Disabled List: Luke Stedman Injury Update

COOLANGATTA, Queensland (Wednesday, June 3, 2009) – The world’s best surfers, the gents of the ASP Top 45 and the ladies of the ASP Top 17, make their collective livings by pitting themselves against the elements. Forever pushing the boundaries of high-performance athleticism as well as risking life and limb in some of the most exotic locations on the planet, our surfers are not impervious to injury. Australian style master Luke Stedman, 32, had a banner year in 2008, finishing an impressive 11th on the prestigious ASP World Tour and looking poised to make a dent in 2009. In fact, since his return to the ASP Dream Tour in 2005, the Sydney-sider has improved each season (36th, 25th, 16th and 11th respectively), with a good chance of a Top 10 finish this year. However, a late season injury in Hawaii has put Stedman on the disabled list thus far in 2009, and only recently has the journeyman campaigner been making rehabilitation progress. ASP caught up with Stedman to get the scoop on what happened, how he’s coping and what lies ahead. This…is our story…

ASP International: Hey Luke, hope you’re well. Could you please provide us with a bit of background on how you were injured? When? Where? The specific diagnosis?

Luke Stedman: This injury has been a recurring one for me. It’s happened both times in Hawaii while surfing. This recent time I did it has been way more serious and painful, but I initially thought I could do a similar rehab to last time to get back to 100%. Unfortunately, I was wrong. After five weeks of pretty intensive physio and rehab, I got an MRI scan because I wasn’t healing and felt there was a more serious underlying problem. So I spoke with Dr. Warren Kramer (the surgeon that did Richie Lovett’s prosthetic leg). He assessed the injury and spoke with a colleague of his, Dr. Smith – an orthopedic surgeon, and both agreed that without going under the knife, the injury would never heal and keep breaking down like an old car. So my surgery was to treat a plantar plate disruption with the medial sesamoid proximally displaced. This is the bone under your foot that connects to your big toe.

ASP: What has the rehabilitation process been like? Where have you been recovering? Specific exercises? Current health level?

L.S.: I have only been able to start rehab last week because of the surgery. I have been in an air boot for the last two months, which is such a pain as I feel like I’m a Stormtrooper, but it keeps my foot fully protected. I saw Chris Prosser last week (ASP pyhsio) and he set me up with some exercises. My trainer Jan Carton has also set me up with a program. I have a million different exercises, but it’s not anything I’m not used to. I’m super rested and so amped to get back in the water. I really had to stop doing everything so I have all this energy now and just want to get back in the water ASAP. This has been, by far, the longest time I have ever spent out of the water.

ASP: When not rehabbing, how have you been spending your time?

L.S.: I’ve been watching so many movies – haha. I have to keep my foot elevated as much as possible and the boot just makes you not want to walk around. I have been eating heaps, but I still can’t put on weight – haha.

ASP: Have you been watching the events via web this season? What are your general impressions of the surfing, the rookies and the ASP World Title race thus far in 2009? What do you think of the new ASP format?

L.S.: To tell you the truth, I can’t watch the events. I get really frustrated that I’m not there and it gets me in a little bit of a bad mood. I had such a good year last season so I really wanted to build on that. I decided that while I’m out, I would really take a break from the tour and just work on getting myself back on track. I now feel really rested and super pumped. I know that when I come back I’ll be 100% and want to surf as well as I can again.

ASP: When do you expect to return to competition? Have you been surfing yet? How has it felt?

L.S.: I hope to be in the water in about three weeks. I can start to paddleboard hopefully in two weeks. I can’t wait to just ride a wave. I hope I can still do it – haha.

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Arnette All-Day Antics
Presented by Jack’s Surfboards

ASP Grade 3 Mens Pro Junior event
54th Street Newport Beach, California
6 – 7 June 2009

Nat Young Claims ASP Grade-3 Arnette Pro Junior

Newport Beach, Ca — Nat Young (Santa Cruz, CA), 17, won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) North America Pro Junior Series Grade-3 Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior presented by Jack’s Surfboards in two-to-three foot (1 metre) surf at 56th street in Newport Beach, California topping fellow finalists Keanu Asing (Ewa Beach, HI), 16, Cory Arrambide (Ventura, CA), 19, and Cody Thompson (Jacksonville, FL), 19.

