ROOKIES AND BIG GUNS SHARE HONOURS ON EPIC DAY 2 OF OXBOW PRO WORLD LONGBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP

ANGLET, France (Wed., May 2, 2007) – It was another classic day of action-packed surfing as a mix of perennial contenders and young rookies shone in epic conditions at the Oxbow Pro World Longboard Championship.

The 48-man championship event held in Anglet, France will determine the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 2007 Men's World Longboard Champion. The importance of the event was reflected in the standard of surfing with incredible performances on show in the large, 6 to 8 foot (2 -2.5 metre) offshore, powerful conditions.

The sudden death Round 2 started with the current world champion Josh Constable (AUS) absolutely dominating his opponent, young wildcard entrant Troy Mothershead (USA). Constable used his considerable size and strength, showed no nerves and looked in awesome form.

"I wasn't too nervous," said Constable after his win. "I mean there is a little pressure being the current world champ and all that, but my first wave was a good one and my plan worked well."

Constable scored a solid heat score of 16.25 points out of 20.00 and never looked like losing.

"For me it's unreal to have a little size and to surf at beachbreaks, which I love," Constable said. "I didn't feel any nerves and I surfed strong, so right now, it's all good."

Hawaiian John Snow, the man Constable beat in last year's Oxbow Pro World Longboard Championship final, surfed in the following heat. In this heat Snow was too strong for the trials wildcard Jared Neal (AUS). He surfed incredibly well illustrating that both he and Constable look like favorites for a final berth again this year.

In the first heat of the day young Australian wildcard entrant Harrison Roach put in a performance way beyond his years to win his Round 1 heat and progress straight through to the third round.

His Round 3 heat will be his first ever man-on-man heat, something that the kid from Noosa didn't seem too concerned about. When asked who he was afraid of surfing against, the 17-year-old responded confidently:

"Nobody. I'm just going to go out and do my own thing and hopefully get the waves that count."

Another rookie and wildcard to progress was French hopeful Antoine Delpero. With a big crowd on hand to watch the local surfer, he didn't disappoint, mixing some stylish traditional longboarding moves with radical closeout re-entries.

"I've surfed around here for a few years and I love this spot," Delpero said. "It's powerful and it is one of my favorite spots. I actually felt the pressure more yesterday, but today I caught a really good wave at the very start and from then on had no nerves."

Delpero scored a solid two-wave total of 15.25 out of 20.00 and defeated experienced Australian Grant Thomas.

The best wave of the day, and the whole competition, was a 9.65 scored by Amaro Matos (BRA). Matos took off on a solid set wave and performed a classic soul arch hang ten, before dropping down, moving his feet back, pulling into a barrel and traveling for three seconds through a classic tube. It was probably only a fall right at the end of the wave that cost him a 10-point ride. That wave helped him overcome his opponent Alban Meric (FRA) who is now eliminated from the event.

"Wow, I'm so happy," Matos said. "I was very nervous before the heat and I think so much about this heat, and I asked for God to help me and he helped with that wave. You know I am 41-years-old and my heart is too old for all this kind of thing," Matos laughed.

By late afternoon, with the high tide causing the waves to deteriorate, organizers opted to finish the day with eight heats of Round 2. Conditions are predicted to be similar tomorrow at the fabled beachbreaks of les Cavaliers, so another epic day of longboard surfing will be on offer. For more information go to www.oxboworld.com

Remaining Round 2 match ups
Heat 9: Noah Shimabukuro (HAW) vs Dodger Kremel (USA)
Heat 10: Ben Skinner (GBR) vs David Kinoshita (JPN)
Heat 11: Kekoa Uemura (HAW) vs Keegan Edwards (HAW)
Heat 12: Carlos Bahia (BRA) vs Brett Heimstra (USA)
Heat 13: Roger Barros (BRA) vs Dennis Bourg (USA)
Heat 14: Tom Lloy (USA) vs Joe Aaron (USA)
Heat 15: Jed Morouse (USA) vs Anri Nabeshima (JPN)
Heat 16: Phil Rajzman (BRA) vs Alex Salazar (BRA)

Oxbow Pro World Longboard Championship Results
Round 2: Winners progress to Round 3
Heat 1: Josh Constable (AUS) 16.25 d Troy Mothershead 10.25(USA)
Heat 2: Ned Snow (HAW) 15.20 d Jared Neal (AUS) 11.35
Heat 3: Taylor Jensen (USA) 11.00 d Nobuhiro Ogashira (JPN) 7.1
Heat 4: Amaro Matos (BRA) 16.15 d Alban Meric (FRA) 6.0
Heat 5: Jonathan Larcher (FRA) 13.75 d Diego Rosas (BRA) 12.40
Heat 6: Antoine Delpero (FRA) 15.25 d Grant Thomas (AUS) 9.75
Heat 7: Josh Baxter (USA) 12.35 d Michael Detemple (USA) 10.30
Heat 8: Romain Maurin (FRA) 12.35 d Takuji Masuda (JPN) 10.30

INCREDIBLE WAVES FOR DAY 2 OF OXBOW PRO WORLD LONGBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP

ANGLET, France (Wed, May 2, 2007) – A solid six-to-eight foot swell and clean conditions greeted competitors at les Cavaliers this morning for the Oxbow Pro World Longboard Championship. After yesterday's stormy conditions, today the sun is shining and powerful, crunching rights and lefts are rifling across the triangle sandbank here at Anglet, on the Basque coast of southwest France.

