| Surfing action invades Huntington Beach in the Vans Pier Classic |
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| Friday, 26 March 2010 14:54 |
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The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 2-Star Vans Pier Classic presented by Jack’s Surfboards marched through Round 3 today and saw junior talent Kolohe Andino (San Clemente, CA), 16, lead the field by crushing some of the event’s top scores in three foot (1 metre) surf at South Huntington Beach Pier. Matt Costa (Waianae, HI), 16, stamped his authority as an early round standout in Ezekiel Pro Junior competition when he blasted the highest single-wave score of the event, a near perfect 9.60 out of 10 en route to his Round 2 heat victory. Surfers competing in the ASP WQS event are looking to capture the valuable ratings points on offer to establish a top seed on the global series to eventually qualify for the ASP World Tour. Surfers competing in the ASP North America Pro Junior Series are looking to finish atop the regional ratings to qualify for the ASP World Junior Tour. Andino, who was a standout in yesterday’s action, got off to a slow start in his Round 3 heat, but eventually found his way into two clean righthand walls, unleashing fins-free turns, critical airs and classic floaters to clinch the day’s highest single wave score of a 9.00 on his way to posting the day’s highest heat total of 16.25 out of 20. “I kind of gaffed it on my first couple of waves so I tried to just breathe and be patient and then I got that 9,” Andino said. “I just tried to stay in the pocket and was able to get those good turns in.” The talented San Clemente prodigy is capitalizing on the points on offer in both the men’s ASP WQS and ASP North America Pro Junior event and feels that surfing in both divisions allows him to relax as competition progresses. “I really like surfing as many heats as I can in an event,” Andino said. “It seems like I do the best when I’m surfing a lot of heats because I can get on a roll. I’m adjusting with sitting around all day and only surfing one heat. In my amateur events, I’d always surf a ton of heats and it allows you to shake the nerves out.” Evan Thompson (Jacksonville, FL), 18, was another standout in his Vans Pier Classic heat, clinching his event victory in the final minutes of his heat with one of the day’s highest single wave scores of an 8.25 out of 10 with big forehand turns on a wedgy righthander. “I wasn’t really worried about it because it seemed like there were lots of waves in the other heats, but mine was super lully,” Thompson said. “I tried to just sit there and be patient and luckily I was able to put a couple of scores together in the end.” The talented Floridian is another ASP Pro Junior competitor who is hoping to build momentum throughout the contest by competing in both divisions. “It’s great to use the men’s event as a warm up for the Pro Junior because there are so many good guys in the ‘QS, even from Round 1,” Thompson said. “Surfing in a couple of heats before the start of my Junior event is good to hopefully help me get on a bit of a roll.” Costa, who had not been surfing Huntington throughout the week, easily navigated through the tough afternoon conditions while posting the highest score of the entire event to advance out of his Round 2 Ezekiel Pro Junior heat with massive backside turns on a Huntington righthander. “I hadn’t surfed here in Huntington all week so it took me a little while to adjust,” Costa said. “I kind of bogged on my first turn and then got that good one. It definitely gives me some confidence going in to the next round after a good first heat.” Vans Pier Classic action will pick back up tomorrow before returning to Ezekiel Pro Junior competition. The event runs from March 24 through 28, 2010. For all of the LIVE action log on to http://www.vans.com/pierclassic/webcast.html For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org Vans Pier Classic Round of 96 Results: Ezekiel Pro Junior Round of 64 Results: Ezekiel Pro Junior Round of 72 Results:
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