Rafael Pereira (VEN) avanzando a la Ronda 3 / ®Martinique Surfing / Blind

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La primera jornada del Martinque Surf Pro 2016 ha sido particularmente intensa este domingo en Basse-Pointe, ante un público numeroso que ha acudido a admirar las proezas de los surfistas internacionales del más alto nivel. Se han disputado 24 series de 25 minutos cada una, lo que ha permitido completar las dos primeras rondas de la prueba. Esta tarde sólo quedan 96 de los 140 en liza inicialmente. Mañana lunes el nivel y la tensión aumentarán todavía más con la entrada en competición de los mejores surfistas, con unas condiciones siempre favorables.

A las 7:40 de la mañana comenzaba la primera serie de este Martinique Surf Pro 2016. Otras siete series le han seguido a primera hora de la mañana, permitiendo completar la primera ronda, que ha reunido a los 32 surfistas peor clasificados en las QS, series clasificatorias del circuito mundial la pasada temporada 2015. El nivel ha sido impresionante, con tres o cuatro surfistas enfrentándose entre sí simultáneamente durante 25 minutos. Cada vez que un participante tomaba una ola, los cinco jueces le puntuaban en una escala de 1 a 10 (siendo 10 la perfección) según los siguientes criterios: compromiso y grado de dificultad, maniobras innovadoras y variadas, velocidad, potencia y encadenamiento. Al final de la serie se contabilizan las dos mejores olas para obtener un total de 20 puntos. Los dos surfistas con mejores notas se clasifican para la segunda ronda y los otros dos quedan eliminados.

Diez horas de surf este domingo
El segundo round también se ha lanzado, y las series se han ido encadenando sin pausa a lo largo de esta jornada inaugural que ha mostrado algunas promesas. La idea era aprovechar las buenas condiciones para lanzar el máximo de series, lo que permitirá elegir las mejores condiciones para los siguientes rounds. Un buen número de espectadores ya ha acudido este domingo al village de la competición, lo que es un buen augurio para el resto de este Martinique Surf Pro. “Hemos intentado aportar algunas mejoras en la acogida del público y esperamos que esto guste a todo el mundo. Los surfistas están también felices de estar aquí en Basse-Pointe, ya que hemos comenzado con condiciones interesantes. Deberían continuar así ya que una segunda ola parece confirmarse para el final de la semana.”, señalaba Nicolas Clémenté, organizador del evento junto con Nicolas Ursulet. Como muestra del carácter internacional de la prueba, este domingo hemos visto surfear a competidores venidos del Caribe (Martinica, Guadalupe, Barbados) pero también de Brasil, Hawai, Reino Unido, Australia, Francia, Perú, Venezuela, Australia, Puerto Rico, España, Chile, Sudáfrica, Polinesia o Japón, entre otros. Algunos participantes muy prometedores ya han sido eliminados tras este primer día de la prueba, pero todos están muy satisfechos de su paso por Martinica.

Aumenta la tensión el lunes
Mañana lunes también hay 24 series en el programa. La jornada comenzará temprano con el lanzamiento del tercer round que reunirá a 64 surfistas (32 directamente clasificados y 32 provenientes del segundo round). Está previsto disputar el tercer round completo y la mitad del cuarto. Entonces la competición se pondrá aún más interesante con la entrada de los 28 surfistas mejor clasificados en los QS de 2015. Mañana podremos ver surfear a los dos finalistas del año pasado, el hawaiano Joshua Moniz y el sudafricano Michael February, pero también al estadounidense Brett Simpson y al brasileño William Cardoso, veteranos del Championship Tour (CT), la élite del surf que reúne a los 34 mejores del mundo. No hace falta de decir que el nivel será muy elevado. Los cabezas de cartel llegarán el martes.

Declaraciones: 

Brett Simpson (Estados Unidos, 31 años, directamente clasificado para el cuarto round):
“Es la primera vez que vengo a Martinica y Basse-Pointe es un sitio impresionante. Estoy aquí desde hace tres días y he estado surfeando muy bien y descubriendo un poco la isla. Es un sitio agradable, con gente realmente amable. La competición ha comenzado bien, las olas son buenas. Esta prueba va a ser muy interesante, la competencia es dura, ¡hay jóvenes que surfean realmente bien!”

Willian Cardoso (Brasil, 30 años, directamente clasificado para el cuarto round):
“Nunca había estado en Martinica. Todos los que estuvieron en la primera edición del Martinique Surf Pro me habían aconsejado venir este año, porque es un lugar increíble. Hoy es la primera vez que he surfeado aquí, y está muy bien. El mar es azul y cálido, las olas largas y potentes. Sé que la competición será complicada pero haré todo lo que pueda para llegar a la final. ¡Será genial!”

Miguel Tudela (Perú, 21 años, directamente clasificado para el cuarto round):
“El año pasado llegué a las semifinales, es un buen resultado que espero igualar ¡o incluso mejorar! Va a ser difícil porque el nivel es aún mejor. Estoy surfeando bien y me siento en forma. De cualquier modo, estoy feliz de estar de nuevo en Martinica, y las condiciones son muy buenas!”.

2016 MARTINIQUE SURF PRO: AN INTENSIVE DAY TO START

The first day of the 2016 Martinique Surf Pro was particularly busy this Sunday in Basse-Pointe, where the public turned out in force to admire the skill of the world’s leading surfers. No fewer than 24 series each lasting 25 minutes, took place, which meant it was possible to complete the first two rounds of the event. This evening, only 96 surfers out of the 140 initially competing remain. Tomorrow (Monday), the standard and the tension will increase still further with the arrival of the best surfers, who will compete in favorable conditions.

