Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 25, today claimed this year’s Cordoama Buondi Pro title an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Men’s Star- Series 1-Star event over coming former ASP 2009 Dream Tour member Marlon Lipke (DEU) in the long awaited 35-minute show down between the events two top seeded surfers.

A slight drop in the swell did little to halt the explosive surfing witnessed today at Praia da Cordoama. Waves in the 3ft (1m) range improved as the tide pushed in forming peaks on the inside shore break offering the perfect scene for the huge crowd to watch the action unfold.

In an explosive opening half exchange which saw the lead change several times Zubizarreta took command in the blink of an eye scoring a 7.33 out of a possible 10 and then backed it up with an 8.33 in the space of a minute to take a straggle hold on the final which he held onto until the final siren.

“It feels so good to win this event because the level was so high and everyone was ripping out there during the entire event. Marlon (Lipke) was surfing so strong here at his home break and he is really tough to beat so it makes it feel even better to win here.”

“I have been losing a lot of heats this year and I don’t know why but I couldn’t find my rhythm in the heats and maybe putting too much pressure on myself and now I went out and was trying to have fun and to do the right things in the heats.”

Marlon Lipke (DEU) coming home in second place never threw in the towel in his attempt to overtake his opponent giving it all he had in a last ditched effort in the last minutes of the heat however needing another excellent score had to be content with the runner up position.

Surfing today on a different board Lipke felt that perhaps his choice of equipment may have been a reason for his defeat in the final.

“I changed my boards and I forgot that I was on a smaller board and I blew a couple of my waves and I looked a bit too nervous and I should have been calmer but Gony ripped out there so it was hard to win out there anyhow.”

“We surfed really close to the shore and it was great for the crowd and everyone came together on the beach and it was just great to surf against Gony in the final and we had a laugh together in the water.”

“I live here just round the corner and it is a fun event for me and if you have time it is a great contest to go to and see beautiful beaches and good nightlife and just to have a relaxing week.”

Nicolaus Rupp (DEU) finished equal third after being eliminated by Zubizarreta in their 30-minute clash. Never given the opportunity to get in the race Rupp tried valiantly to find a wave which would allow him to display some of his futuristic surfing we have been witness to throughout the Cordoama Buondi Pro.

Having obtained the upper hand over Zubizarreta in yesterday’s Infinite Expression Session clinching the win and a winner’s cheque of 500 Euros in the last minute today at the business end of the main event he was not to steal the lime light from Zubizarreta a second time.

Pleased with his overall performance here at the Cordoama Buondi Pro Rupp will now place all his focus on the upcoming ASP European Pro Junior series.

“If Gony had of won yesterday the expression I would have been happy for him as he was happy for me and he is a good friend and it is great to be with him in the water and the only thing is I would have liked to have made a better performance. The last couple of days I have been so lucky and the luck can’t always come to me so I am fine with it.”

“Third place is a place lower than last year where I came second but third is a good result and I am happy with how everything has gone here. I would love to be in the final but you can’t always have everything but it is really cool to be competing against these guys but I would have liked to have made them shake a little more but it’s all good and maybe next time.”

Eduardo Fernandes (PRT) was pleased with his equal third position even though he came up against a steam rolling Lipke and struggled to get into the clash. Using the Cordoama Buondi Pro as preparation for the upcoming summer leg of ASP Men’s Star Series events Fernandes feels the confidence boost obtained here at Praia da Cordoama will hold him in good stead.

“I am happy with the result but I really wanted to make the final today but in the end I couldn’t. Marlon was surfing very well and he knows this wave so well it is really hard to beat him here so today was not my day. I have been surfing well over the entire contest and I will be doing all the WQS contests in Europe and I will try my best.”

The Cordoama Buondi Pro is stop nº 3 of 12 which will eventually decide this year’s ASP European Champion where a total of the best 6 overall results will count towards this year’s ASP European title.

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

CORDOAMA BUONDI PRO FINAL
Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 15.56 Def. Marlon Lipke (DEU) 13.10

CORDOAMA BUONDI PRO SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Heat 1:Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 13.33 Def. Nicolaus Rupp (DEU) 8.34
Heat 2: Marlon Lipke (DEU) 12.17 Def. Eduardo Fernandes (PRT) 8.07

CORDOAMA BUONDI PRO RESULTS
1ST Gony Zubizarreta (ESP)
2nd Marlon Lipke (DEU)
3rd Nicolaus Rupp (DEU)
3rd Eduardo Fernandes (PRT)
5th Jose Ferreira (PRT)
5th Marcos San Segundo (EUK)
5th Ruben Gonzalez (PRT)
5th Indar Perez (EUK)

SOURCE: ASP Europe