ASP World Longboard Tour

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Oxbow World Longboard Tour Maldives event today crowned two champions – Harley Ingleby (Australia) as the 2009 ASP World Longboard Champion and Kai Sallas (Hawaii) as the inaugural Oxbow Maldives event champion.

Sallas (Oahu, Hawaii) won the event, surfing clean three feet (1 meter) surf at Pasta Point, defeating Australasia’s Harley Ingleby in a high-scoring Final that saw Sallas take the win with a combined two-wave tally of 15.65 to Ingleby on 14.00.

Ingleby’s second placing in today’s final event on the two-event 2009 ASP World Longboard Tour secured him the ASP World Longboard Title.

“I’m so stoked to win this event,” Sallas said. “The waves have been super fun all week and to beat Harley in the final capped off a perfect week for me.

“I started well with 7.65 on my first ride and felt confident that I could back that ride up and take the win, Ingleby came at me hard in the final few minutes but my best ride was my final one and it’s great to win and actually beat the current world champion as well!”

The ASP World Longboard Champion is decided across the ratings from two events and Ingleby’s 1st placing in the season’s opening event in Japan along with his 2nd place here in the Maldives earned him his inaugural ASP World Title.

“It’s the best day of my life,” Ingleby said. “I’ve been close to winning in the past and always felt I could win the title but I’ve also seen many great surfers not win world titles and I was wary that the opportunity could slip – It’s a huge weight off my shoulders and right now the feeling is unbelievable.”

Ingleby secured the world title early in the day when he defeated Brazilian Phil Rajzman in a very close seesawing Quarterfinal.

“It would have been great to take the event win as well as the world title but full marks to Sallas, he surfed a great final and he deserved the win as he’s been a standout all week,” Ingleby said. “I really left my run in the final late, I don’t think I had one decent score in the first 20 minutes, when I did get that 8 point ride late in the final I was a real chance but simply could not find a wave to deliver a decent second score.”

Today’s Semifinals were both tightly fought out with Sallas defeating fellow Hawaiian Ned Snow while Ingleby survived a late challenge in his semi-final from French surfer Antoine Delpero winning on a score-line of 14.80 to Delpero on 14.35.

OXBOW WORLD LONGBOARD TOUR MALDIVES RESULTS

FINAL
1 – Kai Sallas (HAW) 15.65
2 – Harley Ingleby (AUS) 14.00

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