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Caption: Quincy Davis (USA) will be up first when the event recommences.
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Location: |
LES BOURDAINES, Seignosse, France |
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Holding period: |
20 – 24 August 2014 |
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Call: |
Next Call – 7.00 a.m. Thursday |
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Conditions: |
2Ft (0,6 metre) |
PLAGE DES BOURDAINES, Seignosse / France (Wednesday, August 20, 2014) – The ASP 6-Star Swatch Girls Pro France, Stop No. 2 of 3 on the European Women’s Qualifying Series, completed four rounds of competition on its opening day. The clean 2Ft (0.6 metre) A-Frames on offer in the morning turned to a bumpy lineup with strong onshore winds making wave selection a challenge.
Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 18, Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour rookie in 2014 and in search of precious ranking points to maintain her position next season, had a sensational start to her Swatch campaign.
“I felt really good going into that heat,” Weston-Webb said. “I kind of just relapsed in my mind like what I needed to do, just stay busy and I got lucky with the waves that came to me. I got two pretty long rights, and it worked in my advantage.”
In a difficult position on the WCT and just on the bubble for re-qualifying via the QS, Weston-Webb will need to net two strong results in Europe, a region she particularly appreciates and feels comfortable competing in.
“I love the European leg, I’m obsessed with France and I really want to speak French so hopefully I’ll learn a little bit while I’m here,” she added. “Can’t wait for Pantin as well cause I did well there last year so yeah I’m excited.”
Mahina Maeda (HAW) 16, QS campaigner currently ranked No.50 and excellent junior competitor, posted one of the day’s highest performance with two great waves to collect an impressive 15.50. The young Hawaiian perfectly exploited the little A-Frame peaks on offer.
“I honestly feel amazing, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs traveling, so to come here and have a great start I feel really really happy and accomplished,” Maeda said. “It’s hard to surf those waves coming from Hawaii, and especially cause we don’t have that many beachbreaks, so it’s a big challenge. I ended up getting a win in Virginia beach, and it’s a lot like here so it gives me a bit of confidence.”
Swatch ProTeam rider Coco Ho (HAW) 23, advanced into the fifth round with two strong performances in the complicated conditions. A dynamic surfer in the small surf, Ho managed to read the ocean and find the waves she needed to outscore her opponents.
“It’s a tough day of competition, the waves are hard to find and if you need a score, which is the worst position it’s so hard to know where to go to get them,” Ho explained. “You just got to keep trying and hope time’s on your side, that’s how I got lucky.”
Hailing from the tropical paradise of Hawaii, Ho admitted to having a particular bond with the French event, although she is yet to attain the final rounds of competition in Seignosse.
“It’s amazing to be a Swatch girl at this event, they blow everyone out of the water when it comes to putting on a girl’s event,” Ho continued. “And then next month we have Lowers, it’s amazing. The three events that were added to the tour this year are probably three of my favorite waves in the world so I’m stoked. I always enjoy France too, the jetlag is never easy the first couple of days, but I really enjoy it.”
Johanne Defay (FRA) 20, defending Junior event champion and runner-up of the 6-Star last year, surfed a solid heat to easily advance into the fourth round. Not affected by the pressure on her shoulders, Defay managed to perform in the waist-high surf and displayed her usual powerful approach.
“It’s great to get through, especially in difficult conditions that first heat is always a little stressing,” Defay commented. “Sure a lot of people like to remind me of my result last year, but I try not to think too much about this. The WCT this year is my main concern I want to do really well, so I’m more relaxed in the other events.”
With two solid fifth place results in Fiji and the US Open, Defay sits in 10th position before the next event in France. Halfway through her rookie season amongst the Top17, she starts to make good use of the knowledge she has been gaining on tour.
“Even if it doesn’t show much right now, I definitely feel like I have a way more professional approach,” Defay added. “It’s all those little details in my everyday preparation, I learned a lot. I feel more comfortable on tour and can concentrate more on myself and my surfing.”
Unfortunately for the young French surfer, she was not able to find decent scoring opportunities in her next heat, defeated by an in-form Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) and placing 13th.
Surfers and event officials will reconvene on Thursday at 7am to decide of the day’s schedule of competition.
The SWATCH GIRLS PRO FRANCE and Pro Junior are made possible with the support of the following event partners: Swatch, ASP, Fédération Francaise de Surf, Région Aquitaine, Landes Côte Sud, Hossegor, Seignosse, Adrenaline by l’Equipe, Sosh, NRJ, Unbottle Yourself, Smith Optics, Skullcandy, EQ and Malongo amongst others.
The ASP 6-Star Swatch Girls Pro France and 2-Star Pro Junior is scheduled from August 20-20, 2014 in Seignosse/Hossegor, France. For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.swatchgirlspro.com.
