Romain Cloitre : photo Daniel Smorigo/ASP South America

Team News

Hall and Cloitre Lead Europeans in Local Motion Guaruja Surf Pro in Brazil

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 October, 2009 : - - Capbreton -- With the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) getting back to serious business in Brazil last week, the current elite met in the ASP WQS 6-Star Local Motion Guaruja Surf Pro and it was experienced competitor Glenn Hall (IRL), 27, who secured the best result of the European contingent, the Australian-Irish surfer reaching the Quarterfinals of the coveted event.

Defeated by Renato Galvao (BRA) who was to win the prestigious event later on, Glenn Hall managed to unleash spectacular surfing, eliminating current ASP WQS No. 2 Jadson Andre (BRA) in Round 5 after escaping several tricky battles from Round 2 of competition.

Glenn Hall, who has surfed a remarkable season so far netting several big results including three Semifinals in five events in Europe, got back to his best level to surf his way through to the Quarterfinals and place equal 5th, a result that pushes him further-up the ratings to No. 13 and virtually qualifies the man for next year’s ASP World Tour.

Hall, who has been competing on the Grind since he left the Junior division (Under-21), has had his best year ever amongst the world’s best qualifiers and is in good position so far to achieve his goal, to qualify for the ASP World Tour, the elite circuit where the ASP’s best 45 competitors battle for the undisputed ASP World title.

Second best European representative in the Local Motion Guaruja Surf Pro, 22-year-old Reunion Island born surfer Romain Cloitre (REU) impressed again in Brazil by reaching Round 5 of competition after a solid run through three rounds. Cloitre, who has been climbing up the ratings since his stellar performances in spring earlier this year, hit once again with his highly competitive mind and efficient surfing, besting Brett Simpson (USA) in Round 4, and William Cardoso (BRA) in Round 3 of competition.

Cloitre’s result, an equal 9th place finish in the ASP WQS 6-Star rated event, has rocketed him to No. 24 on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) ratings, a career-best for the former ASP European Junior champion (2007) and a promising ranking before the upcoming major events including the ASP WQS 6-Star prime La Santa Pro in the Canary Islands at the end of the month.

For his second year only as a full-time ASP WQS competitor, Cloitre has already secured an impressive series of big results that include an equal 3rd in Portugal (ASP WQS 6-Star) and an equal 5th in the Maldives (ASP WQS 6-Star Prime). Fourth best European surfer of the moment, Cloitre will compete in the next event in Brazil.
 
Other Europeans to make the trip to Brazil were current contingent leader Joan Duru (FRA), ranked no. 7 at this stage, Alain Riou (PYF) and Patrick Beven (FRA), all three men being stopped in Round 3 of the Local Motion Guaruja Surf Pro, a result that does not better their overall ratings’ points total.

With six events rated 6-Star or 6-Star prime in the upcoming two months, the race towards the ASP World Tour promises to intensify as the world’s best Grinders keep up the battle of points. Next stop for the ASP WQS Team Europe is at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil for another week of action.

For more on the European surfers of the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS), logon to aspeurope.com

ASP WORLD QUALIFYING SERIES RATINGS – TOP 5 EUROPEANS
No. 7, Joan Duru (FRA), 12050 pts
No. 13, Glenn Hall (IRL), 11200 pts
No. 19, Gony Zubizarreta (ESP), 10351 pts
No. 24, Romain Cloitre (REU), 9913 pts
No. 32, Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY), 8975 pts

www.aspeurope.com
www.aspworldtour.com  

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