The conditions are worthy of a competition of this importance. With no world longboard tour in effect, the winner of this event will be crowned the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) International 2007 World Longboard Champion.

The remaining eight heats of Round 1 will kick off this morning with organisers hoping to run through to the second round this afternoon. It looks like there will be a full day of incredible longboard surfing ahead of us.

The judges are rewarding those surfers that combine the traditional longboard moves like putting the toes on the nose, with more modern, quickfire manoeuvres. It is a fusion of surfing's ancient heritage and all the modern day radical advances.

Former world champion and all round surfing legend Nat Young was on hand this morning, both as a patron of the event and also to watch the progress of his youngest son Bryce, who is surfing in the championship.

"The waves are incredible and with this style of surfing you really get to appreciate the style of the surfers. It is not so quick as the shortboard surfing and so you can really take it all in. It's a beautiful mix."

With good conditions predicted for the rest of the week there will be plenty of time to appreciate this, "beautiful mix". And by the end of what should be an epic day's surfing today, we should have a better indication of just who will be crowned the ASP's International 2007 World Longboard Champion. Go to www.oxboworld.com for more information.

Heat Draw
Round 1; 1st advances to Round 3, 2nd and 3rd surf Round 2
Heat 9: Ned Snow (HAW), Noah Shimbakuro (HAW), Harrison Roach (AUS)
Heat 10: Harley Ingleby (AUS), Ben Skinner (GBR), Jared Neal (AUS)
Heat 11: Grant Thomas (AUS), Jeremias da Silva (BRA), Michael DeTemple (USA)
Heat 12: Jonas Lima (BRA), Arni Nabeshima (JPN), Takuji Masuda (JPN)
Heat 13: Danilo Rodrigo (BRA), Joe Aaron (USA), Dodger Kremel (USA)
Heat 14: Josh Baxter (USA), Dennis Bourg (USA), Jamie Viudes (BRA)
Heat 15: Tomothee Creignout (FRA), Brett Heimstra (USA), David Kinoshita (JPN)
Heat 16: Romain Maurin (FRA), Eduardo Bage (BRA), Keegan Edwards (HAW)

OXBOW PRO WORLD LONGBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS OFF

ANGLET, France (Tuesday, May. 1, 2007) – The first round of the Oxbow World Pro Longboard Championship got underway this afternoon, following the completion of the trials event, which determined the four remaining wildcard spots for the main event.

The four wildcard spots were all taken by rookies, and they will each now surf in an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) International rated longboard main event for the very first time. The winner of the Oxbow Pro will be crowned the 2007 world longboard champion. The youngest of the four rookies to gain a wildcard spot was Harrison Roach (AUS), who is only 17 years old.

"I am sooo stoked," said Roach after his win. "I just can't wait to surf against all the best longboarders in the world in the main event. I've already achieved what I set out to do, so now I'll just do my best and hopefully do okay. Harrison Roach, world champion!!" The youngster laughed.

He will be joined by two other rookie Australians wildcards, 23-year old Jared Neal and 22-year-old Jackson Close.

"This was my first time ever to Europe," said Neal. "But I've been loving it. I like it when the surf is bigger and I felt pretty comfortable out there. But now, surfing in the main event, I'll have to surf way better to match these guys."

His compatriot Jackson Close was also comfortable in the solid conditions and performed a whole range of radical turns under pressure.

"I can't believe I've made the main event," Close said. "Now it's time to step it up. I'll have to mix it up more and surf way harder. This is my first event at this level, so yeah I'll have to adjust, but I can't wait."

He certainly did just that when he performed a radical aerial maneuver in the dying moments of his first round heat of the main event to secure a nine point wave score and an amazing win.

"What a day, I can't really believe it," said a stunned Close afterwards. "From surfing the trials to now, making it through my first round heat. I just went for a big air and somehow made it and obviously the judges liked it. It's been one of my best days ever."

San Clemente surfer Troy Mothershead earned the final wildcard slot. The 18-year-old is traveling with his parents and girlfriend and was over the moon at his efforts.

"It's my first time at an ASP world championship rated event so I'm so happy right now. I usually go for nose rides straight up, but these guys seem to be just power turning from the start, so I might have to mix it up more. But I'm here just to surf and have fun, so I'll just keep doing that," said Mothershead.

As mentioned though, the rookies didn't have much time to reflect on their efforts with the round 1 one of the main event kicking off straight away.

