Dantas Leads Field at Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans
- August 11, 2011
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- By Story/Photos - Association of Surfing Professionals
FISTRAL BEACH, Newquay/England (Thursday, August 11, 2011) – Strong onshore winds, rain and 4-5ft peaks thundered into Fistral beach for Day 3 of the ASP 6-Star Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans where Wiggolly Dantas (Ubatuba, BRA) 21, highlighted a day filled with excellent surfing displays despite the tough conditions.
Dantas was the standout surfer who most successfully tamed the wild Fistral beach peaks, tearing apart a long left with a series of snaps and rail carves to claim a 9.00 out of 10. The former Relentless Boardmasters champion (2008), then backed up with a two-smash backhand combination to secure an 8.87 and amass a heat total of 17.87 out of 20, the highest of the event.
“It feels so good right now. This morning I surfed my other board and just before my heat I changed to this one which is brand new. There are some good bowls to make good manoeuvres so hopefully the swell continues for the next rounds.”
Dantas knows what it is like to go all the way at the Boardmasters and realises that to peak too early in an event can be harmful. He is keeping his head and not putting any pressure on himself at these early stages of competition.
“I feel confident here because I won here three years ago so at the moment I am just having fun and enjoying the contest which is great. I am so excited about the next round with the swell picking up so it is perfect.”
A huge low tide and such wild conditions made hearing scores and situations almost impossible. Surfers were forced to rely on competitive tactics and observation to get an understanding of how they were positioned in the heat. Dantas entered his 25-minute clash with a clear, set approach.
“I tried to get a good wave and make two or three good turns to get a good score. I ended up catching a great right and another left. I was thinking that I was either first or second so I stayed calm and my friend in the next heat told I had a 9 so it helped to know that and wait for another quality wave.”
Jack Freestone (Gold Coast, AUS) 19, ignited with an impressive display of above-the-lip turns and flying aerial manoeuvres on several of his numerous solid-scoring waves. The current ASP World Junior champion was at home in the testing conditions and dominated his encounter to comfortably advance.
“I was trying to sit on the rights and the wind is perfect for airs so that is what I was going for. Innovative surfing and I was glad I was able to do it. The heat was actually really fun. There were a lot of waves and a lot of water movement so I am just happy to get through that heat.”
“This morning when I got down here the waves were a little bit bigger and a bit more organised so I was looking forward to getting out there,” continued Freestone. “It was tough but if you found the right ones it was pretty good to surf them. I am happy to lock in some good scores. I am hungry for a win and to entertain the crowd who are down here at the beach.”
Along with Freestone several other young guns impressed including Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay, ZAF) 20, Jesse Mendes (BRA) 18, and Jayke Sharp (AUS) 23, with their innovative new school surfing combined with classic power surfing. Sharpe took top honours with a massive air-reverse and a combined two-wave heat total of 17.27 out of 20.
“The first wave I got was the bomb of the heat,” stated Sharp. “I got all nervous when I took off on it but I was lucky to get that good one at the start to get me in front of the other boys. It is fun out there even though it is messy with all the little sections to hit so I’m stoked with the start I have had.”
Yadin Nicol (Sunshine Coast, AUS) 25, narrowly made it through his first up appearance at the Relentless Boardmasters with a last minute wave which pushed him from 4th to 1st in a tight low scoring heat. In form and fresh from a runner up finish in the recent US Open of Surfing, Nicol was lost at sea as he searched to position himself in the shifting peaks.
“I couldn’t get anything at the start and there were so many waves coming through but I was just a little bit too deep or too far away. I couldn’t get in the right spot the whole heat. I was so frustrated and I didn’t know where I was coming. Then Mitch Crews in the heat after me told me I needed a 4 so that last wave was enough to get through. I just had a really bad heat and I was lucky to get through on two average waves.”
A relieved Nicol was optimistic about his campaign options in Newquay and understands that anything can happen with such a high level field on hand. His confidence level remains in place and the power house natural footer is sure to hit his straps in upcoming rounds.
“I was going into this round feeling confident,” laughed Nicol. “This is surfing and anything can happen out there especially in these conditions. There is a lot of rain and wind and it is hard to find the right wave to perform on. My last wave was my best wave on the 24-minute mark. I am feeling good but you just have to get the waves.”
