SAQUAREMA, Rio de Janeiro  – Itauna Beach cranked open the surf tap with clean four-to-six foot (1 – 2 metre) waves on offer for the third straight day of competition at ASP WQS 6-Star Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl that saw the event favourites and top ASP WQS campaigners No. 1 Brazilian Jadson Andre and No. 3 Australian Adam Melling advancing with good perfomances.

One of the highlights of the day was Brazilian Pedro Henrique, who got a beatiful barrel in the first heat of the day. Henrique took down top ASP WQS campaigner No. 8 Patrick Gudauskas posting an almost perfect 9.83 score (out of 10.00), with three judges giving him the perfect score (10 points) on his first wave of the heat.

“Ahh great heat without no doubt,”Henrique said. “WQS Tour is always difficult, all heats are strong, if you not get good waves you lose. I just want to thank God for that wave (9.83 points), I saw Trekinho (Marcelo) took an 8.30 on a wave that I almost went, so I knew I had to start well with a high score, and then that perfect wave came to me and it was just a magical wave. That thing bowled up on the inside and I managed to stick with it and come out. I was super stoked because the view was insane – whether I came out or not I was happy.”

Who came close to the new record of Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl was the American Brett Simpson, who earned a 9.17 from judges with three strong maneuvers, with pressure and speed.

“The waves are really fun, fortunately the waves came on my way,’Simpson said. “On my 9.17 score (out a possible of 10), I was on the spot and the other guy was too deep so I paddled into the wave, did two big turns and a huge floater in the end, that was a great waveThis is my first time here, for sure is the best waves that I always surfed here in Brazil, Fernando de Noronha Island is better but a different type of wave, and here is a great place for a contest and if the waves continues like this will be perfect for us.”

Brazilian Neco Padaratz who finished in second place in the ASP WQS 6-Star event last week in Florianopolis ended in second place in the last heat of the day, moving straight to Round of 24 of Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl.

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Rip Curl presents Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro

ASP 6 Star WQS Mens event
Itauna, Saquarema Brazil
14 – 19 July 2009

6 Star Rip Curl presents Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro launches in July

Saquarema is back on the sports scene in 2009 with the Rip Curl presents Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro 2009. From July 14th to 19th, the ‘surf´s Maracana’ will be the stage for a 6 Star stop on the WQS. The event will be held at Itauna Beach.

The best athletes of the world will compete for U$ 145.000 in prizes, besides of 2.500 points in the ranking. Among the 196 athletes registered for the competition, are Brazilian Raoni Monteiro and Pedro Henrique, both local surfers, Bruno Santos and Marco Polo Soares, besides of Simao Romao, winner of the last stop in Rio de Janeiro, realized in October of 2008, at Arpoador…

Also, Jadson Andre, best Brazilian surfer in the access division’s ranking, moreover some international stars as the Australian Owen Wright, ranked third in the WQS and the surfer who eliminated no less than Kelly Slater at Bell Beach, the Hawaiian Dusty Payne, American Cory Lopez, a former top WCT, Nate Yeomans, Eric Geiselman, and the Gudauskas brothers (Dane, Patrick and Tanner), among others.

Rio presents Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro 2009 is supported by Rio’s State Government, Saquarema’s City Hall, Unimed Araruama, Saquarema’s Surf Association and Rio de Janeiro’s Surf Federation – FESERJ.

“It is a pride for everybody involved in the project organizing this event in Saquarema. It is a city with a strong relation with surf and internationally known for the quality of its waves and for the several athletes formed. We are sure about good waves and high level competition”, says Sergio Lindemman, from Adding Sports, responsible by surf’s return to Saquarema, who wants to keep the event in the international calendar.

“It is a serious event, pretty important for our State, and our goal it is to keep, at least for the next years, the event in the international surf’s schedule”, added.

Felipe Silveira, Rip Curl’s president in Brazil, talks about his expectations about the event: “We are very proud by being involved in such a big event, in a place with great waves, that was, inclusively, stage for a WCT stop. Itauna Beach receives huge waving in this period of the year, presenting one of the best “beach breaks” of Brazil and that is why we expect a surf show for this event”.

Besides of the sports’ programming, the organization will also promote extra activities to entertain the public, including the event’s party that will happen at Saturday’s night, with a great star’s show to be confirmed.