PRE EVENT - 07/10/04
Four stars over the Lanzarote Sea will light up one of the most awaited events of the year.

Lanzarote, autumn of 2004. It’s still unbelievable that, what started seven years ago as a friendly contest in the almost perfect lefthander of San Juan Beach, has become this year a four-star contest sponsored by Davidoff Cool Water and Rip Curl and organized by Jesús Arguallo of La Santa Surf. This event, the only four-star one that will be celebrated this year on a national level, closes the WQS Circuit in Europe. We’re standing before an event that will make history in the Spanish Surf World.

The organisation on site his taken in charge by La Santa Surf, a company from the Canary Island, specialised in the production and distribution of surfing products. La Santa Surf was created 6 years ago by a local team passionate about surf, who after many years of hard work, has managed to organise such a big event on Lanzarotte Island.

More than 200 international surfers will fill the San Juan Beach between the 19th and the 24th of October to participate in La Santa Surf Pro and attempt to win the 75 000 US dollars of the WQS 4* trial. The best European surfers will have their chance to stand among the greatest; Eneko Acero, Pablo Gutiérrez, Micky Picón, Tiago Pires, and Frederic Robin will try to reach the first places of the International Ranking.

Why San Juan Beach? Rip Curl looks for events in which surfers can give the best of themselves, the real spirit of those that face the ocean’s force with only a surfboard. On these dates, San Juan unites all the conditions that any international test demands: strong quality waves, optimal water temperature, nice weather and local islanders that party with the surfers.

Rip Curl is probably the most authentic surf brand. For more than 35 years it has been supporting the best surfers and organizing emblematic events in the best spots in the planet: Bell’s Beach, Pipeline, Hossegor and Sunset. Rip Curl is “The Search”, the search for the perfect wave, for unique sensations. Four decades after opening its first store in Australia, Rip Curl’s spirit of “The Search” is not only still going; it has now become universal. And the most important thing is that many are becoming interested in this sport thanks to the passion that Rip Curl transmits, which is quite simply the reflection of the passion that surfers feel, spending their whole life looking for the perfect wave.

For its part, Davidoff is a brand that advocates a certain lifestyle – “The intense Experience of Living”. Davidoff Cool Water was established in 1988 and its image evokes the sensuality of the relaxing and mysterious powers of water. Years later, Davidoff Cool Water Woman was created with the same philosophy and the same brand spirit. Davidoff Cool Water fragrances evokes intense freshness, vitality, strength and innovation. These values are shared by Rip Curl and by water sports. La Santa Surf Pro event is an excellent opportunity for Davidoff Cool Water to connect with a public that is important for its force, charisma and impact.

The Rip Curl European team will “play at home” this time. Among others, the talented Spanish athlete Pablo Gutiérrez, European champion in 2001 and last year’s finalist, the top Portuguese David Luis, the British champion in 2000 Mark Harris, and the charismatic French surfer Boris Letexier will be present at Lanzarote. The French junior champion, Romain Laulhé, the Moroccan Abdel el Harim and the daring Spanish juniors Norman Landa and Marcos San Segundo will give more than one surprise.

As part of the activities, there will be events that will turn San Juan into a hothouse of surfers and spectators. One of the events is the DAVIDOFF COOL WATER EXPRESSION SESSION. In this contest, which will take place outside the test schedule, the surfers will be able to forget the classic criteria of the critics and win 2 000 US dollars in prices. Only one rule: The show must go on and high! Without a doubt, it will be one of the most intense moments of the event and it will show something that nobody doubts; surfing is, today, more alive than ever.