ASP releases 2012 schedules

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — ASP International has released its 2012 World Tour schedule, outlining the respective ASP World Title, ASP World Junior, ASP World Longboard, ASP Masters, ASP Prime and ASP Star tours for the year ahead:

2012 ASP World Title Series:

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast – Australia (February 25 – March 7, 2012)

Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach – Australia (April 3 – 14, 2012)

Billabong Rio Pro – Brazil (May 9 – 20, 2012)

Volcom Pro Fiji – Fiji (June 3 – 16, 2012)

Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay – South Africa (July 11 – 22, 2012)

Billabong Pro Teahupoo – Tahiti (August 16 – 27, 2012)

Quiksilver Pro New York – USA (September 2 – 14, 2012)

Hurley Pro at Trestles – USA (September 15 – 23, 2012)

Quiksilver Pro France – France (September 26 – October 6, 2012)

Rip Curl Pro Portugal – Portugal (October 7 – 17, 2012)

Billabong Pipe Masters – Hawaii (December 8 – 20, 2012)

Notably absent from the 2012 ASP World Title Series schedule is the Rip Curl Pro Search, but the event will return in 2013.

“We are taking a year off from the front line of running the event and putting a solid 18 months into the planning of the 2013 Rip Curl Pro Search. To take the Search to the next level is always the goal. We do that every year, but following San Francisco and the twist it delivered to the surfing world we feel we need more time and care to really blow minds,” said Rip Curl’s Neil Ridgway. “Throughout the history of the Rip Curl Pro Search we have had everything from ASP world titles to underworld rip offs, terrorist alerts to perfect tubes, great personal and professional difficulty and epic celebration parties. This event more than any other combines the discipline of professional sport with the traveling lifestyle and freedom surfers love. It needs to be nurtured so it grows better than ever. A year tending to it in planning is the right way to develop it.”

The 2012 ASP Women’s World Title Series sees the return of the core seven events from this season, and the ASP will be diligently working on adding events before the start of the season in February.

2012 ASP Women’s World Title Series:

Roxy Pro Gold Coast – Australia (February 25 – March 7, 2012)

Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach – Australia (April 3 – 9, 2012)

Subaru Pro Women’s Surf Festival – New Zealand (April 11 – 15, 2012)

Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic – Australia (April 18 – 23, 2012)

Billabong Rio Pro – Brazil (May 9 – 20, 2012)

Roxy Pro Biarritz – France (July 9 – 15, 2012)

Nike US Open of Surfing – USA (July 30 – August 5, 2012)

2011 marked the first fully functioning year for the ASP Prime Series and the initial offering was a resounding success. The ASP Prime events will continue to showcase the established elite tour campaigners battling the new guard in ten venues this coming year.

2012 ASP Prime Series:

Hang Loose Pro – Brazil (February 7 – 12, 2012)

Telstra Drug Aware Pro – Australia (March 19 – 25, 2012)

Nike Lowers Pro – USA (April 30 – May 5, 2012)

Saquarema Surf Pro International – Brazil (May 21 – 27, 2012)

Mr Price Pro Ballito – South Africa (July 2 – 9, 2012)

Nike US Open of Surfing – USA (July 30 – August 5, 2012)

Billabong Azores Island Pro – Portugal (October 19 – 24, 2012)

Super Surf International – Brazil (October 27 – November 1, 2012)

S B Reef Hawaiian Pro – Hawaii (November 14 – 25, 2012)

Vans World Cup – Hawaii (November 26 – December 6, 2012)

The 2011 ASP World Tour season will culminate with the Vans Hawaiian Triple Crown of Surfing, currently running on the North Shore of O‘ahu.