The dream scenario for any professional surfer is to make it onto the ASP’s dream tour and win an event.  However for Jadson Andre that dream just burst into life and raised the bar, because Brazilian rookie surfer Andre just won the Billabong Pro Santa Catarina defeating x9 world champion and last year’s Santa Catarina winner Kelly Slater in the final.


After 6 days of intense competition the 45 top surfers competing at Imbituba, Santa Catarina were whittled down to 2.  Along the way ASP tour rookie Jadson Andre from Guaruja, Brazil defeated the Tahitian powerhouse Michel Bourez and American elite surfer Dane Reynolds on his path to come up against the legendary Kelly Slater.

Slater’s path wasn’t smooth either, having to take out South African Jordy Smith who always lingers in the tours top 5, and Aussie rookie Owen Wright who wowed the surf crowds last year when he finished 3rd at Ripcurl’s the Search in Peniche.  However when it came down to the wire, it was Andre who found the edge over Slater, winning with 14.40 points to Slater’s 14.00 points out of a possible 20.  Yep- it really was that close.


So what does Andre’s surprise win in Brazil do to the tour rankings?  After stop number 3, things are looking interesting.  Andre’s victory propels the goofy footer up to 4th place, equalling Mick Fanning’s points total for the year.  However, the big repercussion of the Brazilian competition is that after Slater becoming runner-up, Slater has now taken the lead in the rankings.... a very dangerous position for the other 44 surfers on tour, especially with Slater’s record of then going on to dominate the remainder of the season and claim title after title.  Can we hear the sound of a 10th world title in the pipeline for Slater?  We will all have to see how things unfold when the tour travels to South Africa and to the beautiful spot of Jeffreys Bay, where Billabong will hold its next competition for the ASP from 15th of July.

As things stand after the 3rd event, the top 10 is looking slightly different, Slater leads, but Jordy Smith isn’t that far behind him, and Taj Burrows who lead the rankings for the 1st 2 events of the year has now slipped to 3rd...


1. Kelly Slater (USA) - 21,730 points
2. Jordy Smith (AUS) - 18,500 points
3. Taj Burrow (AUS) - 18,250 points
4. Mick Fanning (AUS) - 15,500 points
5. Jadson Andre (BRA) - 15,500 points
6. Bobby Martinez (USA) - 14,750 points
7. Dane Reynolds (USA) - 14,750 points
8. Joel Parkinson (AUS) - 14,250 points
9. Adriano De Souza (BRA) - 14,250 points
10. Bede Durbidge (AUS) - 12,250 points

And where are the Europeans in this list, we hear you ask?  Well, they are keeping each other company at spot 20 in the rankings, after Pires finished 17th in the Santa Catatrina Pro, and Flores improved with a 9th place finish.  They are both hanging in there, but need a real boost to achieve a better result at Jeffreys Bay in July:


20- Tiago Pires (PRT) 7250 points
20- Jeremy Flores (FRA) 7250 points

Take a look at the final at Imbituba, and see for yourself just how close the showdown between Andre and Slater really was...

PLEASE NOTE: The below competition ended on May 14th. For information on the winner see this link

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To be in with a chance to win an incredible surf holiday for 4 to Fuerteventura please answer the below question

Required form 'SHComp' does not exist.

The prize includes:   

• 7 nights in the 4 star Corralejo Beach Hotel  in Fuerteventura!!!!!
  
• Return Airport Transfers
  
• 5 days of Surf Guiding/Surf Lessons
  
• Surf Board
  
• Wetsuit
  
• For 4 people

We collect you from the airport, drop you to your hotel and pick you up the next day and go surfing!!
If you are learning how to surf we will have you catching waves before you leave. If you are past the beginners stage and just need tips catching bigger waves, or if you're more intermediate/advanced then we will take you to where you need to go so you can surf the best waves on the Island!!!

Our holidays are self catering so what you want to do for the week is completely up to you; take a day off from the surf and explore the island, sleep late, surf late or surf early, and at the end of the day join us for a BBQ or hit the town yourselves - its your holiday so its up to you!!

We also have 20 x €100 discount vouchers as runner-up prizes which can be used on any of our holiday options on the website!

The competition ends at midnight May 13th. We will announce the winner on our website on May 14th.

The prize is valid for one year from May 14th 2010 to May 14th 2011. Usual holiday terms and conditions apply

Good luck - just make sure you get the answer right!!!!  

The winner will also be announced on our facebook page so join us if you havent already.

  
 

Gold Coast Pro? Tick.  Bells Beach Comp? Tick.  Next on the ASP’s dream world tour itinerary- BRAZIL!!!  It’s time for stop number 3 on the tour, and the Pro surfers are now gearing up for the only ASP world championship event in South America: The Billabong Pro Santa Catarina.

After 7 years of Hang Loose sponsoring the ASP Santa Catarina Pro held in and around Florianopolis, Brazil, there is now a change of scene.  Billabong has taken over the reigns, and has agreed to sponsor the event for the next 7 years.  Surf fans the world over should breathe a sigh of relief that the competition will continue, because the Brazilian leg of the tour is something quite special.

This year the Billabong Pro Santa Catarina Pro will see the top 45 surfers in the world compete at Imbituba, the town and beach break about 90 km south of the Santa Catarina’s capital city of Florianopolis.  The event starts today (23rd April) and continues  until 2nd May.  The contest sees the biggest cash prize offered in Brazilian surfing, a whopping US$400,000 in prizes to the winning surfers.  The ASP’s presence in South America helps to promote the sport and encourage the enormous number of surf fans who live in Brazil.