All surfers competing on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series are battling for their spot at the ASP World Junior Championships held in Narrabeen, Australia each January. ASP North America will send the series’ top three finishers at year’s end to the coveted event, where each surfer earns the chance to claim the prestigious title of ASP World Junior Champion.

Young’s dominating performance in the Arnette All Day Antics explained why he is a threat in every ASP North America Pro Junior Series event. The humble goofy-footer annihilated his competition today and jumped out to an early lead in the Final, posting two average scores before smashing an 8.25 out of 10 on his last wave to solidify the win.

“The Final was kind of weird,” Young said. “There weren’t many good waves, so I just tried to stay busy and keep improving my scores and luckily on that last wave I got two good turns in and got a solid score.”

The Santa Cruz native’s lightning-quick forehand approach and impeccable wave ion on the racy lefthanders at 56th street played a critical role in his impressive showing. ”I think it definitely helps to be on your forehand out here on these lefts,” Young said. “It’s pretty fast, but in the end you’ve really just got to get the best waves out there. It’s whoever gets the best waves.”

The Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior victory by Young will play a critical role in his quest toward requalification for next year’s ASP World Junior Championships and will launch him towards the top of the 2009 ASP North America Pro Junior Series ratings.

“I’m stoked to win the Grade-3,” Young said. “This is my first win of the year and it’s especially good because of the extra points, so it’s important for this year.”

Asing quietly marched his way through to a second place finish, smashing the 56th street lefthanders on his backhand throughout the event in route to his standout performance. The explosive Hawaiian got off to a slow start in the Final, but worked his way back up the ladder to finish behind Young.

“I’m just really happy to make the Final,” Asing said. “It’s great to come over here and get some points. Congratulations to Nat (Young) and all of the other finalists, everyone was surfing well.”

Asing is hoping his second place finish will help his chances in representing Hawaii at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships next year. “It’s really cool to be able to earn points towards qualification for worlds,” Asing said. “I had fun here and I hope this helps my cause.”

Arrambide, who was the defending Arnette Pro Junior Series Champion, was off to a rough start to his 2009 season, but the defending ASP North America Pro Junior Series Champion was back to his usual domineering form en route to his third place result. The Ventura local smashed a seven-point-ride early on in the Final, but could not find another solid score to take out the win.

“I was definitely nervous coming in to this contest,” Arrambide said. “My first two contests were kind of shockers, but since then, I’ve been training harder than ever and I’m stoked to get on a role. I haven’t really had a good heat yet, I’ve just kind of been skimming through.”

Thompson’s Final berth was a notable result for the ASP North America Pro Junior standout, marking his first appearance amongst the final four surfers in three years. The talented Floridian’s fourth place finish at the Arnette Pro Junior helped him break out of his early season slump and Thompson was happy to capitalize on the additional ASP Grade-3 points on offer.

“This is the first Pro Junior Final I’ve made since I was 16,” Thompson said. “I’ve been in a slump, so I’m stoked to have made it here. I’ve had a really bad year. This is the first event that I’ve made it out of my seeded round, so to make it to the Final in this one, a Grade-3, it’s really important to me.”

The next ASP North America Pro Junior Series event will be the ASP Grade-4 Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure presented by Jack’s from June 28-29, 2009.

For all of the LIVE Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior action log on to arnetteprojunior.com. For additional ASP information check out .aspworldtour.com or .arnetteprojunior.com

Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior Final Results:
1 – Nat Young (USA) 14.25
2 – Keanu Asing (HAW) 13.05
3 – Cory Arrambide (USA) 10.60
4 – Cody Thompson (USA) 8.50

Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior Semifinals Results: (1st and 2nd advance)
SF 1: Keanu Asing (HAW) 13.75, Cory Arrambide (USA) 9.90, Luke Davis (USA) 9.45, Chase Wilson (USA) 7.25
SF 2: Nat Young (USA) 15.50, Cody Thompson (USA) 13.00, Andrew Doheny (USA)11.80, Fisher Heverly (USA) 8.00

Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior Quarterfinals Results: (1st and 2nd advance)
QF 1: Keanu Asing (HAW) 15.15, Luke Davis (USA) 13.35, Jeffrey Lukasik (USA) 11.35, Ian Crane (USA) 7.40
QF 2: Chase Wilson (USA) 11.50, Cory Arrambide (USA) 9.25, Evan Geiselman (USA) 7.95, Matt Meola (HAW) 7.35
QF 3: Nat Young (USA) 15.15, Cody Thompson (USA) 11.75, Mike McCabe (USA) 11.55, Granger Larsen (HAW) 10.35
QF 4: Fisher Heverly (USA) 9.90, Andrew Doheny (USA) 8.50, Quinn McCrystal (USA) 8.35, Tayler Brothers (USA) 6.15

Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior Round of 32 Results: (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Jeffrey Lukasik (USA) 11.25, Ian Crane (USA) 9.00, Brent Reilly (USA) 8.45, Evan Thompson (USA) 7.50
Heat 2: Keanu Asing (HAW) 17.00, Luke Davis (USA) 11.60, Oliver Kurtz (USA) 7.60, Adam Lambert (USA) 6.95
Heat 3: Evan Geiselman (USA) 16.00, Matt Meola (HAW) 11.75, Ford Archbold (USA) 11.50, Albee Layer (HAW) 10.50
Heat 4: Chase Wilson (USA) 15.00, Cory Arrambide (USA) 10.00, Evan Kane (HAW) 5.95, Balaram Stack (USA) 2.95
Heat 5: Nat Young (USA) 10.10, Mike McCabe (USA) 8.50, Dylan Goodale (HAW) 7.75, Matt Pagan (USA) 7.00
Heat 6: Granger Larsen (USA) 13.75, Cody Thompson (USA) 13.40, Michael Dunphy (USA) 10.35, Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 7: Quinn McCrystal (USA) 10.90, Andrew Doheny (USA) 10.35, Kyle Galtes (HAW) 9.25, Matt Costa (USA) 8.80
Heat 8: Fisher Heverly (USA) 10.35, Tayler Brothers (USA) 9.75, Taylor Thorne (USA) 5.60, Levi Gonzales (HAW) 4.00

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SriLankan Airlines Pro 2009 Maldives – SriLankan Airlines Pro underway at Pasta Point in the Maldives

The 2009 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) six star PRIME rated SriLankan Airlines Pro began at the famous Pasta Point in the Maldives today and the world’s finest surfers wasted no time acclimatising and ripping into the fun 1m (3ft) surf.

Hawaiian Casey Brown opened the event impressively scoring both the days highest heat win (15.66 out of a possible 20) along with the highest wave score of an 8.83 (out of a possible 10) on a ride which saw him complete a series of powered critical turns along with a perfectly executed air reverse.

“It’s always good to win through that round one heat, we’ve all travelled a long way to get here and you’d feel really down to lose out and be eliminated straight away so it’s a relief” said Brown.

“It’s such a fun event here, great free surfing waves in all directions and you just want to do well and enjoy the whole week.”

While today’s waves were not perfect there was plenty of scope for strong scores with the mechanical peeling point offering multiple sections for surfers to perform on.

Other heat winners to impress were former event champion Daniel Redman (South Africa), Portugal’s Ruben Gonzalez, Rudy Palboom (South Africa), Christophe Allary (Reunion) and Alejo Muniz (Brazil).

Australia’s Jack Perry summarized the feelings of most surfers here today after his strong heat win by saying, “ I always have a great time here, we’re competing in a really important event at the midpoint of the year but the atmosphere is just great, it’s like we’re all on holidays but a good result here means a lot to your ASP season so you have to remain focused.”

“The waves today were nothing like as good as it can get but still they were a lot of fun and you can really perform in these conditions – the outlook is solid and if it gets like last year then we’re surfing in amazingly perfect waves so fingers crossed!”

Strong afternoon winds saw event organizers finish the day early with just 8 heats completed and organizers will reconvene first thing tomorrow morning.

SriLankan Airlines Pro 2009 is made possible thanks to the following sponsors: SriLankan Airlines, John Keells Group, Chaaya Island – Dhonveli, Atoll Travel, Atoll Adventures, Ocean & Earth International, Dhiraagu, Maldives Tourism & Promotions Board, ASP Australasia.

ASP Australasia as the event managers will deliver a quality live Webcast along with Television News Feeds, complimentary Digital Images for newspapers and websites, Web highlight packages and a dedicated 30 minute international television program.

Follow this event live at http://www.srilankanairlinespro.com/