Fuku, 4th : 4.73
Ammadey,4th : 3.67
Azly,4th : 3.33
Shaad,4th : 2.50
Iboo,4th : 7.07
Matte,3th : 2.10 (no 4th)
Mike,4th : 4.70
http://live.coastalwatch.com/sl_news.aspx?eid=15790
Jun 20, 2009
Maldivian locals still not making heats
Despite rising surfing levels, it's still very hard for Maldivian best surfers to compete with international surfers at last WQS. All the 7 surfers got last and again Iboo got the best score. Here are their results on their last round 1 heats :
Fuku, 4th : 4.73
Ammadey,4th : 3.67
Azly,4th : 3.33
Shaad,4th : 2.50
Iboo,4th : 7.07
Matte,3th : 2.10 (no 4th)
Mike,4th : 4.70
P.S : video of WQS finals
http://live.coastalwatch.com/sl_news.aspx?eid=15790
Fuku, 4th : 4.73
Ammadey,4th : 3.67
Azly,4th : 3.33
Shaad,4th : 2.50
Iboo,4th : 7.07
Matte,3th : 2.10 (no 4th)
Mike,4th : 4.70
http://live.coastalwatch.com/sl_news.aspx?eid=15790
Jun 15, 2009
Owen Wright Wins Epic Final
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Owen Wright (Australia/NSW/Lennox Head) has won the 10th annual Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) six star PRIME rated World Qualifying Series (WQS) SriLankan Airlines Pro in the Maldives.
It was a monumental high scoring final, described by numerous ASP officials at this event as the greatest final they have ever seen held in outstanding 4 to 5 feet (1.5m) surf at Pasta Point.
This final had everything with both surfers forcing each other to new heights combining superb power surfing with new age aerial moves.
The final scores saw Owen Wright on 19.23 out of a possible 20 to Gudauskas on 18.93.
Wright’s second ride in the final of 9.83 was decisive, pulling two major aerial manoeuvres along with a series of fully powered on face vertical turns.
While that wave opened up a serious lead, Gudauskas challenged hard on his second ride driving through a series of powerful top to bottom turns but just fractionally mistimed his final floating re entry and fell. The wave was still awarded an outstanding 8.94, many believed had he landed that final turn it would have been his second perfect 10 point ride for the event.
Wright capitalised mid final with another outstanding 9.4 ride, again inclusive of aerial moves and Gudauskas suddenly found himself in an unlikely combination of scores required situation.
Gudauskas, who earlier in this event had scored a perfect ten point ride utilizing the new age rodeo clown move, refused to concede the final and began to focus on going for another perfect 10 by attempting some massive rodeo clowns (aerial 540 degree reverse flips), which he went perilously close to landing.
Inside the final five minutes, Gudauskas found his final excellent wave, unleashed three incredible top to bottom powered turns, lined up the final section, launched and landed another amazing aerial flip to take a perfect 10 points.
Still in second place and requiring a 9.24 to win, time ran out for Gudauskas and Wright was the deserving winner of this epic battle.
“That was the best final I have ever experienced “ said Wright after his win.
“ I knew Pat was capable of scoring 9 to 10 point rides and before the final I knew I’d have to pull multiple aerials to win - my strategy was at least two serious aerials on the waves and a lot of powerful surfing in between the aerials and that’s exactly how it played out.”
Owen Wright is now number one rated surfer on the ASP World Qualifying Series and the exciting 19 year old has already reassessed his goals for the season.
“At the start of the year I was focusing on winning the Pro Junior season in Australia and doing a few WQS events to get the experience but now I’m definitely looking to win the WQS and qualify for the ASP World Tour.”
ASP world tour head judge Perry Hatchet firmly placed this final within the top five finals he had ever witnessed while many others declared it the best final they had witnessed.
The entire event, which created history earlier when Pat Gudauskas delivered the first competitive rodeo clown manoeuvre, appears to have sped up the aerial assault that surfing is taking.
Pat Gudauskas’s efforts both in the final and throughout the event left the 23 year old feeling good after his narrow defeat in the final.
“You know I feel like I’ve won the event even though I lost, it was just such an amazing event and incredible final to surf in and I’m really stoked to have pulled those aerials” said Gudauskas.
“I think surfing’s heading to exciting places with these moves and I’m fully pumped for the rest of the year.”
In a significant rule implementation, the final was actually restarted after the first 10 minutes saw both surfers without a score on the board. This recent rule had just been passed by the ASP and it was successful at its first go.
“The 10 minute restart rule set that final up and made it an incredible event” commented ASP World Tour Head Judge Perry Hatchett.
Equal 3rd placed surfers today were Brazilian 19 year old Jadson Andre and USA’s Austin Ware.
Andre went down in his semi final to Gudauskas but again demonstrated his incredible aerial skills fighting back from a massive combination scoring situation in the semi final using his trademark colossal aerial skills.
The 3rd place result for Andre further consolidates his season on the WQS. Andre is now rated 4th on the season WQS ratings.
At season’s end the top 15 surfers on the WQS will qualify for the elite ASP World Tour and Andre is superbly placed.
For Austin Ware his 3rd place finish was his best result of the season and also has him right in contention on the WQS at this half way point to the season.
