Panama ISA World Masters Surfing Championship

International Surfing Association
Santa Catalina, Panama
29 August - 5 September 2010

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc  |  Slideshow 1  2  3  4

Australia, South Africa and Brazil are the only ones in contention for the team gold | Espanol abajo

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 September, 2010 : - - Ten medalists of the Panama ISA World Masters Surfing Championship were defined today in clean and perfect 5 to 7 foot waves. Tomorrow, Australia, South Africa and Brazil will fight neck to neck for the Masters Title as they enter the last day of the event with a tight points distance. With one day to go the, the fight for the World Title is really tight in the top three spots:

1: Australia – 12550
2: South Africa – 11840
3: Brazil – 11304

Each division has six surfers remaining, two of them already in the big final and the other four in the repercharge decisive heat. Out of the 107 surfers that started the competition, five of the remaining 30 will be crowned World Champion and a nation will win the gold in the overall team standings.The Main Event of the Masters division saw Andrew Banks (RSA) and Juan Ashton (PUR) as the only surfers who were able to get a spot in the podium without losing a heat in the entire event.

Banks scored 17.16 (7.83 + 9.33) to move in first place. “I am extremely relieved because I did not want to get relegated to repercharge,” said Banks. “In 2008, in Peru I made it all the way to the final of the repercharge and unfortunately got knocked out in that heat. I am happy to be in the finals in Panama.” On the Masters repercharge rounds, Dean Hall (AUS), Carlos Santos (BRA), Victor Ribas (BRA) and Brett Bannister (AUS) will fight for the two available spots left in the podium.

Among the Grand Masters, Glen Pringle (AUS) and Juan Ashton (PUR) placed first and second respectively in the winners bracket final. With this result (making two finals in the same event), Ahston wrote his name into the history books of surfing by assuring himself four medals in three editions of the event. Two of those are golden and tomorrow we will know what the other two are.

Ashton said, “The victory in the Masters and Grand Masters divisions are both equally important. I want to defend my title, but also it is very interesting to win another division. I will try to win both surfing the best I can, since I would love to go back home with two gold medals.” Chris Brooks (AUS), Ricardo Villanueva (PUR), Fabio Gouveia (BRA) and Andre Malherbe (RSA) are the remaining surfers in the repercharge of the division, two of them will make the podium.

David Malherbe (RSA) and Sergio Penna (BRA) made it to the final of the Kahunas division. Penna scored 16.77 (9.10 + 7.67) to win the main event final heat, he said, “I am so happy to be in the final. This wave is amazing, is way different from the ones in Brazil. I think I was smart in my wave selection, its been a while since I do not get a score like that, hope to keep it like this during the final.”

In a last attempt to win a medal in the Kahunas division, defending world champion Marc Wright (RSA), Martín Jerí (PER), Rod Baldwin (AUS) and Craig Scheiber (CRC), will compete tomorrow in the repercharge final. The Women Masters division saw defending world champion Heather Clark (RSA) doing the best performance of the event so far. Using her strong backside to score the highest single wave (9.77) and combined score (19.10) of the entire tournament.

She will share the podium with Patricia Rossi (TAH), who placed second in the main event final heat. “My coach told me that I needed to go out there and just have fun, so that is what I did and it worked well,” said Clark. “There was a bit of hassling out there, I guess that everybody wants to win really bad and the competition gets exciting.” Andrea Lopes (BRA), Rocío Larrañaga (PER), Sandra English (AUS) and Sonia García (PAN) will battle in the final of the repercharge for the remaining two spots in the podium.

Local star and Santa Catalina pioneer, Kenny Myers won his main event heat and is now in the final with defending world champion, Chris Knutsen from South Africa. Javier Huarcaya (PER), Thierry Samsoube (FRA), Neil Cameron (AUS) and Javier Gorbea (PUR) will be competing for the last two spots in the division’s grand final.

