| Mark Occhilupo set for the Kangaroo Island Pro |
| Wednesday, 25 May 2011 08:32 |
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Kangaroo Island will get a 6-Star ASP World Tour event, from November 4th to 9th. Located in South Australia, the spot is one of the best waves of country and one of the most uncrowded surf peaks in the area. The South Australian state government wants to show the potential of the region and will also run a music festival during the surfing event. "The Kangaroo Island Surf Music Festival will provide a fantastic opportunity to promote Kangaroo Island and the rest of the State as an iconic surfing destination, but will also allow a new market of tourists the chance to discover this amazing island," said John Rau, Tourism Minister. "Kangaroo Island is the perfect fit for this event, as it has vast amounts of unspoiled wilderness and wildlife and beautiful beaches that produce the surf required to hold a high ranking event like this." There will be camping facilities for 5000 people. Dion Atkinson, ASP World Tour campaigner who hails from South Australia, is having a break-out year.Atkinson started off 2011 with a second at the Hang Loose Pro Prime event in Brazil and backed that up with his first ASP event win at the Burton Toyota Pro Newcastle, and is now ranked 39th on the ASP World Rankings. The ASP Kangaroo Island Pro in Atkinson's hometown could be the key to helping him qualify for for the elite ASP World Title race events. "I've never had an event close to home, so it's going to be great to have the hometown support," Atkinson said. "Kangaroo Island has a rugged coastline, it's got everything a surfer wants; fun beach breaks, coves with wedges in the corner and amazing reefs". Mark Occhilupo (AUS) has been given an event wildcard and will extraordinary to see him in action in the best shape of his life. "I'm in better shape than when I had my comeback," Occy said. "I've been training, surfing and dancing so much and I feel great. I can't wait to get down to the ASP Kangaroo Island Pro, I've never been there and I hear that the waves are fantastic. I feel like I'm surfing pretty good right now and I'd love to show the young guns that I've still got it." The ASP Kangaroo Island Pro is the last of the Star rated events before the Hawaiian season and is sure to attract some big names in the hunt for qualification points and prize-money.
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