ITAUNA BEACH, Saquarema/Brazil (Friday, May 18, 2012) – For the fourth consecutive year Itauna beach in Saquarema city will play host to the Coca Cola presents Quiksilver Saquarema Prime 2012 from May 22nd -27th. Located 100 Km north of Rio de Janeiro, the wave at Itauna is considered by many to be Brazil?s best.
Categorized as a Prime event by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the Quiksilver Saquarema Prime is in an elite category reserved for events of traditional value or those held at world-class breaks.
With a $US 250,000 prize money purse to be divided among the field, each of the 96 competing surfers will be vying for the 1st place trophy, US$ 40,000 and 6,500 points towards the ASP World Ranking.
Scheduled immediately after the ASP World Championship Tour stop in Brazil, several WCT surfers will remain in Brazil to do battle for important points in the hopes of increasing their ranking. WCT surfers competing in the event include Brett Simpson, C.J. Hobgood, Patrick Gudauskas, Kolohe Andino, Matt Wilkinson, Adam Melling, Yadin Nicol, Travis Logie, Tiago Pires and defending champion Kai Otton.
Also on hand will be a strong contingent of Brazilian natives including Alejo Muniz, Willian Cardoso (winner in 2010), Gabriel Medina, Miguel Pupo and local Raoni Monteiro who finished runner up last year.
?It was close. I?ve made the final with Kai Otton but couldn?t win. Hope that this year can reach the final again. It will be awesome to be the Champ at Saquarema?, Monteiro said.
Saquarema will be Prime event number 4 of 9 on the 2012 season.The 1st was held in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil with Miguel Pupo taking top honors. John John Florence secured the win at the 2nd in Margaret River, Australia. And Trestles, California hosted the 3rd Prime event seeing another Brazilian, Gabriel Medina, on top of the podium.
“Itīs a great for everyone involved to be able to generate this event for a fourth consecutive year,” Said Event Organizer Sergio Lindermann. “This competition is becoming one of the most important on the Tour. Saquarema has a strong link with surfing, famous for world-class waves and has generated several talented surfers. Itīs certain to score good waves with high level of surfing. We?re very happy to have Quiksilver involved, since last year they presented theB razil Open of Surfing at Arpoador (RJ) and now they will sponsor the Prime at Saquarema.”
The Coca Cola presents Quiksilver Saquarema Prime 2012 is sponsored by Coca Cola and Quiksilver, supported by Rio de Janeiro State Government, City of Saquarema, CCR Via Lagos, 900 Graus Surf Shop, Saquarema Association of Surfing and Rio de Janeiro State Surfing Federation. Official Media Partners: ESPN Brazil TV channel, Waves website and Fluir Magazine.
