Berasaluce Leads Proceedings, Buondi Pro Junior Champions crowned Tomorrow
Damien Chaudoy
[Photo credit: Aquashot/aspeurope.com] Damien Chaudoy will be one of Berasaluce’s most dangerous opponents towards the ASP Grade-1 Buondi Pro Junior title tomorrow
CORDOAMA, Portugal (Tuesday, July 7, 2009) – The second day of the ASP Grade-1 Buondi Pro Junior saw intense action and major upsets take place in the consistent three foot (one meter) waves on offer at Cordoama beach, yesterday’s inform man Pierre-Valentin Laborde (Hossegor, FRA) and other favorite Jatyr Berasaluce (Sopelana, EUK) taking control of proceedings with excellent scores. Another sixteen heats of the Men’s division were completed while the Women got the chance to start off their Portuguese campaign and complete Round 1. With one day only remaining, both Men and Women Buondi Pro Junior champions will be crowned tomorrow.
Berasaluce, who has finished inside the ASP European Junior Top 5 the last couple of years, showed how fit and focused he was today, the Brazilian-Basque surfer posting the highest heat score of the event, an impressive 16.67 point tally out of a possible 20, including an 8.67 point ride en route to the Quarterfinals. Berasaluce, who has been flying the Basque flag in the Under-21 division for three years now, will be favorite when the final day kicks off, with outsiders Angelo Bonomelli (ITA) and Felipe Jervis Perreira (PRT) as well as solid competitor Rudy Marechal (FRA) coming up against him in Quarterfinal No. 3.
“I am pretty stoked I made it through today and with good surfing,” Berasaluce said. “I waited a lot yesterday and it was a long day but the waves were definitely better today with the tide coming in. As any other event I go to, I am here to win and I really hope I can grab that one tomorrow.”
Berasaluce’s most serious opponents Pierre-Valentin Laborde and current ASP European Junior No. 2 Joachim Guichard (Algarve, DEN), will both be ready to counter the Basque’s assaults, both men looking to get their 2009 regional title campaign on a good path before the next events. Guichard, who opened the year with a runner-up finish at the ASP Grade-2 Pro Junior event in Carcavelos last April, confirmed he was definitely one to count with in this year’s race for the title and the Danish national who lives in South Portugal will be looking to clinch his first ever career win tomorrow.
Pierre-Valentin Laborde was the other inform man of the day, the young French surfer showing his consistent surfing for the second consecutive day to post the second best heat score of the event, a promising 15.33 heat result out of a possible 20.
“Being interviewed a second day in a row is a pretty positive,” Laborde said. “The waves improved today despite the wind still blowing quite strong but I feel like I am surfing well and it gives good confidence before the finish. I am definitely looking for a big result tomorrow.”
Laborde’s fellow Rip Curl team rider and women’s defending champion Cannelle Bulard (REU) was in good form as well for her start on this year’s ASP European Women’s Junior tour and easily advanced through to the Quarterfinals to keep her dreams of a second consecutive crown in Algarve alive. Bulard’s potential to rise as a potential regional champion is yet to be confirmed but the 15-year-old Reunion Island born competitor will be more than ready to take a second consecutive chance tomorrow when she paddles for her Quarterfinal against Maud Lecar (FRA), Zoe Sheath (GBR) and Loiola Canales Bilbao (EUK).
Other favorites advancing today were Damien Chaudoy (REU), longtime regional title contender and possibly en route to his career best if the 19-year-old surfer manages to make it through to the final. With two Italian surfers making their way through the Quarterfinals as well as four Basque representative, France’s domination has not spoken yet in the first event of the summer and tomorrow finals could bring some surprises and upsets.
BUONDI PRO JUNIOR MEN’S QUARTERFINALS
Heat 1: Pierre-Valentin Laborde (FRA), Mario Azurza (EUK), Thomaz Peterson (PRT), Leonardo Fioraventi (ITA)
Heat 2: Joachim Guichard (DEN), Vasco Ribeiro (PRT), Borja Agote (EUK), Asier Makeda (EUK)
Heat 3: Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK), Angelo Bonomelli (ITA), Felipe Jervis Perreira (PRT), Rudy Marechal (FRA)
Heat 4: Frederico Morais (PRT), Damien Chaudoy (REU), Hugo Cornec (FRA), Pedro Pinto Sanz (PRT)
BUONDI PRO JUNIOR WOMEN’S QUARTERFINALS
Heat 1: Maria Abecasis (PRT), Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK), Anne Peres (FRA), Amaya Ruiz (EUK)
Heat 2: Garazi Sanchez (EUK), Marion Bouzigues (FRA), Alizee Arnaud (FRA) Joana Giansanti (FRA)
Heat 3: Joanne Defay (REU), Flavia Brana (ESP), Camille Davila (FRA), Lucia Martino (ESP)
Heat 4: Canelle Bulard (REU), Zoe Sheath (GBR), Maud Lecar (FRA), Loiola Canales Bilbao (EUK)
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