Vans Pier Classic Recap
Posted 03/26/2007 04:30:00 by i am vans
Vans Pier Classic finalist Micah Byrne (Huntington Beach, CA) scored a sensational win over fellow local Michael Hoisington (Huntington Beach, CA), prodigious junior Eric Geiselman (New Smyrna Beach, FL) and Federico Pilurzu (Tamarindo, CRI) to claim the 2007 Vans Pier Classic presented by Jack's Surfboards Title. The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) North America World Qualifying Series (WQS) 2-Star event culminated a week's worth of action Saturday that saw the men, women and junior men all lift their respective games as they charged towards the winner's dais.
Byrne, who was also moonlighting as the official webcast commentator for the Vans Pier Classic, opened the final up solid at his home break blasting away at the shifty afternoon peaks. The progressive natural-footer locked in an excellent 8.25 followed by a 5.75 to jump out to an early lead which he held onto claiming his first ASP WQS victory.
"It was a long week," Byrne said. "I'm so stoked right now - I'm really pumped. I opened up with a pretty good left. I got lucky and it had a really nice section to throw down on for an 8.25. I thought for sure that Hoisington and Pilurzu were going to get the scores they needed. Fortunately the waves went kind of bunk and I didn't need to get another solid score."
Travis Beckmann (Vero Beach, FL), who finished runner-up at the Billabong Sebastian Inlet Pro Junior earlier this month, has taken over the ratings lead from Tommy Bursian (San Juan, PRI) in the 2007 ASP North America Pro Junior Series with his 3rd-place finish in the Ezekiel Pro Junior.
"I’m psyching - what an incredible way to start the year - two events and two finals," Beckmann said. "I've never been so consistent in my entire life. The ASP World Junior Championships are a guarantee - I definitely want to get there. I’ve never been to Australia and to get there on my own merit would be amazing. The next Pro Junior is in Cocoa Beach, which is another stomping ground of mine so I'm hoping for another big result."
Ornella Pellizari (Mar de Plata, ARG) caused a sensational upset in defeating in-form Americans Courtney Conlogue (Santa Ana, CA), Sage Erickson (Oxnard, CA) and Christa Alves (Cocoa Beach, FL) to claim the Vans Women’s Pier Classic title. Surfing without a sponsor, the 19-year old smashed the tricky afternoon righthanders to victory in her maiden ASP WQS event.
The next event on the 2007 ASP North America Tour will be the Lost Easter Pro Junior (ASP Grade- 1) at Cocoa Beach from Apr. 6-8, 2007. Following that will be the Body Glove Surfbout at Lowers (ASP WQS 4-Star) from April 24-28, 2007 featuring the Oakley Pro Junior (ASP Grade-2).
For more information and the complete recap, log onto http://www.aspnorthamerica.org or http://www.aspworldtour.com.
Byrne, who was also moonlighting as the official webcast commentator for the Vans Pier Classic, opened the final up solid at his home break blasting away at the shifty afternoon peaks. The progressive natural-footer locked in an excellent 8.25 followed by a 5.75 to jump out to an early lead which he held onto claiming his first ASP WQS victory.
"It was a long week," Byrne said. "I'm so stoked right now - I'm really pumped. I opened up with a pretty good left. I got lucky and it had a really nice section to throw down on for an 8.25. I thought for sure that Hoisington and Pilurzu were going to get the scores they needed. Fortunately the waves went kind of bunk and I didn't need to get another solid score."
Travis Beckmann (Vero Beach, FL), who finished runner-up at the Billabong Sebastian Inlet Pro Junior earlier this month, has taken over the ratings lead from Tommy Bursian (San Juan, PRI) in the 2007 ASP North America Pro Junior Series with his 3rd-place finish in the Ezekiel Pro Junior.
"I’m psyching - what an incredible way to start the year - two events and two finals," Beckmann said. "I've never been so consistent in my entire life. The ASP World Junior Championships are a guarantee - I definitely want to get there. I’ve never been to Australia and to get there on my own merit would be amazing. The next Pro Junior is in Cocoa Beach, which is another stomping ground of mine so I'm hoping for another big result."
Ornella Pellizari (Mar de Plata, ARG) caused a sensational upset in defeating in-form Americans Courtney Conlogue (Santa Ana, CA), Sage Erickson (Oxnard, CA) and Christa Alves (Cocoa Beach, FL) to claim the Vans Women’s Pier Classic title. Surfing without a sponsor, the 19-year old smashed the tricky afternoon righthanders to victory in her maiden ASP WQS event.
The next event on the 2007 ASP North America Tour will be the Lost Easter Pro Junior (ASP Grade- 1) at Cocoa Beach from Apr. 6-8, 2007. Following that will be the Body Glove Surfbout at Lowers (ASP WQS 4-Star) from April 24-28, 2007 featuring the Oakley Pro Junior (ASP Grade-2).
For more information and the complete recap, log onto http://www.aspnorthamerica.org or http://www.aspworldtour.com.