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Mitch Rawlins claims the Arica Chilean Challenge Trials
Monday, 23 May 2011 08:36

Arica Chilean Challenge: showing his sponsors

Mitch Rawlins has taken the Arica Chilean Challenge Trials, at El Gringo, in Chile. Waves were pumping the infamous surf peak with perfect two-metre left and right rides. Rawlins looked hungry for a win and picked the best waves to claim victory and snatch the 2000 GQS points that were up for grabs.

"Finally, it all came together", laughed Mitch. "It’s been a while and it feels good but with the first round of the GSS coming up, I don’t have much time to enjoy it", he added. Thomas Rigby was second, Jones Russell third and Charly Chapelet took fourth place.

With the surf still pumping and the crowd building organizers decided to run straight into the first round of the main event. The first heat of the GSS leader-board round set a blistering pace with former world champion Damian King, from Australia, firing in the gaping tubes.

"I lost my board when I was in front and just kept cool", said King. "There are a lot of young guys coming through the ranks so that challenges me to keep on top of my game and keep fresh", he added.

The leaderboard section of the event offers riders 6 points for a win, 4 points for second, 2 points for third and 1 point for last across the first three rounds with the Top 16 moving into the round 4 man-on-man heats.

The second heat was a see-sawing affair with all four riders holding first place at various stages of the heat but in the end Ben Player showed great determination and contest savvy to come home in the dying seconds.

"I saw that wave coming and knew it had the potential to get the score", said Player.

Pierre Luis Costes, from France, wooed the crowd with a fearless approach on the shallow reef that included a deep barrel and a highflying invert to post the day’s highest combo of 16.40 out of 20. "I like the 4 man priority", said Pierre. "It let me focus more on high performance riding rather that positioning".

In the final heat of the day current world champion Amaury Laverhne looked like he owned the break stamping his authority all over the lefts to take first place.


 

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SURFING

Toll road threatens the waves of Trestles
20/06/2013
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Stop the toll road that will kill the surfing sanctuary of Trestles, in California. Tension is in the air, as hundreds of surfers and friends of San Onofre State Beach unite to protest.
The Regional Water Quality Control Board will decide if the proposed toll road extension, near the world-famous surf spot of Trestles, will go ahead or will be suspended. The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency wants to build a 5.5 mile extension of the 241 toll road into San Juan Capistrano.


Bob Meistrell, co-founder of Body Glove, passes away at 84
19/06/2013
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Bob Meistrell, co-founder of Body Glove, has passed away at 84.
Bob was hours younger than his brother Bill, who left the world of waves in 2006. The identical twins started Body Glove, in 1965. They wanted to stay longer in cold water temperatures. Robert Meistrell was a passionate diver and, above all, a waterman. Personal submarines were also part of his list of hobbies. He even discovered a gold coin treasure in a paddle wheel steamer that sunk off Crescent City, California.


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KITEBOARDING

ISAF publishes the "Beginners Guide to Kiteboarding"
19/06/2013
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The "ISAF Beginners Guide to Kiteboarding" is a complete wind riding manual for starters, with launching, safety, self-rescue and pack down lessons.
Aspiring kiteboarders can enjoy numerous experiences, setting personal goals at every level. Learning well is part of the process of becoming a good rider. The sport combines the best elements of windsurfing, sailing and wakeboarding all in one and not only offers the fastest performance but has the highest and longest 'airtime' potential.


Largest amateur kiteboarding race hits Hood River
19/06/2013
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The 7th Annual Kiteboarding 4 Cancer (KB4C) will take place in Hood River, Oregon, between 13th-14th July, 2013.
The largest amateur kiteboarding race in North America expects to attract 200 riders racing and raising funds for Athletes 4 Cancer's Camp Koru Survivorship Program. The Kite Derby challenges the tenacity of the most advanced and novice kiters alike with a six-hour endurance race. Kiteboarders race around a three-mile course on the Columbia River, spanning more than 100 miles per  [ ... ]


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WINDSURFING

Monfalcone crowns 2013 Raceboard Youth and Masters world champions
18/06/2013
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Giuseppe Zerillo and Pawel Gardasiewicz have been crowned the 2013 Raceboard Youth and Masters world champions, at Marina Julia, Monfalcone.
The final day of windsurfing races saw one more race being run, for a total of six counting for the overall results. Light wind specialists Giuseppe Zerillo and Pawel Gardasiewicz made it clear right from the start that they were in it to win it, taking bullets in every single race.


Antoine Albeau sails to victory at the 2013 PWA Catalunya World Cup
17/06/2013
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Antoine Albeau has conquered the 2013 PWA Catalunya World Cup, in Spain. The final took four hours to be completed, due to the gusty and shifty winds.
Albeau has tasted his inaugural season triumph, on the beautiful shores of Costa Brava, to halt Bjorn Dunkerbeck from claiming the title, for the first time, in three years. The French sailor demonstrated his perfectly timed starts time and time again, along with a phenomenal top speed to blow the competition out of the water.


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BODYBOARDING

The Tand Invitational 2013 explodes in South Africa
20/06/2013
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The Tand Invitational 2013 is South Africa's leading high-performance bodyboarding contest and will be run over a three-week window period, from 24th June to 14th July.
The third edition of the Tand Invitational will take place at the reef break named Tand, just outside Paternoster, along the Cape West Coast. Sixteen top South African riders are invited to compete in a spot where only skills and commitment will take you to glory.


The Jeff Wilcox Memorial Classic returns for 16th edition
18/06/2013
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The Jeff Wilcox Memorial Classic has been revived. One of the longest running independent bodyboarding events in Australia will be run for the 16th year, since 1990.
"You don't have to reach the top to be a champion, just be the best you can be". Jeff Wilcox's quote has never been so updated and real. Inspiring the new generation, that is what the event's all about. Jeff was a brilliant sportsman with amazing potential, excelling in bodyboarding and hockey. He passed away with only 14 years  [ ... ]


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