Maresia Surf International

ASP Men’s 6 star WQS event
ASP Men’s South America Pro Tour Stop #4
Praia Mole, Florianópolis, Brazil
7 – 12 July 2009

Florianopolis, Santa Catarina — The young Brazilian Gabriel Medina (15) has taken out the win at the 2009 Maresia Surf International at Mole Beach on Florianopolis today, defeating Brazilian veteran Neco Padaratz (32) after putting on an amazing display of frontside attack surfing and big aerials.

The young Brazilian with only fifteen years old walked away with US$20,000 in prize money and 2,500 ASP WQS ratings points for the win, and became the youngest surfer ever to win a WQS event. With a heat score of 15.83 out of a possible 20, Medina proved the surfer of the event and deservedly took the title of Maresia Surf International.

In a beatiful sunny day and messy three-to-four foot conditions waves, the Brazilian goofy-footer was in amazing form, blasting some vertical maneuvers and big aerials on his way to victory. Medina officially announced his intentions when he logged a 7.50 to take early lead. Neco quickly answered back with a 5.50 and a 6.50 with solid backhand attack.

Remaining five minutes to go, Medina arrived back in the lineup he found himself sitting directly in the path of a long left. Medina squared up and went vertically up the face to smash a huge re-entry, racing down the line and with two additional turns secure a high score of 8.33 points out of a possible 10 and leave Neco needing a 9.33 score to win.

With no waves coming Neco was unable to found a high score, and Medina was crowned the 2009 Maresia Surf International Champion. “I’m really happy to have won this event here at Mole Beach” said the winner after spraying the crowd with champagne.

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JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Thursday, July 9, 2009) – A lay day has been called for the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, with only small two-to-three foot (1 metre) surf coming in through the fabled pointbreak.

Stop No. 5 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay may have called a lay day for the opening day of the waiting period, but between requalification campaigns, ASP World Title races, free surfs and format decisions, there is plenty going on around the event site today.

“We’ve called Billabong Pro J-Bay competition off for the day and we’re on hold until 10:30am for a possible 11am start for the VonZipper Trials,” Mike Parsons, Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay Contest Director, said. “We’re expecting some swell late Sunday and Monday/Tuesday look promising. At present, the competition format is still undecided. We’ll be back tomorrow morning at 7am to assess the conditions.

The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay has the option to run either the traditional or new competition formats, as well as utilize the overlapping heats tem for either. Event organizers will determine which format they will use in accordance with the conditions.

Surfline, official surf foreer for the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, are calling for the current SW groundswell to dissipate throughout the day before a smaller scale WSW to SW swell settles in over the coming days.

Regardless of the conditions, the world’s best surfers have got their respective game faces on as they prepare two do battle at Jeffreys.

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FLORIANOPOLIS, Santa Catarina (Wednesday, July 8, 2009) – International surfers ripped into the second day of ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Maresia Surf International at Mole Beach. In clean waves of two feet (0.5 metre) and a beatiful sunny day in Florianopolis. The Australian crew commanded the show and surpassed the record of Brazilian Diego Rosa from the first day.

Australian Adam Melling, who hasalready assumed the second place in ASP WQS ratings, had a spectacular debut in the first heat of the Round 96. He received a 9.17 points (out a possible of 10) in a excellent wave and a 7.67 score to finish with 16.84 points (out a possible of 20), the best presentation so far in two days of competition. The Australian surfers won nine of the 18 heats held today in the capital of Santa Catarina State.

“I feel pretty good,” Melling said. “I found good waves, especially my high score (9.17 out of 10). This is my first time here at Mole, and seems like to be a pretty fun beachbreak. I’d like to do well here and try to get back on top, my goal for this year is win the ASP WQS Tour and be on the ASP World Tour next year”.

In the second heat of the Round 96 of the Maresia Surf International, the only Hawaiian in the contest Dusty Payne, won his heat against Brazilians Alejo Muniz (4th), Beto Mariano (2nd) and the surfer from Puerto Rico Brian Toth (3rd).

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