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Oxbow World Longboard Championships - Mexico To Showcase Best
Author: ASP World Tour
The 48-man field is made up of five previous world champions, with a sixth filling one of the alternate positions should a contestant withdraw. The top 14 rated surfers from 2001, plus four (4) wildcards secured their spots early, while 30 remaining places were selected from the qualifying Orange Biarritz Surf Festival, in France last month.
Organizers will have the option of two great surf breaks, Zippers and La Rocca, at San Jose del Cabo. The beautiful beaches and relaxed Mexican way of life are sure to complement the Oxbow championships perfectly.
Defending two-time (1999 & 2001) Oxbow world longboard champion Colin McPhillips leads the North American charge, with eight fellow countrymen heading south of the border. The Californians are only a two-hour flight away and most have journeyed there regularly for valuable practice sessions.
“I’m feeling good,” stated McPhillips, from his home in San Clemente, California. “I've been really excited the whole year on defending my title, but especially now. I’ve been surfing Cabo since I was a kid, so I feel really comfortable there.
“The standard of surf is great,” he added, of Cabo. “Kind of softer point break waves that are set up perfect for longboard surfing. I think we can expect a very high level of surfing. The waves are suitable for all styles. Progressive or retro surfing styles will be showing their best due to the waves offering good conditions for either style. I’m expecting to see the best surfing of the year.”
Australia will be represented in strength with 10 participants, including Jye Byrnes and 2000 World Champion Beau Young among the top seeds.
Eight Hawaiians, accounting for five consecutive world titles between 1993 and 1997, will be in Cabo. 1996 winner Bonga Perkins (Haw), who won the Orange Biarritz Surf Festival, appears in fine form. Three-time (1993-95) champ Rusty Keaulana was granted an event wildcard, and 1997 winner Dino Miranda is currently an alternate.
Three-time world title (1991, ’95 & ’96) runner-up Alex Salazar (Brz) will also be present, having finished 2001 rated fifth. The Brazilian leads a strong contingent of 10 South American contestants.
Frenchman Jonathan Larcher, who reached the quarterfinals last year, will lead the European contingent, joined by three Englishman and an Italian.
South Africa will be fielding three representatives, including last years’ runner-up Jason Ribbink. He’ll be one to watch if the expected bigger swells arrive on cue, following his showing at Jeffreys Bay in 2001.
David Kinoshita is Japan’s top representative, with Yoshinori Matsuyama also making the cut. Host nation Mexico has Angel Salinas filling another wildcard position.
The Oxbow World Longboard Championships boasts a 10-day waiting period from August 22-31, allowing organizers to select prime conditions. Only 33 hours of competition are required to determine the 2002 champion.
An opening ceremony will take place at the Los Cabos Presidente Inter-Continental Hotel next Wednesday, August 21st, with daily releases following from then until the tournament concludes.
Official seeding order for the Oxbow World Longboard Championships:
1. Colin McPhillips (USA)
2. Bonga Perkins (Haw)
3. Beau Young (Aus)
4. Jason Ribbink (SAfr)
5. Jye Byrnes (Aus)
6. Duane DeSoto (Haw)
7. Alex Salazar (Brz)
8. Jonathan Larcher (Fra)
9. Sebastein Wilson (Aus)
10. Josh Constable (Aus)
11. Amaro Matos (Brz)
12. Kekoa Uemura (Haw)
13. Mathew Moir (SAfr)
14. Marcelo Freitas (Brz)
15. Ian Bell (Aus)
16. Lucas Proudfoot (Aus)
17. Olimpio Batista (Brz)
18. Josh Baxter (USA)
19. Darren Ledingham (USA)
20. Zack Howard (USA)
21. Michael Grendon (SAfr)
22. Augusto Saldanha (Brz)
23. David Kinoshita (Jpn)
24. Chris Vandervoort (Haw)
25. David Simons (Aus)
26. Jamie Viudes (Brz)
27. Danilo Rodrigo (Brz)
28. Yoshinori Matsuyama (Jpn)
29. Jeremias da Silva (Brz)
30. Grant Thomas (Aus)
31. Devon Howard (USA)
32. Kevin Connelly (USA)
33. Phil Rajzman (Brz)
34. Paulo Kid (Brz)
35. Taylor Jensen (USA)
36. Dane Wilson (Aus)
37. Thibaut Dussarat (Fra)
38. Alex Knost (USA)
39. Kane McLeod (Aus)
40. Romain Maurin (Fra)
41. Elliot Dudley (GB)
42. Keegan Edwards (Haw)
43. Rusty Keaulana (Haw)
44. John Lee Ryan (GB)
45. Andrew Logreco (USA)
46. Sam Bleakley (GB)
47. Angel Salinas (Mex)
48. Leo Ranzoni (Italy)
Alternates for the OWLC
Dino Miranda (Haw)
Eduardo Bage (Brz)
Noah Shimabukuro (Haw)
Further information:
Jesse Faen
Media Director, ASP Int’l
jesse@aspworldtour.com
www.aspworldtour.com
Mobile (on-site): +61-(0)-407-189-289
ASP Int’l office (Aus): 617-5599-1550
Oxbow
Tel: +33 (0) 6.07.26.28.92
Email: francoise.d@oxbow.fr
Website: www.oxboweb.com
Digital images will be available free of charge from Pierre Tostee/ASP: tostee@aspworldtour.com