been simmering to a roaring boil.

Historically, one of the strongest teams in the event and last year's overall event winner, Team Australia, took the lead in the Aloha Cup at the outset of the heat and managed to hold on to it despite a strong rally from the French Team. It was a bittersweet moment for the Aussies as the team was not able to secure the ISA Team World Championship gold medal as it's done many times in the past. The Aloha Cup was the only gold medal for the Australians.

Courtney Conlogue : photo Watts/ISA

Following the Aloha Cup, the Longboard finalists took to the tepid 4 to 5 foot Costa Rican lineup and put on a tremendous show. The final, that included an American, a Frenchman, an Australian, and a British surfer, brought the thousands of fans that swarmed the beach to their feet, blending old-world noserides and iconic style with modern high-speed turns and speed floats. In the end, France's Antoine Delpero came out on top as he narrowly edged out Aussie surfer Harley Ingleby with a two-wave combined score of 15.50 points.

“I feel unreal�I'm so happy I can't say a word,” said a beaming and visibly shaken Delpero following his win. “This is so cool for me and Team France.” In the Women's final, 16-year-old American Courtney Conlogue was surfing on a higher plane as she dismantled her competition with a determined backhand attack on the lefts that earned her a slew of 8- and 7-point rides along with a gold medal.

Heading into the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games, Conlogue was coming off monumental performances this year, including silver medal at the ISA World Junior Championship in Ecuador, and a victory at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA. Judging from her recent competitive dominance, Conlogue has proven that she will be a formidable figure in the sport for years to come.

With her face partially shaded behind a pair of aviator sunglasses, Conlogue remained poised following her gold medal win. “To be surfing in front of all these people is amazing. It's been such a great event. To be in the final I had to put it all on the line,” she said. “The conditions were really good out there�it's just really been such a fun journey so far.”

Antione Delpero : photo Watts/ISA

Highlighting the final day's action was the Open final. Comprised of two Americans—Floridian Cory Lopez and North Carolina native Ben Bourgeois—a Peruvian and a Frenchmen, the level of surfing in the Men's final showcased just how technically advanced surfing has become throughout the world.

Opening up the heat with a barrage of mind-numbing turns was American Cory Lopez. Throughout the Games, Lopez looked extremely relaxed and confident—a dangerous mix in the game of competitive surfing. Despite Lopez's stellar rail work and progressive turns, France's Jeremy Flores was the man to beat.

Surfing like a man possessed, Flores seemed untouchable, putting his trademark low center of gravity style and lightning fast turns to good work in the final. That surfing earned him a pair of 8-point rides that the other competitors couldn't touch as Flores went on to win the gold medal.

Following his win, Flores appeared proud and confident as he reflected on the impact of bringing home a gold medal. “I haven't won too many contests, I've always done well, but I hardly ever seem to win. For me this is huge. This was more than a victory for me. I never win anything�I can't believe I just won. Wining the gold medal for my country, is the best feeling I ever had in my surfing career.”

 
Men's finalits : photo Watts/ISA

FINAL Team Results:

GOLD - United States – 14910 points

SILVER - France – 13280 points

BRONZE - Australia - 10996 points

COPPER - Hawaii – 10856 points 



INDIVIDUAL FINAL RESULTS 


Open Men

Gold: Jeremy Flores (FRA)

Silver: Cory Lopez (USA)

Bronze: Gabriel VIllarán (PER)

Copper: Ben Bourgeois (USA)



Open Women

Gold: Courtney Conlogue (USA)

Silver: Rosanne Hodge (RSA)

Copper: Sage Erickson (USA)

Bronze: Pauline Ado (FRA)



Longboard 

  Gold: Antoine Delpero (FRA)

Silver: Harley Ingleby (AUS)

Copper: Ben Skinner (GBR)

Bronze: Tony Silvagni (USA) 

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1 - USA - 14910 points
2 - France - 13280 points
3 - Australia - 10996 points
4 - Hawaii - 10856 points
5 - South Africa - 10666 points
6 - Peru - 10180 points
7 - Costa Rica - 9650 points
8 - Venezuela - 9040 points
9 - Brazil - 9000 points
10 - Puerto Rico - 8820 points
11 - New Zealand - 8100 points
12 - Argentina - 7160 points
13 - Tahiti - 6688 points
14 - Ecuador - 6170 points
15 - Panama - 5952 points
16 - Italy - 5670 points
17 - Mexico - 5560 points
18 - Japan - 5324 points
19 - Chile - 5208 points
20 - El Salvador - 4784 points
21 - Ireland - 4568 points
22 - Austria - 4320 points
23 - Barbados - 4128 points
24 - Germany - 4024 points
25 - UK- 3810 points
26 - Guatemala - 3696 points
27 - Switzerland - 3440 points
28 - Jamaica - 2912 points
29 - Canada - 2784 points
30 - Nicaragua - 2656 points
31 - Colombia 2544 points
32 - Trinidad & Tobago - 2240 points
33 - Bahamas 2240 points
34 - Rep. Dominican - 1680 points
35 - Aruba- 384 points 

Previous reports:
# 1 : Billabong ISA World Surfing Games name judging panel
# 2 : 35 countries to participate at ISA World Surfing Games..
# 3 : World's nations land in Costa Rica for ISA World Games 

# 4 : News conference opens ISA World Games in Costa Rica 
# 5 : Parade through Jaco launches ISA World Surfing Games 
# 6 : Small nations go big opening day of ISA World Games.. 

