Repercharge day in the ISA World Surfing Games
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ISA World Surfing Games
October 15, 2008
Costa de Caparica, Portugal
The do or die rounds of the repercharge were the main attraction today at the main podium. The Open Men´s Round 2 was held in two foot waves, as the tide forced the Contest Director to suspend the final heats of the day.
A total of 13 heats were held and more surfers were eliminated from the championships. Those who overcame the pressure made it through, adding more points to their respective teams.
The Men and Women's Bodyboard Main Event rounds were held at Podium two and there were some radical performances as riders worked hard to progress through to the next rounds. Unfortunately it also meant that the for the first time some bodyboarders were relegated to Repercharge Round two.
The day’s best performances came from ASP World Tour Surfer Dayyan Neve of Australia and Spanish star Pablo Gutierrez, who both posted 16.83 points in their respective repercharge heats. Among the bodyboarders Natasha Sagardia of Puerto Rico was the top women of the round, scoring 11.30, while Pierre Costes (FRA) once again obtained the highest combined score of the round, a respectable 15.17. Manuel Centeno of Portugal, the gold medallist in 2006, won another heat and the local rider is looking good for what is ahead.
Spanish power
Spain’s representative Pablo Gutierrez, showed that he knew how to deal with the tough low tide hard. He put together a solid performance to score a 9.00 and a 7.83in his repercharge heat.
“I felt really good; we were sitting just by the side of the jetty really close to each other, so there was a bit of a hassle to get a wave. I was lucky to find one good 7.83 that left me in an OK situation to look for the back up. So I quietly waited for the good one, it came; I did three good moves and scored a 9.00. I ended the heat first and I´m really happy. Anyway, I think I was lucky,” Gutierrez said.
Another chance for Dayyan
While his Aussie mates in the Open division enjoyed the comfort of qualifying for the Main Event rounds, ASP World Championship Tour surfer Dayyan Neve had to battle the conditions. He had to do the do or die repercharge rounds after a third place in Round one.
He proved his class with style, posting an 8.50 and an 8 and easily winning his heat, which saw him advance to the next round with the highest tally in his division.
Other highlights of the round were Gabriel Villarán (PER), Chris Dennis (TTB), Gilbert Brown (CRI) and Sebastián Alarcón (PER).
Portugal bodyboarders are looking good for another podium finish
Portuguese Bodyboard stars Manuel Centeno and Hugo Pinheiro, gold and silver medal respectively in the ISA World Surfing Games held in Huntington Beach in California 2006, have been impressive in their first two appearances. Centeno has won both of his heats, while Pinheiro won hist first encounter and placed second today.
Riding in their own country gives them local advantage but added pressure. Centeno said: “Is not easy, you have to know how to deal with it. I think that Hugo and I have the experience to face this situation. Expectations of the Portuguese people are high, but as for me, I like to think that I haven’t won anything and this is the first contest I enter. This way I get the motivation I need to get the pressure out of me.”
Main Event Bodyboard Women´s semifinals decided
Six Women Bodyboarders are just two steps away from the medals after today's rounds. Natasha Sagardia (PRI), Lorraine Lima (BRA) and Yasuko Kima (JPN) will compete in qualifier semifinal one and Rita Pires (POR), Heloise Bourroux (FRA) and Kenya León (MEX) will meet in the second.
Today best performance in this division came from Puerto Rican Natasha Sagardia who posted a combined a total of 11.30.
Day 5
A busy day tomorrow, the following heats will take place beginning at 8:00:
Open Repercharge 2 and 3
Open Main Event 4
Women Surf Main Event 3
Women Surf Repercharge 2
Bodyboard Men Repercharge 2, 3 and 4
Bodyboard Women Main Event 3
Bodyboard Women Repercharge 2
Longboard Repercharge 2
Live feeds will run from: www.wsg2008.com
Or via www.isasurf.org
For further info and free high resolution photos, please contact International Surfing Association, Media Manager, Pablo Zanocchi at pablo@isasurf.org.
Portuguese Media contact: Gonçalo Bettencourt at goncalo.bettencourt@freelance.pt
PHOTOS
Usage-free high quality images each day’s events will be available for worldwide press use at www.wsg2008.com.
About International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980.
ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since. The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Maile Aguerre (Hawaii) and Mike Gerard (USA).
