COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Australia — The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, Stop No. 1 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, will commence its waiting period this weekend, ushering in the greatest assemblage of surfing talent in history
COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Australia — The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, Stop No. 1 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, will commence its waiting period this weekend, ushering in the greatest assemblage of surfing talent in history with 15 ASP World Titles being represented amongst the 48-man draw, states a release by the Association of Surfing Professionals.
American Kelly Slater, 38, nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 6, will return to the singlet this season, challenging for an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title against the world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves.
Coming away with an ASP Dream Tour win in Brazil last season, Slater made a mid-year challenge for the crown, yet fell short of the Australian onslaught.
“I never found myself in the right mind frame to deal with the pressure of a tenth title and find the excitement and purpose for what I was doing for more than a few heats last year,” Slater said. “Brazil worked out but all the close heats went the other guy’s way and I just made a lot of mind decisions and not surfing from the gut and real feelings. I’m comfortable with nine (ASP World Titles), but yeah, 10 has a certain allure to it.”
The iconic natural-footer opened up the 2009 season on self-shaped, experimental designs that yielded mixed results. The ripple effect it caused, however, echoed throughout the remainder of the year, with the world’s best surfers altering their respective equipment and collectively applying a more radical approach to their surfing.
“I love designing and experimenting,” Slater said. “I love music. I love using the artistic brain and challenging myself and the way things are accepted around us. There is no shortage of things to do, only time and focus to do them. Last year was a radical change for my boards and surprising to a lot of people. I’m sure some of those changes are here to stay and will be on my equipment. I’m still working it out now.”
Slater will face current ASP World No. 22, Australian Ben Dunn, 24, and 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie, Brazil’s Marco Polo, 28, in the opening round of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.
Aussie Owen Wright, 20, 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie, is one man who slashed holes in Slater’s ASP World Title campaign last season, besting the Floridian as a wildcard on two separate occasions – in Bells Beach and Portugal. With a full arsenal of progressive aerials and high-performance turns, and a devastating competitive record, Wright enters the 2010 ASP World Tour season as one of the most closely watched rookies in history.
“I would love to perform well in my heats and make the cut offs by the end of the year,” Wright said. “I’ve been surfing heaps and going right as much as possible. The swell has been pumping which is sick!”
Wright will take on current ASP World No. 15, Hawai‘i’s Fredrick Patacchia, 28, and fellow American 2010 ASP World Tour rookie, Patrick Gudauskas, 24, in Round 1 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.
Slater and Wright will take on the world’s best surfers including Aussie tandem, reigning two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning and 2009 ASP World Runner-Up Joel Parkinson, progressive innovators Dane Reynolds, 24, of America and South Africa’s Jordy Smith, 22, amongst others.
Rounding out the 48-man draw at Snapper Rocks will be Aussie wildcards Garrett Parkes, 18, and Craig Anderson, 21, as well we the winner of the 16-man Trials, to be held Friday.
The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by Land Rover will feature the world’s best surfers from February 27 through March 10, 2010 and will be webcast LIVE via www.quiksilverpro.com.au.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com.
Gilmore leads world’s best women at Roxy Pro Gold Coast
COOLANGATTA, Queensland/Australia — The world’s best female surfers have converged onto the wave-laden Mecca of Coolangatta for the opening event of the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour season, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast from Feb. 27 through March 10, 2010.
Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore, 22, reigning three-time ASP Women’s World Champion and defending Roxy Pro Champion, is the surfer to watch heading into the opening event of the year.
A two-time event champion at Snapper Rocks, claiming the first as a wildcard in 2005 and her second last season sparking her third ASP Women’s World Title run, Gilmore’s years of experience at the venue and unmatched rapport with the breaks makes her the most dangerous surfer in the event.
“Growing up on the Gold Coast, there is no shortage of quality waves to surf and people to look up to,” Gilmore said. “Definitely, a familiarity with the waves here is a big advantage when it comes to competition. That said, I haven’t been surfing much in the off-season, so I can’t say that I’m too familiar with the banks at the moment. However, that time off really keeps me hungry to get back out there and push myself.”
Holding ASP records as the youngest ASP Women’s World Champion ever (at 18 in 2007), as well as the only surfer to ever attain three ASP Women’s World Titles from three attempts, Gilmore has single-handedly ushered in a new dynasty of professional women’s surfing, yet remains humble when approaching the upcoming season.
“I think I have experienced the range of what surfers can feel in this position,” Gilmore said. “I’ve been the rookie going for the title, I’ve been the surfer with the target on my back and now I don’t really worry about it. It feels refreshing to have experienced that because once you survive it, you don’t have to be scared of it anymore.”
With an influx of talent onto the ASP Women’s World Tour over the past five years, high-performance barriers are being broken on a nearly daily basis, something the young Australian sees as a point of focus in the coming season.
“I definitely feel like I can become more progressive and innovative,” Gilmore said. “I also feel like the ASP Judging Criteria reflects and rewards progressive surfing more and more and that contests are becoming a forum for the best surfing on the planet.
“Certainly the new girls on tour, Coco (Ho) and Sally (Fitzgibbons) and Carissa (Moore) all put a lot of innovation into their surfing. Silvana (Lima) has always been progressive, and all the girls are really stepping up this year. It’s an exciting time for the ASP Women’s World Tour.”
Gilmore will face ASP Women’s World Tour Brazilian sophomore Bruna Schmitz, 19, and the winner of the Roxy Pro Trials in the opening round of competition.
The Roxy Pro Gold Coast will feature the world’s best female surfers from Feb. 27 through March 10, 2010 and will be webcast live via www.roxypro.com.au.
It will run in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land RoverFor more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com.
ASP launches
iPhone app for best surf anywhere
ASP International iPhone application, ASPtogo, is now available for download online, putting the world’s best surfing in your pocket wherever you may roam.
The ASPtogo application gives the user live scores, heat results, photos, videos and connects to LIVE video feeds of the world’s best surfers going off in the world’s best waves.
One download will give the user access to all ASP events, from the ASP World Tour through the ASP Pro Junior events, allowing one to follow their favorite surfers at every level of the sport.
“The ASP iPhone application is the latest development we’re activating to bring the world’s best surfers to our global audience wherever they may be,” Brodie Carr, ASP International CEO, said. “With access to literally dozens of high-calibre events for a single download is a pretty good deal and I can proudly say that I’m the first customer.”
To download the ASP iPhone application, search the iTunes Application store for “ASPtogo”.
Download ASPtogo today and be prepared for the world’s best surfing at the upcoming Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover.
Tour and product information provided by the Association of Surfing Professionals.