Tomorrow, Saturday, September 4, history will be written again. Santa Catalina will see the new World Masters Surfing Championship.
The following heats will be held starting at 7:00am:

LOCAL SURFERS SPECIAL HEAT
FINAL REPERCHARGE GRAND KAHUNA
FINAL REPERCHARGE WOMEN MASTERS
FINAL REPERCHARGE GRAND MASTERS
FINAL REPERCHARGE KAHUNAS
FINAL REPERCHARGE MASTERS
BIG FINAL GRAND KAHUNAS
BIG FINAL WOMEN MASTERS
BIG FINAL GRAND MASTERS
BIG FINAL KAHUNAS
BIG FINAL MASTERS
PANAMA ISA MASTERS CLOSING CEREMONY

The countries standings after six days of competition, is the following:
1- AUSTRALIA
2- SOUTH AFRICA
3- BRAZIL
4- PUERTO RICO
5- PERU
6- COSTA RICA
7- PANAMA
8- FRANCIA
9- VENEZUELA
10- ARGENTINA
11- MEXICO
12- ITALIA
13- URUGUAY
14- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
15- JAMAICA
16- NEW ZEALAND
17- GUATEMALA
18- TAHITI
19- EL SALVADOR
20- GERMANY
21- IRELAND

Espanol

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 September, 2010 : - - Diez medallistas del Panama ISA World Masters Surfing Championship fueron definidos hoy en olas perfectas de 5 a 7 pies. Mañana, Australia, Sudáfrica y Brasil se enfrentarán por el Título Mundial Masters tras llegar al último día de competencia muy parejos en la tabla de puntuación. Faltando un día, la lucha por el lugar más alto del podio está apretada entre las primeras tres posiciones:

1: Australia – 12550
2: Sudáfrica – 11840
3: Brasil – 11304
 
En cada categoría se mantienen seis surfistas. Dos de ellos ya clasificados para la gran final y los otros cuatro en la serie decisiva del repechaje. De los 107 que empezaron la competencia, cinco de los 30 que quedan serán coronados Campeones Mundiales y un país ganará la medalla de oro por equipos.

En el Evento Principal de la categoría Masters, Andrew Banks (RSA) Y Juan Ashton (PUR)  fueron los únicos surfistas que se aseguraron un lugar en el podio sin haber perdido una serie en todo el evento. Banks logró un puntaje de 17.17 (7.83 + 9.33) para pasar en primer lugar. “Estoy muy aliviado porque no quería llegar al repechaje” indicó Banks. “En el 2008 en Perú llegué hasta la final del repechaje y desafortunadamente me sacaron de esa serie. Estoy muy feliz de estar en la final aquí en Panamá”.

En el repechaje Masters, Dean Hall (AUS), Carlos Santos (BRA), Victor Ribas (BRA) Y Brett Bannister (AUS) se disputarán los dos espacios disponibles en el podio. Entre los Grand Masters, Glen Pringle (AUS) Y Juan Ashton (PUR) quedaron en primero y segundo lugar respectivamente en la final de la ronda de ganadores. Con este resultado (llegando a dos finales en el mismo evento).

Ashton escribió su nombre en los libros de historia del surf asegurándose cuatro medallas en tres ediciones del evento. Dos son de oro y mañana se define cuáles serán las otras dos. “La victoria en las categorías Masters y Grand Masters son igual de importantes. Quiero defender mi título pero también es muy interesante ganar en otra categoría. Voy a tratar de ganar las dos surfeando lo mejor que pueda, ya que me encantaría volver a casa con dos medallas de oro”, explicó Ashton.

Chris Brooks (AUS), Ricardo Villanueva (PUR), Fabio Gouveia (BRA) y Andre Malherbe (RSA) son los surfistas que todavía se mantienen en el repechaje de su categoría, dos de ellos lograrán el podio. David Malherbe (RSA) y Sergio Penna (BRA) se ubicaron en la final de la categoría Kahunas. Penna marcó un puntaje de 16.77 (9.10 + 7.67) para ganar la serie final del Evento Principal.

“Estoy muy feliz de estar en la final. Esta ola es increíble, es muy diferente a las de Brasil. Creo que fui astuto en mi selección de olas, ha pasado un rato desde que no logró un puntaje como ese, espero mantenerme así durante la final”, manifestó Penna. En su último intento de conseguir una medalla en la categoría Kahuna, el campeón defensor Marc Wright (RSA), Martín Jerí (PER), Rod Baldwin (AUS) y Craig Scheiber (CRC), competirán mañana en la final del repechaje.

La categoría Damas Masters tuvo nuevamente como protagonista a la campeona defensora Heather Clark (RSA) logrando la mejor actuación en lo que va del evento. Usando su fuerte backside marcó el puntaje más alto en una ola (9.77) y la mejor combinación (19.10) de todo el torneo. Ella compartirá el podio con Patricia Rossi (TAH),  que quedó en el segundo lugar de la serie del evento principal.

