The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Cordoama Buondi Pro 1-star Men’s Star-Series event ran through to complete round one of competition at the main contest site of Praia de Cordoama. After waiting for conditions to improve with the incoming tide event officials gave the green light for this year’s edition of the Cordoama Buondi Pro to get underway.

Peaky 3ft (1m) waves were on offer for day one as the heavy cloud cover brought some relief after a week of extremely high temperatures here in Cordoama. Conditions were tough for the final heats as the cross-shore winds increased from the North.

Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 25, set the pace from the opening heat of the day with a blistering performance in his quest to gain some form and competitive rhythm as we run into the summer leg of ASP Men’s Star-Series events both in Europe and abroad.

Scoring an 8.0 out of a possible 10 and finding his backup score shortly afterwards Zubizarreta finished his 20-minute clash with a two-wave total of 14.50 thus securing the highest single wave and heat total of the day.

Having a slow start to the season after suffering an injury early in the year the natural-footer is on his way back and demonstrated to his rivals that he wants to take out this year’s Cordoama Buondi Pro title.

“I felt good out there and I was trying out a new board which felt good for small waves and it is good to compete again. I am here with my coach and we are going to be training this entire month and so it is good to be here in Cordoama and do this event and keep up the form and surf with all these guys who are ripping”

“I missed Scotland because of a problem with my foot,” continued Zubizarreta. “I have been doing the tour this year and I haven’t found my rhythm yet and I have no results yet but I am focused and motivated for the rest of the year and I am feeling good.”

Hugo Debosc (REU) made his way to following round with an impressive display of surfing in the trying conditions. Getting off to a regular start Debosc managed to nail his highest scoring ride a 7.00 to advance along with Freddie Meadows (SWE) who ousted fellow countryman Tim Latte in the dying moments of their 4 man encounter.

A relieved Debosc commented on conditions and his scoring ride, “It is hard at the moment to find a good wave and because they are short you have to do your manoeuvres very quickly to get them in.”

“I thought that it was going to be a left but in the end it turned into a right and I did two strong turns and I made the score. The swell should be bigger tomorrow so I think it will be a lot better too.”

Ruben Gonzalez (PRT) 32, former finalist here in Cordoama advanced to round two and showed that although he is not completely focused this year on the entire tour he is still a force to be reckoned with surfing in his home country of Portugal in an area he knows and enjoys visiting very much.

“This year I am competing less as I am doing a new project with my sponsor so it is a different project with them now. I have come down here to enjoy myself and as I really like competing and to get through some rounds of course. (laughs)”

“I made a third place here one year and some finals but unfortunately I have never won here before. I really like this place and there are a lot of waves and it is a big coast with good waves and it is not so crowded so there are plenty of waves down here.”

The Cordoama Buondi Pro will continue tomorrow with the first call at 09:00 (local time) for a start to round two of competition.

For all event results, photos and daily news log-on to www.aspeurope.com

CORDOAMA BUONDI PRO ROUND TWO MATCH-UPS
Heat 1: Gony Zubizarreta (ESP), Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK), Jose Ferreira (PRT)
Heat 2: Alex Gironi (EUK), Justin Mujica (PRT), Txaber Trojaola (EUK)
Heat 3: Nicolaus Rupp (DEU), Marcos San Segundo (EUK), Freddie Meadows (SWE)
Heat 4: Francisco Alves (PRT), Rowan Aish (NZL), Hugo Debosc (FRA)
Heat 5: Filipe Jervis (PRT), Joao Guedes (PRT), David Raimundo (PRT)
Heat 6: Ruben Gonzalez (PRT), Mario Azurza (EUK), Eduardo Fernandes (PRT)
Heat 7: Indar Perez (EUK), Jager De Yannick (NLD), Txaber Gaminde (EUK)
Heat 8: Miguel Mouzinho (PRT), Pedro Berasaluce (EUK), Marlon Lipke (DEU)

CORDOAMA BUONDI PRO ROUND ONE RESULTS
Heat 1: Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 14.50, Alex Gironi (EUK) 11.20, Paulo Almeida (PRT) 6.36
Heat 2: Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK) 9.74, Justin Mujica (PRT) 7.57, Lars Musschoot (BEL) 6.13, Robertson Goncalves (PRT) 5.47
Heat 3: Txaber Trojaola (EUK) 9.27, Jose Ferreira (PRT) 8.77, Leonardo Belime (PRT) 6.00
Heat 4: Nicolaus Rupp (DEU) 11.33, Francisco Alves (PRT) 8.37, Andre Oziol (BRB) 5.13
Heat 5: Marcos San Segundo (EUK) 8.27, Rowan Aish (NZL) 6.64, Eric Castaldo (USA) 2.90
Heat 6: Hugo Debosc (FRA) 11.67, Freddie Meadows (SWE) 7.33, Tim Latte (SWE) 6.76, Joao Kopke (PRT) 4.33
Heat 7: Filipe Jervis (PRT) 10.07, Ruben Gonzalez (PRT) 9.83, Ricardo Lange (DEU) 6.14, Alexandre Grilo (PRT) 3.80
Heat 8: Joao Guedes (PRT) 12.00, Mario Azurza (EUK) 8.06, Rui Henriques (PRT) 5.20
Heat 9: Eduardo Fernandes (PRT) 8.90, David Raimundo (PRT) 6.83, Anderson Santos (BRA) 3.66
Heat 11: Jager De Yannick (NLD) 11.17, Pedro Berasaluce (EUK) 9.43, Melvin Lipke (DEU) 5.90
Heat 12: Marlon Lipke (DEU) 12.40, Txaber Gaminde (EUK) 10.03, Joao Mealha (PRT) 4.97

SOURCE: ASP Europe