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2008 ISA World Surfing Games

 

 

Finalists decided in the ISA World Surfing Games

Australia maintains the lead in the Overall Team Standings while Costa Rica sneaks into the top 5

 

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ISA World Surfing Games
October 18, 2008
Costa de Caparica, Portugal

 

In two feet waves, the finalists of the repercharge and main event were defined in the seventh day of the ISA World Surfing Games. Only one day of competition remains now to see who will be the new World Champions and the Overall Nations Gold medallist.

Despite the conditions, amazing surfing action was on display, thanks to the likes of CJ Hobgood (USA), Luis Vindas (CRI), Kai Otton (AUS), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Matthew Moir (ZAF), Phil Rajzman (BRA) and other 16 surfers who did their job to reach the final day and the top 6 spots in each division. Out of the 233 surfers that started the event, the best 30 will surf tomorrow.

All the divisions hit the water today, with some “reperchargers” competing three times. Out of the whole bunch, only two survived and are now one step away from the big final of each division. On Main Event rounds, four untouched surfers are also one step away from the medals.

The Overall Team standings ratings are now like this:

Costa Rica confirmed its status as the new great surfing nation, adding their name to the elite group of the world´s most developed surfing nations.

Open Men
CJ Hobgood (USA), Kai Otton (AUS), Heath Joske (AUS) and Luis Vindas (CRI) were the untouchables who reached the final of the Main Event without losing any heats. Costa Rican Luis Vindas was certainly the great surprise, surfing smoothly in the small waves. He scored 8.67 and 7.00 to win his heat and write his name in the Surfing History book of his country.

The humble “Tico” said after his heat: “The waves were really small but it is looking a lot like the ones I surf at home. Also my surfboard helped. I actually shaped it for myself to surf in small waves. I was really scared for this heat – all three of my opponents are strong surfers. But now I feel way more confident for what’s coming, so I just hope to keep doing the good things for my country.”  

The other two surfers to overcome the “all or nothing” heats of the repercharge were Dayyan Neve of Australia and the other Costa Rican star, Jason Torres. These two surfers made it through the three heats they entered today. The top six Open Men´s are three Australians, two Costa Ricans and one of the Unites States.

Open Women
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Nataly Bernold (CRI), Laureen Sweeney (USA) and Camila Cassia (BRA) reached the main event final without losing any heats. Once again, this time among the women, Costa Rica kept momentum and surprised everybody, adding another surfer into the top six women’s.

In the repercharge rounds, sponsorless Demi Boelsterli of the USA was again the standout of the day, winning the three heats she entered and posting combined scores of 14.34, 12.33 and 16.83 (the highest of her division today) to now be one step away from the final. The other repercharge surfer to make it to the final day was French ripper Marie Dejean.

“It was fun! The waves are really small but there are some that are super rippable. I’m just stoked to be here surfing and having a good time. I was looking for the little rights that connect through the inside.” Said Team USA’s Boelsterli, regarding her country’s status, “We’re doing well. I think we’re in the running for gold. And everyone is getting along really well, having fun, psyching up and supporting for each heat. It’s cool!

Bodyboard
Only the repercharge rounds were held in both Men and Women’s Bodyboard division. David Lee of South Africa and Pierre Costes of France had a great round 7 heat and are now waiting for the losers of the Main Event Final to fight for a place on the podium.

They joined Sacha Specker (ZAF), Marcus Lima (BRA), Hugo Pinheiro (POR) and Manuel Centeno (POR) among the top six finishers.

On the Women’s side, Spain’s Eunate Aguirre and Australia’s Lilly Pollard overcame their round 5 match up to be now one step away from the finals. They also wait for the losers of Main Event final which includes Natasha Sagardia (PRI), Heloise Bourroux (FRA), Rita Pires (POR) and Yasuko Kima (JPN). 

Longboard  
The first longboarders to place themselves one step away from the Big Final were Antoine Delpero (FRA), Phil Rajzman (BRA), Matthew Moir (ZAF) and Heifara Tahutini (TAH).

South African Matthew Moir, the Gold Medal winner in the last edition of the Games in California 2006, posted the highest combined score of 16.33 to advance again in first place. Moir is now looking forward for a back to back win. After his heat ended, he said: “Today the swell dropped a lot so it’s pretty tactical. You have to find the running waves to score high. It would be better for me to have bigger waves, but everyone is surfing in the same conditions so I was lucky to find the right ones and make it through!”

With the possibility of back to back gold medals, he commented: “I know that Brazilian Marcelo Freitas did it three times, so I’m gonna have to take it heat by heat to match that up. The last Games was a big win for me, so to make the team again and being here now is amazing.”

Aloha Cup
French Team can already celebrate a Gold Medal in this ISA World Surfing Games. The Aloha Cup was held today in a close final against Portugal, Costa Rica and South Africa.

Portuguese could’ve won, but their last surfer to go to the water, David Raimundo, decided not to claim his second wave. And when he was running short of time, decided to go on a small wave and claimed that one. With a difference of 0.13, the second wave could’ve given the victory to the local team. 

Results

Day 7
Tomorrow, Sunday, October the 19th, the final day of the event will take place. History will be written in the waves of Costa de Caparica.

 

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 -351 910956586-.

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).