# 7 : Swell builds on Day 2 of the ISA World Surfing Games
# 8 : Sudden death brings do-or-die surprises at ISA Games 
# 9 : Oz and USA lead ISA World Games, Costa Rica shines 
# 10 : Longboards rule the day in Costa Rica at ISA Games

Team Australia:  > www.surfingaustralia.com 
# 1 : Barton Lynch new head coach for Oz at ISA World Games
# 2 : Surfing Australia names team for the ISA World Games
# 3 : Aussies amped at launching of ISA World Surfing Games


Team Costa Rica:  > www.surfingcr.com 
# 1 : Costa Rican team named for the ISA World Surf Games
# 2 : Costa Rica team prepared for ISA World Surfing Games
# 3 : Costa Rica names their final team for ISA World Games

# 4 : Costa Rica shows home-beach advantage at ISA Games  
# 5 : Ticos score the highest single wave Day 2 of ISA Games 
# 6 : Costa Ricans make all heats Day 3 of ISA World Games 

# 7 : Carlos Munoz & Jason Torres enter Top 8 at ISA Games
# 8 : Costa Rica ranked in top 5 at ISA World Surfing Games 
# 9 : Costa Rica takes 7th at the ISA World Surfing Games..

Team France:  > www.surfingfrance.com 
# 1 : La France réunit sa dream team pour ISA World Games
# 2 : Equipe de France vice championne du monde ISA 2009

Team Germany:  > www.surf-dwv.de 
# 1 : Das deutsche Team surft sich warm für die ISA Games..
# 2 : Sieg für Paul Grey, Thomas Lange ISA World Games... 

Team Great Britain:  > www.britsurf.co.uk  
# 1 : Ben Skinner takes bronze for Brits at ISA World Games

Team Jamaica:  > www.geocites.com/jasurfas 
# 1 : Jamaica announces team for ISA World Surfing Games
# 2 : Team Jamaica departs for the ISA World Surfing Games
# 3 : Team Jamaica arrives in Hermosa Beach Costa Rica...
# 4 : Jamaican team eliminated at ISA World Surfing Games 

Team New Zealand:  > www.surfingnz.co.nz 
# 1 : New Zealand names Billabong ISA World Games team
# 2 : Quiksilver New Zealand team ready for ISA World Games
# 3 : Coach Jay Quinn leads the way for Kiwis at ISA Games 

# 4 : Jay Quinn continues to lead Kiwis at ISA World Games  
# 5 : Kiwis falter Day 4 but bounce back Day 5 of ISA Games  
# 6 : Gisborne surfers keeping Kiwi hopes alive at ISA Games  
# 7 : New Zealand ends up 11th at ISA World Surfing Games 

Team Peru:  > www.firbas.net 
# 1 : Los Peruanos Mulanovich y Villaran listos en Costa Rica
# 2 : ISA Games: peruanos Sofía Mulanovich, Gabriel Villarán
# 3 : Buena serie de Mulanovich - Villaran ya esta en 3 ronda

# 4 : El peruano Gabriel Villarán accedió a la cuarta ronda d..  
# 5 : Sofia Mulanovich y Villaran clasifican a suguiente ronda 
# 6 : Peru: Brillante performances Gabriel y Sofía ISA Games

Team South Africa:  > www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za
# 1 : South Africa team named for ISA World Surfing Games
# 2 : Nikita Robb leads Saffa charge at the ISA World Games
# 3 : Team South Africa on track at ISA World Surfing Games

# 4 : Mixed results Day 4 for South Africans at the ISA Games  
# 5 : South Africans back in contention after Day 6 of ISA's  
# 6 : Rosanne Hodge nabs silver as Saffas take 5th at ISA's

Team United States:  > www.surfingamerica.org 
# 1 : Team USA primed for the 2009 ISA World Surf Games
# 2 : Pacsun USA team dominates Day 1 of ISA World Games
# 3 : PacSun Team USA wins 5 more heats on Day 2 of ISAs

# 4 : PacSun USA team in solid position at ISA World Games  
# 5 : PacSun Team USA women advance at ISA World Games
# 6 : PacSun Team USA longboarders advance at ISA Games
# 7 : Pacsun USA Surf Team currently first at the ISA Games

www.isasurf.org

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