PRAIA DA VILA, Brazil — Jadson Andre, 20, a 2010 ASP World Tour rookie, overcame a legend to grab his first career ASP title, Thursday in Brazil. Andre defeated nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 1, American
PRAIA DA VILA, Brazil — Jadson Andre, 20, a 2010 ASP World Tour rookie, overcame a legend to grab his first career ASP title, Thursday in Brazil.
Andre defeated nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 1, American Kelly Slater, 38, to claim the Billabong Pro Santa Catarina by a 14.40 to 14.00 final, according to a press release from ASP.
The third stop on the 2010 ASP World Tour, the event culminated in dramatic fashion today with the rookie claiming his inaugural victory in front of a capacity crowd at Praia da Vila.
“What do I say?” Andre said. “This is my dream. This is everything I have worked for in my life. To be on the beach and hear that I was the winner, something special came over me. I don’t know how to put into words. It’s a miracle.”
The young Brazilian was a standout in every round of competition, blending full-rail carves with effortless air reverses, and dominating the challenging final conditions to best Slater. The win vaults Andre from 13th all the way to 4th on the elite ASP World Tour rankings and puts him in excellent position heading into the close of the first half of the season.
Slater, the current ASP World No. 1 showed little, if any, weaknesses throughout the event, only falling to Andre’s hyper-kinetic forehand in the final.
“In these conditions it was always going to be tough to beat him (Andre),” Slater said. “I would have had to gotten the set waves and had sections to pull some airs off. He was pretty unbeatable in these conditions and he took down everyone.”
Kaua‘i’s Roy Powers was Hawai‘i’s last surfer standing, having reached Round 4 before falling to South African standout Jordy Smith.
