solspot 24 Jul 20082 Comments 434 views Print Email

  Contest News, surf, surf-feature

SAN SEBASTIAN, Basque Country (Thursday, July 24, 2008) - The Vans Pro Junior, an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Grade-1 event, got underway today at San Sebastian just across the French border, inaugurating the crucial summer junior leg in Europe. The Vans Pro Junior, who is the first of four consecutive events taking place until August 24, got through Rounds 1 and 2 and and ran Heats 1 to 4 of Round 3 for an opening 28-heat marathon day.

With swell predictions looking uncertain for the rest of the waiting period which
lasts until Sunday, July 27, officials made the most out of the consistent four foot
(1.2 meter) waves on offer and hope the weekend delivers a new swell as forecast.

Eduardo Fernandes (PRT), a 20-year-old phenomenon who placed second in the ASP Grade-1 Buondi Pro Junior earlier this month after defeating several favorites, was a standout for the first day of action. Fernandes, who got through two rounds today, has already secured his spot for the best seeded surfers’ round and looks confident.

“I am stoked to paddle back out after this good result in Portugal”, Fernandes said. “The place here is really nice and the waves were fun today and everything went my way.”

Fernandes posted an impressive 9.33 point ride (out of a possible 10) on his way to securing the second best heat result of the day - a solid 15.66 point heat tally (out of a possible 20). He will now be a favorite when Round 4 resumes.

“I was lucky to surf at low tide and the good waves came to me”, Fernandes said. “I surfed well the few good waves are paddled into and this board my brother shaped for me is just amazing.”

Fernandes will now face former ASP World Junior No. 5 Pierre-Valentin Laborde (FRA).

Igor Muniain (EUK), a local Basque surfer who has been rising this year event after event, was another of today’s solid winners. Muniain, who currently sits 41st on the ASP European Junior ratings, was in excellent form and flew the local flag proudly.

“It is great to be at home and surf waves I know so well”, Muniain said. “I feel
confident and believe I can take my level higher in these conditions. The waves are fun usually at San sebastian and usually we get less size at this time of the year.”

Muniain, who posted the best heat tally of the day with an excellent 16.50 point
result (out of a possible 20), used specific tactics to secure his ticket for Round 3
where he will meet young promissing French surfer Ian Fontaine (FRA).

“I believe patience is the key to get the better waves”, Muniain said. “You’ve got to wait for the wave and surf it as good as you can and with the board I have at the moment I feel like things can keep going wel for me. I hope I can make the final.”

Twenty-eight heats were wrapped today and dozens of young surfers managed to find their way out of the tricky first rounds where unexperienced surfers usually feel some pressure. Among them was Ivo Cacao (PRT) who put on a show when he took off for a frontside air at the end of his four-men battle.

cacao, who has been around ASP Pro Junior events for a couple of years, has yet to confirm promissing skills with a solid result and will be looking forward to advancing through to Round 4 when competition restarts tomorrow.

“Stoked with this quaification behind the best scorer of the day”, Cacao said. “I had fun out there and went for this big air and landed it so it is all good for me.”

Cacao, who placed second to Muniain in Round 2, will be among those checking in tomorrow at 8 AM (GMT+2) for the second day of action of the Vans Pro Junior.

All news, photos and LIVE webcast available at www.aspeurope.com