Surfers competing in the Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans are out to gain valuable ranking points in their bid to climb the ASP World rankings and enter the elite Top 32 before the mid-year points cut off. European athletes are also building on their ASP European Men’s ranking as the main summer leg of events commences. Meanwhile the ASP 3-Star Tuaca Longboard Pro and the ASP 6-Star Tuaca Ladies Longboard Pro have decided semi-finalists and the crowning of the longboard champions will take place later in the week.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, The Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans is scheduled from August 9-14, 2011. For more information, and all upcoming results, photos, video highlights, press releases log-on to
www.aspeurope.com
Remaining Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans Round 2 Matchups
Heat 21: Kolohe Andino (USA), Sebastien Zietz (HAW), Diego Rosa (BRA), Matt Pagan (USA)
Heat 22: Heath Joske (AUS), Alain Riou (PYF), Dane Anderson (USA), Nicholas Squires (AUS)
Heat 23: Nic Muscroft (AUS), Lincoln Taylor (AUS), Garret Parkes (AUS), Shaun Cansdell (AUS)
Heat 24: William Cardoso (BRA), Jayce Robinson (GBR), Renato Galvao (BRA), James Wood (AUS)
Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans Round 2 Results
Heat 1: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 11.00, Chris Friend (AUS) 10.00, Joao Guedes (PRT) 9.40, Reubyn Ash (GBR) 7.60
Heat 2: Mitch Crews (AUS) 14.57, Hodei Collazo (EUK) 11.94, Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY) 11.83, Mark Harris (GBR) 9.36
Heat 3: Flavio Nakagima (BRA) 12.90, Tiago Camarao (BRA) 11.84, Derrick Disney (USA) 6.54, Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 5.76
Heat 4: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 13.83, Vincent Duvignac (FRA) 12.33, Jorge Spanner (BRA) 11.27, Marco Polo (BRA) 9.40
Heat 5: Tomas Hermes (BRA) 15.27, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 12.76, Richard Christie (NZL) 10.53, Luke Cheadle (AUS) 6.70
Heat 6: Jack Freestone (AUS) 16.70, Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 13.44, Leandro Usuna (ARG) 11.63, Nathaniel Curran (USA) 7.73
Heat 7: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 17.87, Evan Geiselman (USA) 11.84, Roy Powers (HAW) 9.00, Taylor Brothers (USA) 6.06
Heat 8: Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 10.50, Micah Lester (GBR) 10.17, Messias Felix (BRA) 9.17, Marlon Lipke (DEU) 6.90
Heat 9: Billy Stairmand (NZL) 11.64, Jean Da Silva (BRA) 9.17, Eneko Acero (EUK) 9.13, Alessandro Piu (ITA) 4.90
Heat 10: Jay Quinn (NZL) 13.10, Brandon Jackson (ZAF) 12.43, Adrien Valero (FRA) 9.00, Andre Teixeira (BRA) 5.63
Heat 11: Shaun Joubert (ZAF) 16.53, Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 12.57, Justin Mujica (PRT) 12.10, Nate Yeomans (USA) 11.96
Heat 12: Jesse Mendes (BRA) 15.60, Gabriel Villaran (PER) 13.03, Charles Martin (GLP) 9.87, Ian Crane (USA) 6.23
Heat 13: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 12.83, Romain Cloitre (FRA) 11.96, Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 9.37, Adrien Toyon (REU) 8.73
Heat 14: Adam Robertson (AUS) 13.27, Joan Duru (FRA) 12.93, Filipe Jervis (PRT) 11.37, Halley Batista (BRA) 9.06
Heat 15: Glen Hall (IRL) 13.34, Russel Winter (GBR) 12.90, Davey Cathels (AUS) 12.87, Nic von Rupp (DEU) 10.04
Heat 16: Ruda Carvalho (BRA) 11.54, Nathan Webster (AUS) 11.17, Tim Boal (FRA) 10.93, Jeronimo Vargas (BRA) 7.27
Heat 17: Jayke Sharp (AUS) 17.26, Edouard Delpero (FRA) 8.30, Ty Watson (AUS) 7.87, Travis Logie (ZAF) 7.53
Heat 18: Brent Savage (AUS) 11.17, Perth Standlick (AUS) 10.90, Blake Thorton (AUS) 10.47, Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 9.90
Heat 19: Royden Bryson (ZAF) 16.00, Jano Belo (BRA) 13.00, Taylor Thorne (USA) 12.44, Klee Strachan (ZAF) 10.03
Heat 20: Granger Larsen (HAW) 14.16, Rudy Palmboom (ZAF) 9.93, Dion Atkinson (AUS) 9.50, James Woods (AUS) 8.16
Relentless Boardmasters in assoc. with Vans Remaining Round 1 Results
Heat 21: Diego Rosa (BRA) 11.94, Dane Anderson (USA) 11.00, Alan Donato (BRA) 9.83, Koa Smith (HAW) 6.07
Heat 22: Nicholas Squires (AUS) 13.60, Matt Pagan (USA) 9.36, Chad Du Toit (ZAF) 9.20, Jaymes Triglone (AUS) 8.96
Heat 23: Garret Parkes (AUS) 15.50, Renato Galvao (BRA) 14.93, Dillon Perillo (USA) 10.00, Luke Davis (USA) 5.58
Heat 24: James Wood (AUS) 13.17, Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 8.90, Oli Adams (GBR) 8.50, George Picking (GBR) 3.70