There was no lying in bed this morning (Sunday). It was at 0740 hrs local time that the first series of the Martinique Surf Pro got underway. Seven other series followed early this morning, meaning it was possible to complete the first round, bringing together the least well ranked 32 surfers in the 2015 Qualifying Series (QS). From the outset, the standard was impressive. During each heat, 3 or 4 surfers fought it out for 25 minutes. As soon as one competitor decided to catch a wave, the five judges awarded him a score on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest grade) based on the following criteria. The degree of difficulty, the innovative and varied maneuvers, speed, power and follow through. At the end of the series, the two best waves were counted to get a score out of 20 points. The two surfers with the best scores qualified for the second round, while the others were eliminated. The two competitors from Martinique that were competing today (Adam Auffay and Nicolas Chalonec) did not manage to qualify. Two local surfers remain in the competition, Titouan Dubos and Arthur Lassée, who will enter in the fourth round, as they can take advantage of their wild cards from the organizers.

Ten hours of surfing on Sunday
The second round began immediately and the series continued with no rest in between throughout this first day, which lived up to its promise. The idea was to take advantage of these good conditions to get through as many series as possible, meaning they can choose the best possible conditions in the future. The spectators were already out in force on Sunday in the event village, which is very promising for what lies ahead in this year’s Martinique Surf Pro. “We tried to make some improvements for the public and hope that it pleases everyone. The surfers were also happy here in Basse-Pointe, especially seeing we started with some good conditions. They are expected to remain like this as a large swell is expected later in the week,” said a happy Nicolas Clémenté, the organizer of the event with Nicolas Ursulet. This was very much an international event with surfers on Sunday coming from the Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Barbados), but also Brazil, Hawaii, Great Britain, Australia, France, Peru, Venezuela, Australia, Puerto Rico, Spain, Chile, South Africa, Polynesia, Japan – among others… Some very promising competitors already took part on this first day of the event. They are all happy about the way things went in Martinique.

Moving up a step on Monday
No lie in tomorrow (Monday) either, as 24 series are due to take place. The day will begin early on with the launch of the third round bringing together 64 surfers (32 directly qualified and 32 from the second round). The whole of the third round is expected to take place and half of the fourth. We will then be getting into the heart of the matter with the arrival of the 28 top surfers from the 2015 QS. Tomorrow, we shall see the arrival of the two finalists from last year, the Hawaiian, Joshua Moniz and the South African, Michael February, as well as the American, Brett Simpson and the Brazilian, Willian Cardoso, from the Championship Tour (CT), the elite group bringing together the top 34 in the world. In other words, the standard will be very high. Other top names will appear on Tuesday.

Quotes
Brett Simpson (USA, 31, directly qualified for the 4th round): “There are some youngsters surfing really well”
“This is my first time in Martinique and Basse-Pointe is an impressive spot. I’ve been here for three days. I have had some fine surfing and I have been around looking at the island. It’s a great place and the people are really nice. The competition got off to a great start with some good waves. This QS event is going to be of a very high standard. The competition is tough. There are some youngsters, who are surfing really well.”

Willian Cardoso (Brazil, 30, directly qualified for the 4th round): “All of the competitors, who took part in the first Martinique Surf Pro advised me to come here this year.”
“I have never set foot on Martinique before. All of the competitors, who took part in the first Martinique Surf Pro, advised me to come here this year, as it’s such a great place. I surfed for the first time at Basse-Pointe today and I really enjoyed the spot. The sea is blue and warm and the waves are long and powerful. I know that the competition is going to be complicated, but I’ll try my best to reach the final. It’s going to be fantastic.”

Timothée Bisso (Guadeloupe, 19, directly qualified for the fourth round): “I feel confident as I enter this Martinique Surf Pro thanks to a good start to my season.”
“I’m pleased to be back in the QS and practically on home ground, in the French West Indies. I love the waves at Basse-Pointe. I feel confident about this Martinique Surf Pro thanks to a fantastic start to the season. I was lucky enough to come up against Kelly Slater, a surfing legend from Australia. Cit was a huge experience for me. The standard at the Martinique Surf Pro is incredibly high this year with the presence iof former surfers from the Championship Tour like Brett Simpson and others, who took part in the QS 10,000, the biggest competitions in the qualifying circuit.”

Miguel Tudela (Peru, 21, directly qualified for the fourth round): “I was in the semi-final last year and hope to as well or even better.”
“I made it to the semi-final last year, which was a great result that I hope to equal or improve upon. It’s going to be tough, as the standard is even higher. I’m surfing well at the moment and feel in good shape. Whatever happens, I’m pleased to be here in Martinique, especially as the conditions are once again very good.”

Dimitri Ouvré (Saint Barth, 24, directly qualified for the third round): “The Martinique Surf Pro is a must attend event for me.”
“There aren’t many events in the QS in the Caribbean and the Martinique Surf Pro is a must for me. We are once again taking advantage of some great waves this year. We’re lucky, as this means we can fully express ourselves. Competing in the Tour throughout the year, sometimes we come across tricky conditions. This year, I won a QS 1000 and finished second in another. We travel a lot, when we take part in the QS and I was rather tired, when I got to Martinique. But on my home ground, I have found my strength again, as I feel good here. I love the atmosphere on the islands. It’s magical.”

Official website for the event:
http://www.martiniquesurfpro.com/