This saw the return of some of the legends of the sport and they didn't disappoint. Former world champions Bonga Perkins (HAW) and Colin McPhillips (USA) led the way, winning their heats and so progressing straight through to round 3 and avoiding the sudden death round 2.

McPhillips' efforts were particularly noteworthy as he had recently suffered a major knee injury and was rumoured to not even be competing.

"I thought I blew my knee out last Tuesday," said McPhillips. "Even on Thursday, I couldn't make my flight. But I straightened it out, and arrived just last night. That was my first surf in the competition area and I went through, so I'm stoked. Now I'm not thinking about my knee till after the event, it will start hurting afterwards, but for now it's all good," said the two-time world champion.

The only real major upset apart from the previously mentioned Close, came from Bryce Young (AUS). Bryce, the son of surfing legend Nat and also brother to former longboard world champ Beau, had been given a wildcard into the event by Oxbow and surfed radically to progress straight through to the third round.

"I was a little nervous, but the waves were so strong and punchy and I managed some good waves. It's so good to be here, all my family are here, so I just want to do my best, find the best waves and see how I go," said the 17-year-old Young.

His father Nat, a patron here for the Oxbow Pro World Longboard Championship, nervously watched his son surf his heat.

"Yeah I had all the butterflies of being a father, plus all the butterflies of being a surfer, because I can think what I would be doing in the same situation," said the elder Young.

"But he was so radical out there, continued Nat. "He does much more radical moves than Beau or I can do on a longboard. In fact, he is a much better surfer than Beau and I. He can go straight up and straight down."

The round was halted after heat 8 due to deteriorating conditions. Organisers have predicted more swell and improved winds for tomorrow, with the heat 9 of round 1 set to start at 8.00am local time. With the mix of radical rookies and all the established best longboarders in the world all still in the event, it promises to be another classic day of longboard surfing. For more information go to www.oxboworld.com

Heat Draw
Round 1; 1st advances to Round 3, 2nd and 3rd surf Round 2
Heat 9: Ned Snow (HAW), Noah Shimbakuro (HAW), Harrison Roach (AUS)
Heat 10: Harley Ingleby (AUS), Ben Skinner (GBR), Jared Neal (AUS)
Heat 11: Grant Thomas (AUS), Jeremias da Silva (BRA), Michael DeTemple (USA)
Heat 12: Jonas Lima (BRA), Arni Nabeshima (JPN), Takuji Masuda (JPN)
Heat 13: Danilo Rodrigo (BRA), Joe Aaron (USA), Dodger Kremel (USA)
Heat 14: Josh Baxter (USA), Dennis Bourg (USA), Jamie Viudes (BRA)
Heat 15: Tomothee Creignout (FRA), Brett Heimstra (USA), David Kinoshita (JPN)
Heat 16: Romain Maurin (FRA), Eduardo Bage (BRA), Keegan Edwards (HAW)

Results
Trials
Quarter finals: 1st and second advance
Quarter 1: Jackson Close (AUS) 13.25; Jared Neal (AUS) 12.50; Robledo de Oliveira (BRA) 9.50; Sam Bleakley (GBR) 8.30
Quarter 2: Elliot Dudley (GBR) 13.50; Troy Mothershead (USA) 10.25; James Parry (GBR) 7.50; Dino Miranda (HAW) 5.95
Quarter 3: Harrison Roach (AUS) 13.75; Tony Silvagni (USA) 12.25; Eduard Delpero (FRA) 11.55; Claude Maki (JPN) 6.15
Semi finals: 1st and 2nd progress to main event
Semi 1: Jared Neal (AUS) 14.75; Jackson Close (AUS) 10.65; Dudley Elliot (GBR) 8.15
Semi 2: Harrison Roach (AUS) 11.90; Troy Mothershead (USA) 11.75; Tony Silvagni (USA) 10.55

Oxbow Pro World Longboard Championship
Round 1; 1st advances to Round 3, 2nd and 3rd surf Round 2
Heat 1: Kai Sallas (HAW) 16.15; Alex Salazar (BRA) 12.85; Diego Rosas (BRA) 11.75
Heat 2: Marcelo Freitas (BRA) 16.50; Phil Razjman (BRA) 16.35; Antoine Delpero (FRA) 11.50
Heat 3: Duane de Soto (HAW) 12.00; Jonathan Larcher 4.70; Jed Morouse (USA) 4.70
Heat 4: Bonga Perkins (HAW) 13.35; Alban Meric (FRA) 12.60; Tom Lloy (USA) 8.50
Heat 5: Mathew Moir (SAF) 16.10; Nobuhiro Ogashira (JPN) 9.25; Roger Barros (BRA) 8.75
Heat 6: Bryce Young (AUS) 13.00; Amoro Matos (BRA) 12.00; Carlos Bahia (11.05)
Heat 7: Jackson Close (AUS) 15.25; Taylor Jensen (USA) 11.35; Kekoa Uemura (HAW) 6.75
Heat 8: Colin McPhillips (USA) 14.60; Josh Constable (AUS) 13.60; Troy Mothershead (USA) 10.25