Aliizee Arnaud : photo Aquashot/ASP Europe
Island Style Pro Junior
Grade 2 Men's ASP Junior Event
Grade 1 Women's ASP Junior Event
Sopelana Basque Country
31 July - 2 August 2008
Pressure Rises as Island Style Pro Junior Champion will be Crowned Tomorrow
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 2 August, 2008 : - - Sopelana, Basque Country - Day 3 of the ASP Grade-2 Men's and Grade-1 Women's event brought another spectacular show at Sopelana in the Basque Country today, and tomorrow's finals will feature the Nikita Women's Pro Junior final and the Island Style Men's Pro Junior Round 6 then Man-on-Man Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final.
Both male and female under-21 competitors displayed some excellent surfing today, former ASP European Women's Junior No.2 Alizee Arnaud (FRA) taking control of the women's division while Damien Chaudoy (REU), currently Men's ratingsNo. 8, was setting pace before tomorrow's showdown.
Alizee Arnaud (Hossegor, FRA), 18, who is coming back from an injury that kept her out of the water for a couple of months, was hungry for victory and dominated both of her encounters with solid heat results including the event's best score thus far, an impressive 16.50 point heat tally (out of a possible 20) in Semifinal No. 2.
"So stoked with the event so far", Arnaud said. "We have good waves, all my heats have been going well and I am in the final so I will paddle out for a win tomorrow."
Arnaud, who will be a favorite towards a possible crown when competition resumes on the final day, is focused on an end-of-the-year Top 2 finish that will give her a birth into the 2008 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Junior Championships (WJC) in Narabeen, Australia, next January.
"Cannelle (Bulard) who is leading the tour at this stage, was elimintaed pretty early so there is an opportunity for me there Arnaud said. Åooking at the oervall ratings, a win here will put me back in contention for the title and the qualification for Narabeen."
France's domination in the women's division saw some solid resistance with local Basque and promissing competitors stepping up on their home lands of Sopelana. Garazi Sanchez (EUK) and Leticia Canales (EUK) respectively reached Semifinals No. 1 and 2 but were not able to counter other French qualifiers Fanny Brice (FRA) Joahnne Defay (FRA) and Ravi Bailleux (FRA).
"I would have loved to make the final in the Basque Country", Sanchez said. "It is a bummer for me and but with Cannelle (Bulard) losing early, we are still far away from the end of the season and I am already looking forward to the next event in Lacanau." Sanchez, who has been in the regional Top 5 pack for several years, remains a serious threat at any event and will be looking forward to the upcoming events taking place in Lacanau and Hourtin, South West of France.
In the men's division, favorites took the best out of the consistent three foot (one meter) sets rolling in at Sopelana today and all current ASP European Junior ratingsTop 5 will surf in tomorrow's Round 6.
Damien Chaudoy (REU), 18, rated No. 8 coming to Stop No. 5, made the day with an exceptional performance when he bested current ratingsleader Maxime Huscenot (REU) in one of the highest scoring battles of the year thus far. Chaudoy, who ended up winning with a 17.57 point heat result (out of a possible 20), has had several solid results and will be looking to reach his first final when competition resumes tomorrow.
"Stoked to get another high score in an event", Chaudoy said. "I have been feeling good recently, had a good one in San Sebastian but need to gain ground on the leaders to get back in the Top 5. I would like to make the final tomorrow."
Bested but not defeated, Huscenot secured the highest wave score of the event, an near perfect 9.97 point ride (out of a possible 10), to finish with a solid 16. 44 point tally (out of a possible 20) to advance through to Round 6 "It was a tough but exciting heat", Huscenot said. "All favorites are advancing still and it makes really interesting for tomorrow. The one-on-one battles will be very good, it is good experience for us."
With French junior surfers dominating regional ratings for a couple of years now, today's battles saw some solid answers from both locals and internationals. Ormand Rangi (NZL), one of two overseas surfers in the event, got his Round 6 ticket today and will be the underdog for tomorrow's showdown.
Jatyr Berasaluce (Sopelana, EUK), last year's ASP European Junior No. 4 and rated No. 3 before the Island Style Pro Junior, and Igor Muniain (EUK), were the only two local survivors to advance and surf on the final day. Berasaluce, who lives at Sopelana, will have the crowd's support tomorrow and will be aiming at his maiden ASP European Junior title.
"I am so happy to surf at home and be on the final day", Berasaulce said. "It is a great help to know the place, feel comfortable and have support from the crowd. I cannot wait to paddle back out and try and make the final at least."