“Mi entrenador me dijo que sólo necesitaba entrar al agua y divertirme, eso fue lo que hice y funcionó”, contó Clark. “Había un poco de presión entre las chicas en el agua. Creo que todas de verdad quieren ganar y la competencia se pone cada vez más interesante”. Andrea Lopes (BRA), Rocío Larrañaga (PER), Sandra English (AUS) y Sonia “Pucha” García (PAN) disputarán los dos espacios disponibles en el podio en la final del repechaje.

La estrella local y pionero de Santa Catalina, Kenny Myers ganó su serie final del evento principal de Grand Kahunas y pasó a la gran final junto con el Campeón Mundial Defensor, Chris Knutsen de Sudáfrica. Javier Huarcaya (PER), Thierry Samsoube (FRA), Neil Cameron (AUS) y Javier Gorbea (PUR)

Se enfrentarán para definir quienes se dejan los dos últimos espacios en la gran final de la categoría. Mañana, Sábado 4 de Septiembre, se reescribirá la historia. Santa Catalina coronará a los nuevos Campeones Mundiales de Surf Masters.

Las siguientes series se realizarán mañana desde las 7:00am:
SERIE ESPECIAL PARA SURFISTAS LOCALES
FINAL REPECHAJE GRAND KAHUNA
FINAL REPECHAJE DAMAS MASTERS
FINAL REPECHAJE GRAND MASTERS
FINAL REPECHAJE KAHUNAS
FINAL REPECHAJE MASTERS
GRAN FINAL GRAND KAHUNAS
GRAN FINAL DAMAS MASTERS
GRAN FINAL GRAND MASTERS
GRAN FINAL KAHUNAS
GRAN FINAL MASTERS
 
La posición por países después de seis días de competencia, es la siguiente:
1-            AUSTRALIA
2-            SUDÁFRICA
3-            BRASIL
4-            PUERTO RICO
5-            PERÚ
6-            COSTA RICA
7-            PANAMÁ
8-            FRANCIA
9-            VENEZUELA
10-            ARGENTINA
11-            MÉXICO
12-            ITALIA
13-            URUGUAY
14-            REP DOMINICANA
15-            JAMAICA
16-            NUEVA ZELANDA
17-            GUATEMALA
18-            TAHITí
19-            EL SALVADOR
20-            ALEMANIA
21-            IRLANDA 

Final World Rankings

 

           
   Slideshow 1                             Slideshow 2                             Slideshow 3                              Slideshow 4

Previous reports:
# 1 : Panama to host the 2010 ISA World Masters Champs
# 2 : Panama gears up for ISA World Masters Champs 
# 3 : Solid swell on tap for Panama ISA World Masters 

# 4 : Panama ISA World Masters Champs site goes live  
# 5 : Santa Catalina awakens with arrival of UN of surfing
# 6 : Parade of Nations opens Panama ISA World Masters 

# 7 : Perfect surf kicks off the Panama ISA World Masters 
# 8 : Sth Africa dominates Panama ISA World Masters Day 2
# 9 : Swell stays on for Panama ISA World Masters Day 3

www.isasurf.org
www.panamaisaworldmasters.com

About The Panama ISA World Masters Surfing Championship
The Panama ISA World Masters Surfing Championship is being held for the first time at Santa Cataina in Panama. It is the second World Championship to be held in mainland Central America since the 2009 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games that took place in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica. Santa Catalina is known for its huge barreling rights. Panama won the hosting bid over other candidate nations due to its great commitment to a better surfing future, a first-class and well-structured Organizer/Host, a coast packed with consistent waves and also to promote surfing in the region.

Panama is located in the center of the Western Hemisphere, it's borders are: to the North, the Caribbean Sea; to the East, the Republic of Colombia; to the South, the Pacific Ocean, and to the West, the Republic of Costa Rica. Panama is the link between Central America and South America, an isthmus of 80 km. wide in its narrower section, and traversed by the Panama Canal which handles 5% of the entire world's production.

More info: www.visitpanama.com

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980. 

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 60 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since.  The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Aus), Robin de Kock (SAfr), Mike Gerard (USA) & Karín Sierralta (Peru).

More info: www.isasurf.org

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