Jihad Khodr : photo Aquashot/ASP Europe

Sooruz Lacanau Pro

ASP 6 Star WQS Mens Event
Lacanau-Océan, Gironde France
17 - 23 August 2009

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Favorites tame tricky conditions at Sooruz Lacanau Pro

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 19 August, 2009 : - - Lacanau Ocean -- The third day of the waiting period saw seven heats only take place in the early morning, the outgoing tide delivering some fun and clean waves until the dead-low tide made the conditions uncontestable. Some two to three foot (0.5 to 1 meter) sets allowed for some top seeds to kick off their French campaign, current ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) No. 4 Owen Wright (Sydney, AUS), 19, securing his berth into Round 3 of competition.

Also advancing today were rising Californian star Nat Young (USA), 17, and renowned progressive surfer Eric Geiselman (Florida, USA), both American surfers showing solid surfing to secure their Round 3 ticket along with the day’s top scorer Yadin Nicol (Western Australia, AUS).

Geiselman, who was surfing for the first time ever in France today, was at ease in the tricky fast breaking waves posting a promising 13.07 point heat result including an 8.17 point ride, the day’s second best wave. The 20-year-old surfer, who managed to win Heat 7 ahead of former ASP Top 45 surfer Travis Logie (Durban, ZAF), left the water relieved.

“I felt pretty slow actually but I am stoked to make it through,” Geiselman said. “The waves were very challenging but I just tried to surf smart and get the better waves I guess. I am happy because I have never been to France before and I like the place a lot.”

Geiselman, who has built a reputation on his spectacular surfing and a complete repertoire of flying maneuvers, used smart heat tactics today to win his event starter and will definitely be one to count with when the new swell delivers clean walls at Lacanau.

Owen Wright : photo Aquashot/ASP Europe

“I have been enjoying my time so far here and I hope I can get a few points and be able to get in the Hawiian Triple Crown at the end of this year,” Geiselman said. “The waves are okay, we’ve had fast walls to longer though flatter conditions but it’s fun overall. I will start full-time on the WQS next year for sure so I am trying to enjoy myself here.”

One of today’s surprises was the heat win of Medi Veminardi (REU), 18, the Reunion Island born surfer already achieving his best result ever by advancing through to Round 3 of the ASP WQS 6-Star event. Veminardi, who was able to post 14.00 points to best current ASP World Tour surfer David Weare (Durban, ZAF), eliminated favorite Pablo Paulino (BRA) and fellow island surfer Damien Chaudoy.

“It’s pretty cool to make that heat and it’s my best result ever in a 6-Star rated event,” Veminardi said. “I had a game plan which was not to worry about David Weare who is on the ASP World Tour, and focus on getting the second place from Pablo Paulino (BRA). Then I got that 7+ score and I heard the guys needed a pretty decent score to catch-up so I stayed calm and watched Paulino. I am super happy to make it through.”

All surf forecasts are showing a new swell supposed to hit Lacanau around tomorrow afternoon and some excellent surf in the five to six foot range should be breaking over the quality sand bank by Saturday morning. The event showdown promises to bring intense action but until then, sixteen heats remain before Round 2 is completed and the number of title contenders decreases dramatically. A call will be made at 7.30 AM.
 
Visit aspeurope.com and sooruzlacanaupro.com for results, photos and news of the ASP WQS 6-Star Sooruz Lacanau Pro

Nat Young : photo Aquashot/ASP Europe

SOORUZ LACANAU PRO ROUND 2 RESULTS
Heat 1: Tim Boal (FRA) 17.17 pts, Charles Martin (GLP) 12.60 pts, Richard Christie (NZL) 11.17 pts, Alex Gray (USA)
Heat 2: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 15.66 pts, Luke Munro (AUS) 13.20 pts, Daniel Redman (ZAF) 11.17 pts, Mark Mathews (AUS)
Heat 3: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 11.50 pts, Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 9.98 pts, William Cardoso (BRA) 9.66 pts, Shaun Ward
Heat 4: Owen Wright (AUS) 13.00 pts, Nat Young (USA) 11.20 pts, Hodei Collazo (EUK) 10.94 pts, Masatoshi Ohno (JPN)
Heat 5: Dylan Graves (PRI) 14.10 pts, Jihad Khodr (BRA) 11.67 pts, Paulo Moura (BRA) 10.07 pts, Che Stang (USA) 8.70
Heat 6: Eric Geiselman (USA) 13.07 pts, Travis Logie (ZAF) 11.07 pts, Marco Polo (BRA) 10.67 pts, Vincent Duvignac 
Heat 7: Blake Wilson (AUS) 13.67 pts, Leonardo Neves (BRA) 12.80 pts, Tanner Gudauskas (USA), Brent Dorrington
Heat 8: Medi Veminardi (REU) 14.00 pts, David Weare (ZAF) 13.60 pts, Pablo Paulino (BRA) 7.33 pts, Damien Chaudoy

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Day 3 action : photo Aquashot/ASP Europe

francais

TROISIEME JOURNEE DU SOORUZ LACANAU PRO ECOURTEE PAR DE FAIBLES CONDITIONS DE HOULE

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 19 August, 2009 : - - Les conditions de vagues très timides aujourd'hui à Lacanau-Océan (33 Gironde) permettent tout de même de lancer 7 séries pour le 2ème tour du Soöruz Lacanau Pro, étape du championnat du monde de surf professionnel. Malgré la petite taille de la houle, le spectacle est assuré grâce à la qualité des meilleurs surfeurs mondiaux où les performances françaises sont moins glorieuses qu'hier.

Le réunionnais Medi Veminardi donne le ton dès sa première vague notée 7.33 pts et remporte sa série. Mais après avoir éliminé Marc Lacomare dans le tour précédent, Medi coupe net le parcours d'un autre français : Damien Chaudoy finit bon dernier à l'issue d'un enchaînement désespéré d'un grand nombre de vagues à petit score, ne dépassant pas les 4.33 pts. 

Cette courte journée signe également la sortie du landais Vincent Duvignac. Face à un Eric Geiselman (USA) qui décolle sur des vagues très lentes (2nde meilleure note de la journée avec une vague appréciée à 8.17 pts), "Duvi" s'incline après une lutte acharnée mais inefficace, qui ne lui apporte malheureusement pas les 7.07 pts nécessaires à une qualification.

Geiselman savoure quant à lui sa victoire : "J'aime beaucoup Lacanau, c'est la première fois que je viens surfer en France et je compte rester dans la compétition le plus longtemps possible " .

Sans surprise, l'Australien Owen Wright et le jeune Nat Young (USA) âgé de seulement 17 ans mènent tambour battant la 4ème série de ce deuxième tour du Soöruz Lacanau Pro 2009 à grand renfort de combinaisons gagnantes air-roller, ne laissant aucune chance à l'unique représentant du Japon Masatoshi Ohno qui parvient difficilement à totaliser huit vagues sur 25min de série, de plus très insuffisantes car notées en moyenne à 2.48 pts.

Suite et fin du second tour demain matin avec en prévision des conditions à la hausse le soir pour le panel de surfeurs français à venir Miky Picon, Joan Duru, Romain Cloître ou encore Adrien Valéro, le local canaulais du team Soöruz.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Le Sooruz Lacanau Pro 2009: Trente ans de French Pro
# 2 : Sooruz Lacanau Pro kicks off, Collazo & Pupo shine on
# 3 : Top seeds start strong Day 2 of the Sooruz Lacanau Pro
# 4 : Coming soon  

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