Tomorrow is the final day of the event and one-on-one battles will take place from the Quarterfinals and on. Four girls will surf for the crown and excellent four foot (1.2 meter) waves are expected.
ASP Grade-2 Island Style Pro Junior Results
UPCOMING ROUND 6
Heat 1: Tristan Guilbaud (FRA), Thomas Fok Cheong (REU), Medi Veminardi (REU), Maxime Huscenot (REU)
Heat 2: Adrien Toyon (REU), Justin Delanne (FRA), Damien Chaudoy (REU), Marc Lacomare (FRA)
Heat 3: Josch Schmeltzer (DEU, Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK), Pierre Valentin Laborde (FRA), Reubyn Ash (GBR)
Heat 4: Geosselin Poulou (FRA), Ormond Rangi (NZL), Igor Muniain (EUK), Jules Thomet (FRA)
ROUND 5
Heat 1: Tristan Guibaud (FRA) 15.86 pts, Justin Delanne (FRA) 14.56 pts, Marcos San Segundo (EUK) 9.90 pts, Harry Delanne(FRA) 6.83 pts
Heat 2: Medi Veminardi (REU) 15.00 pts, Marc Lacomare (FRA) 13.50 pts, Kevin Bourez (PYF) 9.94 pts, Lewis St John (FRA) 8.89 pts
Heat 3: Adrien Toyon (REU) 13.43 pts, Thomas Fok Cheong (REU) 10.17 pts, Jordan Couzinet (FRA) 6.67 pts, Luis Eyre (GBR) 5.06 pts
Heat 4: Damien Chaudoy (REU) 17.57 ts, Maxime Huscenot (REU) 16.44 pts, Naoum Ildefonsse (FRA) 10.00 pts, Edouard Deleperro(FRA) 4.97 pts
Heat 5: Josch Scmeltzer (DEU) 14.00 pts, Ormand Rangi (NZL) 13.30 pts, Yann Martin (GLP) 12.17 pts, Alex Gironi (EUK) 8.54 pts
Heat 6: Pierre Valentin Laborde (FRA) 15.17 pts , Jules Thomet (FRA) 10.63 pts, Yassine Ramdaini (MAR) 7.80 pts, Guillermo Alonso (ESP) 6.50 pts Heat 7: Geosselin Poulou (FRA) 12.26 pts, Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK) 11.97 pts, Keone Campbell (NZL) 10.97 pts, Kierran Bulard (REU) 8.40 pts
Heat 8: Igor Muniain (EUK) 14.60 pts, Reubyn Ash (GBR) 12.16 pts, Ugo Robin (FRA) 7.73 pts, Lukas Guichard (DEN) 6.13 pts
ASP Grade-1 Nikita Women's Pro Junior Results
UPCOMING FINAL
Heat: Johanne Defay (FRA), Fanny Brice (FRA), Alizee Arnaud (FRA), Ravi Bailleux (FRA)
SEMIFINALS
Heat 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 12.83 pts, Fanny Brice (FRA) 7.60 pts, Garazi Sanchez (EUK) 5.16 pts, Lore Eizaguirre (EUK) 3.57 pts
Heat 2: Alizee Arnaud (FRA) 16.50 pts, Ravi Bailleux (FRA) 10.77 pts, Leticia Canales (EUK) 8.40 pts, Ana Sarmento (PRT) 6.57 pts
QUARTERFINALS
Heat 1: Garazi Sanchez (EUK) 9.17 pts, Joahnne Defay (FRA) 7.93 pts, Maud Lecar (FRA) 5.13 pts
Heat 2: Lore Eizaguirre (EUK) 14.67 pts, Fanny Brice (FRA) 11.57 pts, Lea Mengual (GLP) 9.70 pts, Joanna Giansanti (FRA) 8.67 pts
Heat 3: Alizee Arnaud (FRA) 12.20 pts, Leticia Canales (EUK) 9.67 pts, Idoia Meabe (EUK) 9.66 pts, Merril Delanne (FRA) 7.80 pts
Heat 4: Ana Sarmento (PRT) 14.00 pts, Ravi Bailleux (FRA), Camille Davila (FRA) 10.14 pts, Anne Peres (FRA) 6.20 pts
Previous reports:
# 1 : Island Style Pro Junior kicking off Thursday in Sopelana
# 2 : Outsiders shine on Island Style Pro Junior's opening day
# 3 : French surfers steal show on Day 2 of Island Style Pro Jr
# 4 : Coming soon
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