View Larger Map

For over 30 years Brazil has held surf competitions, and for the last 7 years Santa Catarina state has seen some of the best of the them.  The beach at Imbituba provides some of the most consistent swell along the coast.  Receiving direct swell from the Atlantic ocean, the beach break receives punchy lefts and rights that work in small conditions right the way through to big sets that turn into hollow rides.  Ideal for diverse and progressive surfing- just what the ASP’s new judging criteria is looking for.

Since the event's inception on the world tour in 2003, winners have included Damien Hobgood, Bede Durbidge, Mick Fanning, Taj Burrow and Kelly Slater.  It was Slater who won last year’s event, so now the attention will be on Slater as he comes from his first win of the season at Bells Beach.  However, Taj Burrows is leading the tour ratings and has been in great form recently. 

There is going to a lot of attention focused on this event to see who can take the lead in the world tour   Last year the superb Brazilian surfer Adriano de Souza came runner-up to Slater, de Souza is now sitting at equal 6th in the tour rankings with past event winner Bede Durbidge and world champion runner-up Joel Parkinson; no doubt- all of whom are hungry for the win. 



Watch the championship unfold online at http://www.aspworldtour.com/santacatarina/, and this time there is no excuse to miss any of the action as Santa Catarina is only -3hrs GMT.  So for those of us in Europe it wont require late nights or energy drinks to stay up and watch the competition as the Aussie contests did.

For a taster of last year’s final at the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro 2009, take a look at the clip of Kelly Slater and Adriano de Souza battling it out below:

Superman Kelly Slater wins the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach for the 4th time, and the unstoppable Stephenie Gilmore continues her domination claiming the women’s title.

Life on the ASP’s world tour is heating up as stop number 2 at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2010 is completed.  Kelly Slater pulled out some spectacular surfing to best Mick Fanning in the final, an achievement which is made even more impressive by the fact that Slater’s foot was broken. 

Slater sustained 2 hairline fractures in his right foot during a previous round, but this didn’t stop him for putting in two great rides in the final.  Slater’s combined score was 17.03 out of possible 20, besting Fanning’s total of 12.00.  The win for Slater sets new records, he has now won 42 ASP event and joins Mark Richards as having won the Bells Beach Pro 4 times.

For the women’s division, Stephanie Gilmore is still leading the pack.  She defeated Sofia Mulanovich 14.67 to 10.00, maintaining her world title lead over Mulanovich and Melanie Bartels.  Gilmore is performing very strongly at the moment, having not only now won the Bell’s competition 3 out of 4 attempts, but now has 2 out of 2 events for 2010 under her belt.  Is there a 4th world title waiting around the corner for this Australian surfer?

So how are things shaping up for the men after the 2 events?  Taj Burrow is still holding onto the top spot, but Slater is closing that gap; and what with Slater’s 10th world title a possibility, the stakes have definitely been raised.  Yet really the dream tour is wide open as any of the top 10 have a chance at winning events and really switching up the race for the title. 

1- Taj Burrow (AUS) 16500 points
2- Kelly Slater (USA) 13750 points
3- Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13250 points
4- Bobby Martinez (USA) 13000 points
5- Mick Fanning (AUS) 11750 points
6- Joel Parkinson (AUS) 10500 points
6- Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10500 points
6- Adriano De Souza (BRA) 10500 points
9- Dane Reynolds (USA) 8250 points
10- Fred Patacchia (HAW) 7500 points
10- Adrian Buchan (AUS) 7500 points

However, on the European front this year they are a bit thin on the ground.  Unfortunately Miky Picon (FRA), Tim Boal (FRA), Marlon Lipke (DEU) and Aritz Aranburu (EUK) didn’t requalify for the ASP world tour this year.  So our hopes turn to Ericeira's Tiago Pires and France’s Jeremy Flores to represent.

13- Tiago Pires (PRT) 5500
23- Jeremy Flores (FRA) 3500 points

Take a look at the best waves from the Slater vs. Fanning final that went down at Johanna Beach due to the conditions at Bells not being suitable.  Look out for Slater’s superman maneuver at 1min02, where he kicks an air so big that his feet leave the board for a second...

 

Southern California has some of the best weather in the world with its Mediterranean climate and moderate seasons.  One city in specific offers access to a wide variety of waves and that city is San Clemente.

                                 
San Clemente is about two hours south of Los Angeles and has access to premier surf breaks including Salt Creek, Lower Trestles, Upper Trestles, Cottons, and much more.  Most of these beaches are only a 15 minute drive away!  One of San Clemente’s prized possessions is its beautiful pier.  If it is your first time visiting here, we Strongly recommend surfing the Pier and then warming up your core afterwards with some clam chowder from Fisherman’s(located right at the entrance of the pier).                                                                               

 

If surfing is not your deal, no problem!  San Clemente offers many different activities including bodyboarding, skimboarding, paddleboarding, and an amazing beach trail that runs across nearly the entire coast of San Clemente!
 
But…if surfing is your thing, then chances are you will get some amazing south swell action, especially if you are here in the summer months.

 
San Clemente not only has premier surf breaks and a beautiful pier, it also has an island off its coasts.  Located only 26 miles out to sea is the beautiful island of Catalina.  If the surf is flat and you have time to burn, you can hop on a ferry the day of and be in beautiful Catalina island.

 

Catalina offers amazing reefs for snorkeling, glassbottom boating, camping and kayaking.
At the end of a wild, fun day in San Clemente, most people like to sit back and enjoy the sunset as it falls behind Catalina island. 

 

Guest blog from Mike at surfplug.net