Leonardo Fioravanti Wins the 2014 Pantin Classic Galicia Pro

Caption: Your podium of the 2014 Men’s PAntin Classic Galicia Pro
Image: ASP/Lodin

Pantin Classic Galicia Pro
Association of Surfing Profressional (ASP) 3-Star Men’s Event 
Stop No. 3 of 5 on the 2014 ASP Europe Men Qualifying Series

Location:                   Playa de Pantin, Galicia, Spain
Holding period:        26 – 31 August 2014
Call:                            Event is COMPLETED
Conditions:               3-to-4-foot clean waves

PLAYA DE PANTIN, Galicia – Spain (Sunday, August 31, 2014) – Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 16, has won the ASP 3-Star Pantin Classic Galicia Pro in clean 3-to-4-foot surf over Marco Giorgi (URY) 26.

The young Italian surfer was on fire on this final day of competition, starting his road to the final with the only perfect 10 point ride awarded in Pantin, for a succession of huge under-the-lip turns on a solid lefthander.

“It feels unbelievable right now, it was such a good contest !” an ecstatic Fioravanti said. “I’m still 16, I’m surfing heats with absolutely no pressure on the QS and it seems to be working out. Today’s my mom’s birthday and I’m so stoked to give her that present, this is the best day of my life for sure.”

Just a short two weeks after his runner-up finish at the ASP 5-Star Soöruz Lacanau Pro, Fioravanti took a strong command of the final and never let go of the lead, ultimately winning the 2014 Pantin Classic Galicia Pro. With a firm grasp on the regional rankings, the reigning European Junior Champion will look to consolidate his position while disputing the upcoming two ASP Prime events in Portugal.

“My main goal right now is the World Juniors, I want to do good there,” Fioravanti continued. “I’m going to train hard and keep my confidence levels up and see how I can go there. But yeah going to another event right now in Azores with all that momentum I hope I can keep surfing like this and win a few more heats.”

In addition to the $8,000 prizemoney cheque, Fioravanti received a flight ticket to any of over 200 destinations worldwide, generously offered by Turkish Airlines, one of the main sponsors of the event. While Silvana Lima (BRA), winner of the ASP 6-Star women’s event stated Hawaii as her primary destination, Fioravanti said “I’ll have to think about it a little bit, but Indonesia seems like an obvious choice for me right now”.

Uruguay’s Marco Giorgi surpassed the all South-American side of the draw, eliminating consecutively Alex Ribeiro (BRA) in the quarters and Santiago Muniz in the semis. Coming off another runner-up finish in Arica, Chile in early August, Giorgi built momentum in Galicia.

“It feels great, I feel like I surfed well throughout the event,” Giorgi said. “The final didn’t happen for me but I’m still super happy, congrats to Leo he’s been surfing amazing and really impressed me. I’m thankful for all the support I received this week from people at home in Uruguay and Brazil as well where I have many friends.”

Santiago Muniz (ARG) 21, talented regular-footer and World No.27 Alejo Muniz’s brother, was in a combination situation up until the last moments of his semi-final. He then caught a good lefthander to score a 7.00 point ride and kept chasing an excellent score but eventually had to surrender to his opponent, placing equal third.

“I was up against my good friend Marco and he’s surfing so good,” Muniz stated. “I would have loved to make another final here, I did one a few years ago against Aritz, but this is a great result for me, I’m going to the Prime tomorrow and I’m bringing confidence in the bags.”

The fast powerful surfer hailing from Argentina and sitting in 64th position in the QS ranks before coming to Pantin, completed another successful Galician campaign, feeling right at home in the powerful surf of la Playa de Pantin.

“I was seventeen when I first came here, I love it here in Galicia,” Muniz continued. “I love the people, the food, it’s my language too, I just feel super comfortable competing here it’s perfect.”

Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 16, had his ticket for the final with minutes remaining on the clock when Fioravanti started to get busy in the lineup. Eventually the young Californian was left chasing a high-eight and placed equal third.

“It’s the furthest I’ve ever been in a QS so definitely a good result for me and also a great warm-up for the upcoming events,” Igarashi said. “I got into the primes in the mid-year re-seed so I’m going to go to Azores next week, to get a little bit of experience, have some fun and get a couple waves over there.”

Traveling with good friend and sparing partner Fioravanti, the Huntington beach local knew all too well his situation was fickle. Igarashi still collects in Europe a great result and will look to improve on his heat-strategy and priority use for the upcoming events.

“I made a bunch of bad decisions, going on small ones, and with 13.50 I knew Leo could have more with two waves,” Igarashi added. “When you make mistakes against such good surfers you’re going to pay the price. Leo’s my best friend, we’re staying together at all the events and we knew we could eventually surf against each other, it would only have been better if that was in the final !”

The Pantin Classic Galicia Pro is made possible with the support of the following event partners: A Banca, Turkish Airlines, El arbol es vida, Jeep, Xunta de Galicia, Diputación de A Coruña, Concello de Ferrol, Concello de Valdoviño, Gadis, Intermax, Concello de Cedeira, Coca-Cola, Lyoness, Enfios.com, Parque Ferrol and Burger King amongst others.

The 2014 Pantin Classic Galicia Pro is scheduled from August 26 – 31, 2014 in Playa de Pantin, Galicia. For all results, photos, video highlights, press releases and LIVE webcast, log on to www.aspworldtour.com. 

PANTIN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO MEN’S FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 14.16
2 – Marco Giorgi (URY) 6.30

PANTIN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO MEN’S SEMIFINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Marco Giorgi (URY) 15.57 def. Santiago Muniz (ARG) 10.33
SF 2: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 17.27 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 13.90

PANTIN CLASSIC GALICIA PRO MEN’S QUARTERFINALS RESULTS:
QF 1: Santiago Muniz (ARG) 14.00 def. Adrien Toyon (FRA) 10.06
QF 2: Marco Giorgi (URY) 16.50 def. Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 13.90
QF 3: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 17.17 def. Bino Lopes (BRA) 13.43
QF 4: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 13.77 def. Diego Mignot (FRA) 12.00