REMAINING SWATCH GIRLS PRO FRANCE ROUND OF 24 MATCHUPS:
Heat 4: Lee Ann Curren (FRA), Stephanie Single (AUS), Quincy Davis (USA), Mahina Maeda (HAW)
Heat 5: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), Silvana Lima (BRA), Anali Gomez (PER), Chelsea Tuach (BRB)
Heat 6: Holly-Sue Coffey (AUS), Alizé Arnaud (FRA), Paige Hareb (NZL), Coco Ho (HAW)
SWATCH GIRLS PRO FRANCE ROUND OF 24 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 13.25, Keely Andrew (AUS) 9.40, Johanne Defay (FRA) 9.20, Nao Omura (JPN) 7.00
Heat 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 12.00, Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) 10.80, Brianna Cope (HAW) 8.35, Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 7.55
Heat 3: Pauline Ado (FRA) 10.00, Laura Enever (AUS) 8.90, Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 7.45, Tanika Hoffman (ZAF) 6.20
SWATCH GIRLS PRO FRANCE ROUND OF 48 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 13.10, Brianna Cope (HAW) 11.45, Meah Collins (USA) 8.25, Bailey Nagy (HAW) 8.15
Heat 2: Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 14.80, Ellie-Jean Coffey (AUS) 11.15, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 9.95, Brittani Nicholl (AUS) 9.60
Heat 3: Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 15.75, Keely Andrew (AUS) 12.55, Mikaela Greene (AUS) 8.90, Ana Morau (FRA) 6.00
Heat 4: Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 11.85, Nao Omura (JPN) 11.80, Nage Melamed (HAW) 11.45, Kim Veteau (GLP) 9.75
Heat 5: Laura Enever (AUS) 13.50, Lee Ann Curren (FRA) 8.60, Isabella Nicholls (AUS) 8.15, Ella Williams (NZL) 7.55
Heat 6: Pauline Ado (FRA) 11.45, Stephanie Single (AUS) 9.50, Maud Le Car (FRA) 9.00, Frankie Harrer (USA) 8.40
Heat 7: Quincy Davis (USA) 11.30, Tanika Hoffman (ZAF) 9.35, Justine Dupont (FRA) 8.85, Sage Erickson (USA) 7.30
Heat 8: Mahina Maeda (HAW) 11.00, Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 8.50, Carina Duarte (PRT) 5.10, Rina Katazawa (JPN) 3.60
Heat 9: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 9.80, Holly-Sue Coffey (AUS) 9.05, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 8.40, Lucia Martiño (ESP) 7.10
Heat 10: Silvana Lima (BRA) 13.15, Alizé Arnaud (FRA) 11.50, Sophia Bernard (AUS) 5.40, Marie Dejean (FRA) 4.30
Heat 11: Paige Hareb (NZL) 8.00, Anali Gomez (PER) 7.10, Georgia Fish (AUS) 5.95, Crystal Vail (AUS) 5.00
Heat 12: Coco Ho (HAW) 11.15, Chelsea Tuach (BRB) 9.25, Laura Poncini (AUS) 8.90, Marion Bouzigues (FRA) 7.05
SWATCH GIRLS PRO FRANCE ROUND OF 72 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Meah Collins (USA) 10.00, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 9.70, Tessa Thyssen (GLP) 8.80, Dominic Barona (ECU) 7.70
Heat 2: Brittani Nicholl (AUS) 12.25, Bailey Nagy (HAW) 7.75, Joanne Dennison (GBR) 3.60
Heat 3: Mikaela Greene (AUS) 12.30, Nage Melamed (HAW) 10.95, Codie Klein (AUS) 10.15, Keshia Seelow-Eyre (PRT) 7.35
Heat 4: Nao Omura (JPN) 10.75, Ana Morau (FRA) 7.00, Reika Noro (JPN) 7.00, Jessica Anderson (CHL) 3.95
Heat 5: Isabella Nicholls (AUS) 11.65, Frankie Harrer (USA) 11.10, Garazi Sanchez-Ortun (EUK) 8.45, Yolanda Aneiros (ESP) 2.00
Heat 6: Stephanie Single (AUS) 10.00, Lee Ann Curren (FRA) 6.50, Carol Henrique (PRT) 4.10, Ophélie Couchot (FRA) 1.35
Heat 7: Quincy Davis (USA) 12.25, Rina Katazawa (JPN) 7.65, Anat Lelior (ISR) 7.25, Anne-Cécile Le Tallec (FRA) 2.85
Heat 8: Mahina Maeda (HAW) 15.50, Tanika Hoffman (ZAF) 7.30, Natsuki Suda (JPN) 6.00, Demi Boelsterli (USA) 3.75
Heat 9: Holly-Sue Coffey (AUS) 13.25, Marie Dejean (FRA) 12.30, Laura Macaulay (AUS) 11.35, Sarah Beardmore (GBR) 4.60
Heat 10: Sophia Bernard (AUS) 12.65, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 12.65, Ainara Aymat (EUK) 7.90, Minami Takechi (JPN) 6.15
Heat 11: Anali Gomez (PER) 12.25, Laura Poncini (AUS) 9.90, Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) 8.00, Kloee Openshaw (USA) 3.15
Heat 12: Marion Bouzigues (FRA) 6.30, Crystal Vail (AUS) 4.95, Teal Hogg (ZAF) 4.55
SWATCH GIRLS PRO FRANCE ROUND OF 84 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Tessa Thyssen (GLP) 10.50, Joanne Dennison (GBR) 3.45, Matisse Patterson (DEU) 3.00, Mahe Javegny (REU) 2.50
Heat 2: Nage Melamed (HAW) 10.50, Ana Morau (FRA) 6.50, Jasmine De Beer (BEL) 2.35
Heat 3: Yolanda Aneiros (ESP) 6.50, Ophélie Couchot (FRA) 4.15, Alice-Mélissa Lemoigne (REU) 3.40
Heat 4: Anat Lelior (ISR) 7.55, Tanika Hoffman (ZAF) 6.75, Lisa Girardet (REU) 5.65, Caroline Perret (FRA) 2.20
Heat 5: Sarah Beardmore (GBR) 9.00, Ainara Aymat (EUK) 8.00, Camilla Kemp (PRT) 4.65
Heat 6: Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) 10.25, Teal Hogg (ZAF) 3.05, Camille-Elena Lavocat (GLP) 2.90
