ZARAUTZ, Basque Country (Sunday, September 14, 2008) - Tim Boal
(Anglet, FRA), 25, won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)
World Qualifying Series (WQS) 5-Star Rip Curl Pro Zarautz today,
claiming valuable 2000 ratings' points after defeating Joan Duru
(Hossegor, FRA), 19, in clean two to three foot (0.5 to 1 meter) waves
in an unprecedent 100% French final. Boal goes from No. 5 to No. 3 on
the ASP WQS international ratings and will enjoy a well-deserved break.
Boal, who dominated the final day with great tactics and committed
surfing posting an excellent 16.34 point heat tally (out of a possible
20) to win, left no time to take a commanding lead in the last battle
of the event, and left Duru in need of a combination of waves to catch
up as ten minutes were remaining.
"I am so stoked to finally get a big win," Boal said. "I was able to
get the waves and surf them well and it is great to getting the feeling
right. That win is the icing on the cake. I made the final in
California at the US Open of Surfing but failed to win it and it was a
big frustration for me. I fell on lots of waves there and I just wanted
to make a good final here to put that loss in California behind me."
Boal, who reached the Man-on-man finals of every event this summer
including a 5th place in the ASP WQS 6-Star Prime Rip Curl Pro
Hossegor/Seignosse, sealed his European leg with a win giving him an
overall ratings' total of 11888 points which virtually secures his spot
for next year's ASP Top 45, the elite contingent competing on the ASP
World Tour.
"It is a long road to the end but this summer leg has been good to me
and I hope it stays like that," Boal said. "The Basque Country is my
favorite place in the world and I want to thank everyone for being
here, my father and friends. So stoked."
At nineteen years of age, Duru confirmed his status of most promising
French surfer of the moment by getting a runner-up finish in the event,
his best result to date. Duru, a former ASP European Junior champion,
did not surf the better waves during the final clash and was
disappointed leaving the water.
"I am happy with that finish but there was not enough waves during the
final and I did not surf my best," Duru said. "To get a second in a
5-Star event is great and it is another step on the WQS."
Duru, who has had a consistent first year on the WQS with several big
results including a 5th in the US Open of Surfing and a 9th in the Rip
Curl Pro Hossegor/Seignosse, secured 1750 points and remains a favorite
within the rising European contingent.
"I am having a good time and a few results so far so I am definitely
focused on qualifying," Duru said. "The few big results I got gave me
confidence and I defeated some of the best surfers so I hope I am on
the right path."
Current ASP World Tour member and defending champion Aritz Aranburu
(Zarautz, EUK) failed to reach a second consecutive final at his home
break despite the massive support from the Basque crowd. Aranburu, who
suffered a serious knee injury at the beginning of the year that kept
him away from competition for three months, still showed he was back in
a promising form and will surf in the next ASP World Tour event in
France confidently.
"I was not supposed to be here so I am stoked to make it to the semis
at home," Aranburu said. "I was really hoping for a second consecutive
title but I will take that 3rd, which is pretty good in a 5-Star event.
I am stoked for Tim (Boal), Joan (Duru) and Michel (Bourez), we all had
a good time and to all make the semis is great."
Aranburu, who clinches his best result of the year, left the water
cheered by all Basque fans and is looking forward to seeing his home
event grow. "The event has been growing fast and well and we have had good waves,"
Aranburu said. "It pleases me a lot to see that Zarautz can become an
important stop on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS). I am stoked
with the week and I feel very well. My injury is definitely behind now."
For the first time ever in a major ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS)
event, four Europeans met in the Semifinals, making history with two
solid battles that saw Boal and Duru take the best out of the clean
conditions.
Michel Bourez (Tahiti, PYF), 22, placed 3rd in the Rip Curl Pro Zarautz
losing to Boal in a high performance battle. Bourez, who secured a
second excellent result after his runner-up finish in Pantin, came up
with the same powerful and progressive surfing he showed all week but
was disappointed with his tactics.
"I was not patient enough and I thought the set waves would not make
any difference," Bourez said. "I got lots of waves but Tim (Boal) chose
the better ones. I knew it could turn this way if I had to surf against
him because he has been smart in all his heats today. I should have
been more relaxed."
Bourez seals the European leg with excellent results and will is back
on track for a possible 2009 ASP World Tour qualification. The Tahitian
charger will be a serious contender in the upcoming reefbreaks in
Lanzarote in October.
"To get two big results in a row is what I needed to keep any
qualification hope alive," Bourez said. "I would have preferred to win
this one but it is a great confidence boost and the upcoming locations
in Lanzarote and Hawaii usually suit my surfing well."
Bourez will attend the next ASP World Tour event taking place in France
as a wildcard, an event where he defeated 8X ASP World Champion and
ratings' leader Kelly Slater (USA) a year ago.
Quarterfinalists had delivered the first pulses of action earlier in
the day and Glenn Hall (IRE) and Luke Dorrington (AUS) came close to
advancing but had to accept an equal 5th before leaving Europe for a
3-week break. Hall, who jumps to second on the ASP WQS European Series
ratings', keeps rising for his first year competing under the Irish
flag.
The ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) competitors will be back to
business in October with another leg of major events both Europe and
Brazil to try and secure precious points before the Hawaiian showdown.
RESULTS
FINAL
1- Tim Boal (FRA) 16.34 pts
2 - Joan Duru (FRA) 10.87 pts
SEMIFINALS
Heat 1: Tim Boal (FRA) 15.17 pts Def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.66 pts
Heat 2: Joan Duru (FRA) 15.33 pts Def. Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 12.60 pts
QUARTERFINALS
Heat 1: Tim Boal (FRA) 15.33 pts Def. Glenn Hall (IRE) 15.24 pts
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.26 pts Def. Blake Thornton (AUS) 11.83 pts
Heat 3: Joan Duru (FRA) 14.17 pts Def. Luke Dorrington (AUS) 12.00 pts
Heat 4: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) Vs Blake Wilson (AUS)
ROUND 5 RESULTS
Heat 1: Glenn Hall (IRE) 13.00 pts Def. Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 11.27 pts
Heat 2: Tim Boal (FRA) 16.00 pts Def. Andre Silva (BRA) 10.74 pts
Heat 3: Michel Bourez (PYF) 16.60 pts Def. Leonardo Neves (BRA) 16.17 pts
Heat 4: Blake Thornton (AUS) 12.50 pts Def. Nathan Hedge (AUS) 7.33 pts
Heat 5: Luke Dorrington (AUS) 14.93 pts Def. Gabe Kling (USA) 12.87 pts
Heat 6: Joan Duru (FRA) 14.17 pts Def. Patrick Beven (FRA) 7.10 pts
Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 11.16 pts Def. Pablo Gutierrez (ESP) 9.67 pts
Heat 8: Blake Wilson (AUS) 15.50 pts Def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.00 pts
