The second day of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star PRIME 6.0 Lowers Pro offered improved two-to-three foot (1 metre) conditions to the event’s top seeds and saw Lower Trestles local Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA), 27, lead the field through to Round 3.

All surfers competing in the ASP 6-Star PRIME 6.0 Lowers Pro are looking to capitalize on the ample ratings points on offer at the premier event. The ASP WQS contest’s PRIME status offers the maximum amount of ratings points towards each surfers qualification campaigns for the coveted ASP World Tour, making the stop at Lower Trestles significant for each surfer’s 2009 overall rating on The Grind.

Yeomans put his local knowledge of Lower Trestles to good use when he destroyed a long righthand wall with several beyond-vertical blasts to post the day’s highest single wave score of a 9.47 out of 10. The talented goofy-footer continued to dominate his heat when he bashed another impressive score and earned the day’s highest heat total of 18.24 out of 20.

“I was actually positioning myself for the left because I saw everyone scrambling for the right and I was able to get underneath them,” Yeomans said. “I knew it was going to be a nice right, and I was able to get a couple of good turns and it had a nice wall so I was able to ride it all the way through. I knew it was going to be a good score, so when I heard the 9-point-score, I was like, yeah, I like that!”

The San Clemente native is hoping that he can utilize his familiarity of the cobblestone reef to post a top result at the 6.0 Lowers Pro. Yeomans has had a successful competitive history at previous ASP WQS events at the location in past years and is out to capitalize on the contest’s ASP 6-Star PRIME status to help his cause towards qualification for the ASP Dream Tour.

“I’ve yet to make the Final out here and I had a bad event here last year, but I made the Semifinals the two years before that,” Yeomans said. “It’s always been a good event for me and now that it’s a 6-Star PRIME, it really counts for qualification for the World Tour. It’s definitely one of everyone’s favorite places to surf, so I’m glad that it’s a 6-Star PRIME.”

Adriano de Souza (Guaruja Sao Paulo, BRA), 22, displayed world-class surfing today at Lower Trestles, explaining why the young Brazilian is a top competitor on the ASP Dream Tour. The explosive regular-footer issued several critical backhand turns on two steep Lowers walls to earn one of the day’s highest single-wave scores of a 9.33 out of 10. De Souza’s precise backhand attack on his next wave helped him attain an impressive heat total of 17.83 out of 20 while advancing confidently in to Round 3.

“The conditions are a little bit small, but it’s still really good,” De Souza said. “I’ve been surfing Trestles everyday and to surf there with only three other guys out is great. Luckily, I was able to grab the two best waves in that heat, so I’m stoked.”

The San Clemente, California transplant permanently moved to the famous surf-town from his home in Brazil and his impressive performance at his new home-break shows that De Souza has been spending his fare share of time at Lower Trestles.

The article “Ready for the Next Wave”, by award-winning SI senior writer Gary Smith, has been published in this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated and features 9-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater surfing with… a door.

Smith followed legendary surfer Kelly Slater from coast to coast – from a photo shoot in New York to his home in Santa Barbara – and discovered a man who was candid and thoughtful, one who was intent on figuring himself out in addition to harboring aspirations of “carrying surfing from a niche sport, seen mostly on the Internet, toward the mainstream. Kelly could be the Michael Jordan and David Stern of his sport – the iconic athlete doing aerials and 360s and the power broker trying to change the structure and marketing of his sport.”

The O’Neill Cold Water Classic (CWC) Scotland by Swatch, an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Prime event, entered its 8-day waiting period today welcoming some of surfing’s best professional athletes at Thurso for the kick off of the world’s northern based event on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS).

The inconsistent surf on offer at either Brims Ness or the world famous righthander of Thurso East forced officials to postpone the start of competition until tomorrow morning when another call is made at 7 AM by O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series contest director Matt Wilson (AUS) with reasonable chances to see the expected new swell supposed to hit Northern Scotland show its first pulses for Day 2.

