When one hears "surf" and "Basque Country" one usually thinks immediately of Mundaka, well, this note published by Global Surf News comes to us from Zarautz. Here you have it:
Zarautz Pro Surf
ASP WQS 3 Star Mens Event
Zarautz Basque Country
13 - 16 September 2007
JAMES ATHORN (AUS) DOMINATES DAY 1 OF ZARAUTZ PRO SURF!
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 14 September, 2007 : - - It wasn’t a typical summer day for the kick off of the Zarautz Surf Pro, clouds and light winds greeting the first competitors of the 3 Star WQS event. With 2 ft contestable waves on offer, the first heat got underway at 9.15 AM in the beautiful Basque village of Zarautz, an hour drive from both the French border and world famous wave of Mundaka.
Twenty-one heats were ran today in the tough small conditions, the 3 Star WQS event kicking off with all round 1 and a few heats of round 2. The man of the day was undoubtly 21-year-old James Athorn (AUS) when he opened his basque campaign in heat 3 of round 2.
With his light weight and speed surfing, Athorn waited for the best scoring potential waves and remained focused throughout his 20-minute decider against Jeremy Massières (FRA), morning’s highscorer Lawson Hayles (AUS) and Omer Levin (ISR).
Looking more and more confident throughout the heat, Athorn scored a solid 8.67 on his thirs ride before reaching an impressive 9.17 score out of possible 10 to total a two wave combined total of 17.84 points and easily qualify for round 3.
“The waves got better with the tide and I’m glad I surfed at this time of the day. I knew there were a few righthanders breaking giving the opportunity to link up to the shore so I just waited for the set and those two strong rides. Stoked to get the chance at the right time of the day, and I hope everything will be better,” said James Athorn (AUS).
Scoring the highest wave score of the day in heat 2 of round 2 with a 9.33 out of possible 10, former Foster’s ASP World Tour surfer Chris Davidson (AUS) dominated his battle in style, showing tomorrow’s best seeded surfers his intentions for his return to the Basque country.
“It was good to have this break during low tide and we restarted in better waves. I waited for this good wave and it came to me, and I surfed it well. Hope the expected increase in the swell comes tomorrow and we can end up in pretty good conditions,” confessed Davidson aka Davo.
Ready to give the best for the only Basque event of the year apart from the Foster’s ASP World Tour Billabong Pro Mundaka, longtime pro juniorcompetitor Txaber Trojaola (EUK) opened round 2 in top form when he stuck to the right option of the competition area, leaving his three opponents fighting for the same waves.
Getting a convincing 7.77 out of possible 10 on his second ride before backing it up with a 7.17, Trojaola got an impressive 14.94 points out of possible 20, for the third best total of the day. Trojaola will face defending European Pro Surf Tour champion Michel Bourez (PYF) when competition resumes tomorrow.
Earlier in round 1, all favourites had passed their test battle, using their knowledge of competition tactics to get the best waves and find their way out. Dealing with the tricky small conditions, Lawson Hayles (AUS) found the second best heat score of the day with an impressive 15.34 pts out of possible 20. Facing former European Pro Surf Tour champion Didier Piter (FRA), Hayles left his followers in the need of a combination of two scores to catch up.
“It wasn’t looking easy but I found two good waves that gave me some potential and I surfed them well. We’ve had average waves in a few events till now and I hope the expected clean consistent waves will come soon.” He was eliminated in round 2 despite his performance, overtaken by an onfire Chris Davidson (AUS)
Amongst the few performers of the day was moroccan Yassine Ramdaini (MAR) who posted the fifth highest tally of the day after finding some vertical sections to total 14.00 pts out of possible 20. Beating ASP Europe junior campaigner Antonin De Soultrait, Ramdaini showed his skills and definitely rises as one of the most promissing moroccan surfers.
Surfing against other local Indar Unanue (EUK) and Heimoana Zaveroni (PYF), Oier Illaramendi (EUK) was much awaited for his start in his home town. Cheered by his friends and family in heat 14, Illaramendi opened his campaign with a solid 7 pts ride that gave him his qualification twenty minutes later.
“It’s a pleasure to be at home and surf in an event. I have been travelling a lot to as much events as I could this year and this 3 Star WQS means a lot to all of us here in Zarautz. I hope I can keep going and that the swell increases soon.”
The Zarautz Pro Surf 3 Star WQS will restart tomorrow at 9 AM and will go all the way through to round 4, the big names of the event including local star and current WQS #11 Aritz Aranburu (EUK) and European Pro Surf Tour championship contender Eneko Acero (EUK).
European Pro Surf Tour Current Top 5
1. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)
2. Tim Boal (FRA)
3. Marlon Lipke (DEU)
4. Miky Picon (FRA)
5. Eneko Acero (EUK)
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