Ezekiel Lau (HAW) scoring one of the best waves of the day. Pic ASP/Hain
KERAMAS, Bali/Indonesia (Friday, October 12, 2012) – Today the 2012 Oakley ASP World Junior Championships Bali were treated to flawless 4 – 6 foot (1.5 – 2 meter) surf. The pumping conditions gave the surfers every opportunity to put their full bag of tricks on display. The day started with Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) claiming the event win and the ASP World Junior Title in the Women’s division followed by the Men’s Round 3. The field of 48 surfers has been culled to just 16 remaining, with the eventual event winner being crowned the 2012 ASP World Junior Champion.
Ezekiel Lau (HAW) put his tube riding skills and power carves to work today to defeat Deivid Silva (BRA) in Round 3. Lau finished equal 5th at this event last year and will have to get past Carlos Munoz (CRI) in the next Round to make the Quarterfinals again in 2012.
“That first set was so important,” Lau said. “It’s tempting to catch the medium size ones because they’re so perfect, but you have to wait for the big ones to get the scores. I was lucky to get that first one, it lined up perfectly. Surfing waves like this in a contest is incredible, I can’t believe it.”
Wade Carmichael (AUS) posted the day’s highest two-wave wave total, a 17.00 (out of a possible 20) for a series of viciously powerful carves and snaps. Carmichael eliminated Round 1′s top performer Peterson Crisanto (BRA), sending a warning shot to his fellow competitors
“I just wanted to go out there and get barrelled,” Carmichael said. “But that first wave came through and didn’t open up so I just rattled off a few turns down the line. I’m one of the event’s lowest seeds, but it doesn’t bother me who I surf against. You just have to go out there, catch the best waves and do your thing.”
Caue Wood (BRA) did the Brazilian contingent proud with an upset win over 2009 ASP World Junior Champion Maxime Huscenot (FRA). The pair battled back and forth in a tight heat that went Wood’s way, he will now face Cooper Chapman (AUS) when competition resumes in Round 4.
“The surf is perfect today,” Wood said. “I was a bit worried at the end because Maxime (Huscenot) is a great surfer and a former ASP World Junior Champion. I just tried to keep calm and focus on my surfing and I’m so happy to win that one.”
Jack Freestone (AUS) survived a scare in Heat 9, in the dying minutes he was trailing Brazilian surfer Geovane Ferreira (BRA). Freestone focused in on a wave, launched a series vertical turns, earning him the required score and a spot in Round 4 where he’ll face Arashi Kato (JPN).
“It feels good to get through that one,” Freestone said. “I fell off on a few and he fell off a few, so it was one of those funny heats. I needed a score at the end of the heat, but I wasn’t stressing. I’m not putting pressure on myself at this event, I’m just going to see what happens. Bali is a special place for me and I’d love to take this competition out again.”
Kalani David (HAW) and Luke Davis (USA) put on the most exciting heat of the day, that also ended up being the closest heat of the day with the surfers separated by 0.16. David, the second youngest surfer in the men’s draw ended up winning the heat thanks to his aerial antics.
“I jumped in the air when they read out the score,” David said. “Luke (Davis) is such a good surfer, I feel bad for him losing by only that much. I don’t know what I was thinking on that wave, I just there up a big air, and when I landed I just went for another one. I’m so stoked to win that one.”
Connor Coffin (USA) eliminated the last local Indonesian surfer Hairil Anwar (IND) this afternoon in a great battle. The two surfers had contrasting approaches to the heat, Coffin using power gouges and Anwar taking to the air, with Coffin taking the win.
“Oney (Hairil Anwar) is one of my favourite people in this event,” Coffin said. “He came up to me to talk about conditions and say good luck before the heat. That’s why I like him so much, he’s such a nice guy. I knew I’d have to get some good scores to beat him because he does these rad blow-tail turns and airs. This is my last year as a junior so I’m really enjoying my time at this event.”
Frederico Morais (PRT) went off in his Round 3 Heat win against Japanese surfer Kaito Ohashi (JPN) today. The conditions had changed since the morning, it was smaller and lower tide with some onshore winds, but he launched massive airs and turns and was one of the day’s most impressive surfers.
“We’ve been really lucky to have good waves at Keramas for the past two days,” Morais said. “I free-surfed around this time yesterday and it really help me get to know what to expect for my heat today. The surf is very different from the barrels this morning, but it’s still really good.”
After the last heat of the day surfers, event staff and spectators participated in a traditional surfing memorial paddle-out for the victims of the 2002 Bali Bombings to commemorate the 10 year anniversary.
A call will be made at 6:30am for a possible 7am start at Keramas for the Men’s Round 4. The Oakley ASP World Junior Championships Bali will run from October 6 – 17. For LIVE webcast, event videos and more check www.oakleyprojunior.com.
OAKLEY ASP WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S ROUND 3 RESULTS: HEAT 1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 14.50 def. Deivid Silva (BRA) 7.77 HEAT 2: Carlos Munoz (CRI) 13.50 def. Vicente Romero (ESP) 11.70 HEAT 3: Evan Thompson (USA) 10.60 def. Tanner Hendrickson (HAW) 7.10 HEAT 4: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 17.00 def. Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 13.10 HEAT 5: Caue Wood (BRA) 11.53 def. Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 10.10 HEAT 6: Cooper Chapman (AUS) 14.63 def. Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 13.76 HEAT 7: Andrew Doheny (USA) 16.26 def. Koa Smith (HAW) 8.47 HEAT 8: Keanu Asing (HAW) 14.17 def. Jack Robinson (AUS) 9.04 HEAT 9: Jack Freestone (AUS) 13.43 def. Geovane Ferreira (BRA) 10.00 HEAT 10: Arashi Kato (JPN) 9.27 def. Michael February (ZAF) 8.77 HEAT 11: Kalani David (HAW) 14.66 def. Luke Davis (USA) 14.50 HEAT 12: Connor Coffin (USA) 15.53 def. Hairil Anwar (IND) 13.94 HEAT 13: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.40 def. Matt Banting (AUS) 13.43 HEAT 14: Frederico Morais (PRT) 16.90 def. Kaito Ohashi (JPN) 7.43 HEAT 15: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 14.50 def. Hiroto Arai (JPN) 10.90 HEAT 16: Thomas Woods (AUS) 14.77 def. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.76
UPCOMING OAKLEY ASP WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS: HEAT 1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) vs. Carlos Munoz (CRI) HEAT 2: Evan Thompson (USA) vs. Wade Carmichael (AUS) HEAT 3: Caue Wood (BRA) vs. Cooper Chapman (AUS) HEAT 4: Andrew Doheny (USA) vs. Keanu Asing (HAW) HEAT 5: Jack Freestone (AUS) vs. Arashi Kato (JPN) HEAT 6: Kalani David (HAW) vs. Connor Coffin (USA) HEAT 7: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Frederico Morais (PRT) HEAT 8: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) vs. Thomas Woods (AUS)