With 120 surfers having made the trip to Thurso to try and seize the valuable ratings’ points on offer and US$ 145 000 up for grabs, the O’Neill Cold Water Classic (CWC) Scotland will witness world class action with event top seed and ASP Top 45 rookie Drew Courtney (AUS), 20, leading the favorites’ charge while current ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) ratings’ No. 1 Owen Wright (AUS), 19, will be ready to extend his lead over close followers.

Defending champion Adam Robertson (AUS), 26, will be back out in the renowned cold waters of Scotland when Round 2 paddles out, the Victorian based competitor looking to keep-up his exceptional form that saw him make the final of the last ASP World Tour event at Bells Beach after making it through the trials and defeating several Dream Tour leaders on his way.

With former ASP World Champion and last year’s O’Neill CWC Scotland equal 5th Sunny Garcia (HAW), 2008 runner-up Adam Melling (AUS), O’Neill team riders Jarrad Howse (AUS) and Hugo Savalli (REU) as well as Europe’s rising stars Joan Duru (FRA) and Marc Lacomare (FRA) all attending the event, the set-up is ready for another spectacular edition.

The O’Neill Cold Water Classic Scotland is the second event of five on this year’s O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series and offers valuable 3500 ratings’ points to the winner counting for the qualification towards next year’s ASP World Tour.

UPCOMING O’NEILL CWC SCOTLAND ROUND 1 HEATS
Heat 1: Wiggoly Dantas (BRA), Jayce Robinson (GBR), Alex Gray (USA)
Heat 2: Sunny Garcia (HAW), Yujiro Tsuji (JPN), Mark Cameron (SCO), Yuzuru Tanaka (JPN)
Heat 3: Jay Davies (AUS), Omer Bar (ISR), Ryah Arthur (USA)
Heat 4: Marco Giorgi (URY), Alejandro Moreda (PRI), Micheal Bailey (USA)
Heat 5: Heath Joske (AUS), Angelo Lozano (MEX), Chris Davis (USA)
Heat 6: Matt Mohagen (USA), Gordon Fontaine (FRA), Haritz Mendiluze (EUK), Georgie Watts (SCO)
Heat 7: Madison Williams (AUS), Luca Guichard (DNK), Matt Capel (GBR), Eduardo Fernandes (PRT)
Heat 8: Luke Munro (AUS), Freddie Meadows (SWE), Matt Johnson (USA)
Heat 9: Lyncoln Taylor (AUS), Travis Beckmann (USA), Brandon Roberts (ZAF)
Heat 10: Alek Parker (USA), Damien Chaudoy (REU), Ricardo Lange (DEU), Micah Lester (AUS)
Heat 11: Marc Lacomare (FRA), Jason Harris (USA), Jensen Callaway (USA)
Heat 12: Bobby Hansen (NZL), Reubyn Ash (GBR), Jose Trujillo (MEX)
Heat 13: Richard Christie (NZL), Seam Holmes (ZAF), Josie Graves (PRI)
Heat 14: Daniel Redman (ZAF), Will Tant (USA), Joe Tanaka (JPN)
Heat 15: Jano Belo (BRA), Alan Stokes (GBR), Shota Nakamura (JPN), Mark Harris (GBR)
Heat 16: Manuel Selman (CHL), Andrew Bennett (USA), Sam Lamiroy (GBR)

NYSFF will host a special screening of Bruce Brown’s THE ENDLESS SUMMER (1964) as a part of the 2009 festival program.

Now in its second year, the New York Surf Film Festival is proud to continue the tradition of providing New York City audiences the opportunity to view timeless cult classic surf films alongside the latest releases from independent surf filmmakers.

Both directed and written by Bruce Brown, THE ENDLESS SUMMER is the search for the perfect wave. On any day of the year it’s summer somewhere in the world.

Bruce Brown’s color film highlights the adventures of two young American surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson who follow this everlasting
summer around the world. Their unique expedition takes them to Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii and California.

