Duru and Ribeiro Impress and Lead the Euro Charge !
CAPBRETON, France (Monday, February 13, 2012) – Europeans started off very strong the 2012 season with excellent results in Hawaii, Brazil and Australia. After the first event in Hawaii and the impressive performance of Jonathan Gonzalez (CNY) 31, in challenging conditions at the Pipeline, last week it was Brazil and Australia that were struck by the European forces.
Joan Duru (FRA) 22, was the standout in the first Prime event of 2012, the Hang Loose Pro in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil. Joan navigated through a very strong field of surfers including current and former World Tour contenders, ending his run in the Quarter-Finals loosing to Brian Toth (PRI).
After a difficult 2011 season that saw the talented goofy-footer struggle with ups and downs, Joan found his rythmn in the inaugural Prime of 2012 «I’m super stoked, I had a bad season last year and I couldn’t hope for any better to start this one.» said Joan. The South-Landes region resident scored the second highest heat total of the event, an impressive 19.47 out of 20 and admitted to feel right at home on the perfect beachbreaks of Fernando de Noronha «It’s pretty much like home, barrels and big turns !».
Joan Duru has an intense year ahead and has found a new motivation after a close call in 2009 where he almost qualified for the World Tour, finishing in equal 15th position and missing out by one spot. «I’m going back to Europe right now for the Nixon Challenge in the Canary Islands, and soon after I’m going to Australia for the 6* in Newcastle and the next Prime in Maragaret River. This year my goal is qualification for the World Tour !» said Joan.
The Portuguese contingent of surfers has also been very active lately with Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 17, and Frederico Morais (PRT) 20, making great impressions in the World Junior Championships and more recently at the ASP 4* Breaka Burleigh Pro. Finishing respectively 5th and 7th both surfers displayed great potential on the fun righthander pointbreak of Burleigh Hands.
Vasco Ribeiro fell short of a qualification for the final in a very hard fought battle against 2011 ASP Rookie of the Year and ASP World Tour ranked 9th Julian Wilson (AUS), defeated by only 0.26pts. In the same heat Vasco was also facing other Australian World Tour surfer Bede Durbidge and admitted to love confrontation against those high-caliber surfers.
«I’m feeling very good right now, it’s always good to surf against the best surfers in the World because you are always learning from them and that pushes you a lot to do your best surf and to improve..» said Vasco.
Fresh of this encouraging result Vasco Ribeiro, along with fellow Portuguese competitors Justin Mujica, Frederico Morais, Felipe Jervis, Tiago Pires and many more Europeans will battle it out with some of the Best Surfers in the World at the Australian Open of Surfing from February 11-19, 2012 in Manly, Australia.
Category: All ASP News, ASP Editorial News, ASP Prime News, ASP Star News
