10/06/2008
The Ocean & Earth Pro, an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-Star event, officially started today but uncontestable two foot (0.5 meter) waves forced organizers to call the day off and have the 96-men field of competitors come back tomorrow at 9 AM.
The perfect barrels that have blessed the past three editions are expected to break again this week and give some of the world's best qualifiers another exciting experience in the crystal clear waters of El Confital, the famous righthander that has witnessed world class action for many years now. ASP Top 45 members Aritz Aranburu (EUK), Daniel Ross (AUS) and Jay Thompson (AUS) will be among those battling for the prestigious crown and will start in Round 1 after losing their seeding due to late entries.
Nic Muscroft (AUS), defending champion and top WQS contender who has surfed all ASP World Tour events this year thanks to a replacement wildcard, will be the number one seed in the Ocean & Earth Pro and will have to face some serious resistance from a large field of local experts who could possibly create big upsets when El Confital starts firing its classic barrels. Multiple Canarian champion and event wildcard Felix Ortega (CNY) will be against Muscroft when Round 2 resumes more likely Thursday when the new swell starts hitting the north shore of Gran Canaria.
The Ocean & Earth Pro will be crucial for both international and European WQS ratings with no less than 1500 points going to the winner. Current Top 10 European surfers Hugo Savalli (REU), Romain Laulhe (FRA) and Glenn Hall (IRE) will be among those looking to secure a big result and keep their regional campaign going as all three of them have the opportunity to jump back on top of ratings if they win at El Confital.
Officials will meet at 9 AM tomorrow morning to assess conditions and make a new call. The event is webcast LIVE from Round 1 through to the final on www.aspeurope.com
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