Share their experience as they search the world for the perfect waves which may be forming just over the next horizon.

NYSFF Co-founder Morgan Rae Berk says, “We are thrilled to be showcasing yet another cult classic surf film. After opening our 2008 festival with a Bud Browne tribute, it seems proper to follow up in our second year with THE ENDLESS SUMMER on the big screen. We like to pay homage to the foundations that
have led to where we are today.”

Look for actual screening times and ticket information in August 2009 at nysurffilm.com.

Submissions

Get your submissions in! Only one month left until our May 31, 2009 deadline.

The submission form and complete information regarding eligibility and entry rules for the 2009 New York Surf Film Festival are available on the New York
Surf Film Festival website at www.NYSurfFilm.com. Information is also available through Don’t Drop In, LLC at 917.658.2927, info@nysurffilm.com, or by regular mail to Don’t Drop In, LLC P.O. Box 310361 Brooklyn, NY 11231.

Show your support and get up-to-date festival news by becoming a Fan of NYSFF on our Facebook Page.

main town is galle .after unawatuna and between kabalana

The first of the five bays that make up Noosa Point. The least crowded of that is a really crowded surf area. Needs the right conditions to work well and is pretty inconsistent.
Works best at medium tide and east / north east swell and a southerly wind.

Surf at low tide for barrels – if the crowds don’t put you off! Lovely location and great waves when it is working (medium / low tide – south wind – east / north east swell).

National Park is so called as it breaks on the start of the National Park. Breaks in the same conditions as the other Noosa breaks – (medium / low tide – south wind – east / north east swell). It is just as busy as them also.
Not really a place for beginners due to the sheer number of surfers in the water when there are waves.

Right on the corner of the main beach at Noosa is First Point. Works like the other points round the National Park, providing quality right hand waves. Probably the best break for beginners on a small swell. Packed with longboards.

Two-time and defending Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) North America Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) Champion Taylor Jensen (Oceanside, CA), 25, and Kaitlin Maguire (Del Mar, CA), 21, won the ASP LQS 1-Star PLA and Gidget PLA Pros today in peaky two-to-three foot (1 metre) surf at C Street in Ventura, California.

The ASP LQS is a regional qualifier for the ASP World Longboard Tour (WLT). Each region sends their top performers at year’s end in an attempt to claim the coveted title of ASP World Longboard Champion each following year.

Jensen continued his tear through the ASP LQS today, notching another impressive victory on his belt in Ventura this afternoon. The powerful longboarder saved his best performance for the final, netting the event’s highest heat total of a near-perfect 18.57 out of 20, placing fellow finalists Tony Silvagni (Kure Beach, NC), 22, Brendan White (Dana Point, CA) and Joe Aaron (Capistrano Beach, CA), 18, in a combination situation on the way to his convincing PLA Pro win.

“The conditions were tricky with the south swell in the water here at C Street,” Jensen said. “I feel really good right now and in tune with my equipment and I’ve had such a good year so far, it’s great to win another event.”

The Oceanside local has been in stellar form throughout the ning of the year and has already claimed a victory at the prestigious Noosa Pro event in Australia.

“I’m so stoked with how things went in Australia,” Jensen said. “Winning Noosa was amazing and I got a second and a third in the following events, so I’m really happy to continue to do well in America now.

Jensen is now chasing his first ASP WLT Championship and is hoping that his success on the ASP LQS will help him achieve his goal of an ASP World Longboard title.

“I’ve always stressed more about the WLT,” Jensen said. “In the past I had felt pressure about winning the World Title, but I’ve had a few great accomplishments that have made me happy so far, so I feel there is less pressure this year.”

Silvagni, who finished second overall on last year’s regional ASP LQS continued to shine throughout the day’s entirety and finished in the runner up position behind Jensen by combining new school flare with classic noseriding.

“I always try to get 10 right away on the outside and connect each wave through to the inside,” Silvagni said. “I know that the first maneuver is the most critical, so I always try to get to the nose right away.”