Current Top 15 ASP WQS are:
Wright,Owen AUS 1 11338
Ross,Daniel AUS 2 10600
Melling,Adam AUS 3 10301
Andre,Jadson BRA 4 10100
Simpson,Brett USA 5 8476
Duru,Joan FRA 6 8451
Gudauskas,Patrick USA 7 8263
Logie,Travis ZAF 8 8226
Thornton,Blake AUS 9 8013
Polo,Marco BRA 10 7825
Munro,Luke AUS 11 7813
Thompson,Jay AUS 12 7688
Yeomans,Nathan USA 12 7688
Courtney,Drew AUS 14 7513
Ware,Austin USA 15 7457
Owen Wright (Australia/NSW/Lennox Head) has won the 10th annual Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) six star PRIME rated World Qualifying Series (WQS) SriLankan Airlines Pro in the Maldives.
It was a monumental high scoring final, described by numerous ASP officials at this event as the greatest final they have ever seen held in outstanding 4 to 5 feet (1.5m) surf at Pasta Point.
This final had everything with both surfers forcing each other to new heights combining superb power surfing with new age aerial moves.
The final scores saw Owen Wright on 19.23 out of a possible 20 to Gudauskas on 18.93.
Wright’s second ride in the final of 9.83 was decisive, pulling two major aerial manoeuvres along with a series of fully powered on face vertical turns.
While that wave opened up a serious lead, Gudauskas challenged hard on his second ride driving through a series of powerful top to bottom turns but just fractionally mistimed his final floating re entry and fell. The wave was still awarded an outstanding 8.94, many believed had he landed that final turn it would have been his second perfect 10 point ride for the event.
Wright capitalised mid final with another outstanding 9.4 ride, again inclusive of aerial moves and Gudauskas suddenly found himself in an unlikely combination of scores required situation.
Gudauskas, who earlier in this event had scored a perfect ten point ride utilizing the new age rodeo clown move, refused to concede the final and began to focus on going for another perfect 10 by attempting some massive rodeo clowns (aerial 540 degree reverse flips), which he went perilously close to landing.
Inside the final five minutes, Gudauskas found his final excellent wave, unleashed three incredible top to bottom powered turns, lined up the final section, launched and landed another amazing aerial flip to take a perfect 10 points.
Still in second place and requiring a 9.24 to win, time ran out for Gudauskas and Wright was the deserving winner of this epic battle.
“That was the best final I have ever experienced “ said Wright after his win.
“ I knew Pat was capable of scoring 9 to 10 point rides and before the final I knew I’d have to pull multiple aerials to win - my strategy was at least two serious aerials on the waves and a lot of powerful surfing in between the aerials and that’s exactly how it played out.”
Owen Wright is now number one rated surfer on the ASP World Qualifying Series and the exciting 19 year old has already reassessed his goals for the season.
“At the start of the year I was focusing on winning the Pro Junior season in Australia and doing a few WQS events to get the experience but now I’m definitely looking to win the WQS and qualify for the ASP World Tour.”
ASP world tour head judge Perry Hatchet firmly placed this final within the top five finals he had ever witnessed while many others declared it the best final they had witnessed.
The entire event, which created history earlier when Pat Gudauskas delivered the first competitive rodeo clown manoeuvre, appears to have sped up the aerial assault that surfing is taking.
Pat Gudauskas’s efforts both in the final and throughout the event left the 23 year old feeling good after his narrow defeat in the final.
“You know I feel like I’ve won the event even though I lost, it was just such an amazing event and incredible final to surf in and I’m really stoked to have pulled those aerials” said Gudauskas.
“I think surfing’s heading to exciting places with these moves and I’m fully pumped for the rest of the year.”
In a significant rule implementation, the final was actually restarted after the first 10 minutes saw both surfers without a score on the board. This recent rule had just been passed by the ASP and it was successful at its first go.
“The 10 minute restart rule set that final up and made it an incredible event” commented ASP World Tour Head Judge Perry Hatchett.
Equal 3rd placed surfers today were Brazilian 19 year old Jadson Andre and USA’s Austin Ware.
Andre went down in his semi final to Gudauskas but again demonstrated his incredible aerial skills fighting back from a massive combination scoring situation in the semi final using his trademark colossal aerial skills.
The 3rd place result for Andre further consolidates his season on the WQS. Andre is now rated 4th on the season WQS ratings.
At season’s end the top 15 surfers on the WQS will qualify for the elite ASP World Tour and Andre is superbly placed.
For Austin Ware his 3rd place finish was his best result of the season and also has him right in contention on the WQS at this half way point to the season.
Current Top 15 ASP WQS are:
Wright,Owen AUS 1 11338
Ross,Daniel AUS 2 10600
Melling,Adam AUS 3 10301
Andre,Jadson BRA 4 10100
Simpson,Brett USA 5 8476
Duru,Joan FRA 6 8451
Gudauskas,Patrick USA 7 8263
Logie,Travis ZAF 8 8226
Thornton,Blake AUS 9 8013
Polo,Marco BRA 10 7825
Munro,Luke AUS 11 7813
Thompson,Jay AUS 12 7688
Yeomans,Nathan USA 12 7688
Courtney,Drew AUS 14 7513
Ware,Austin USA 15 7457
Jun 3, 2009
Play Dhonveli Pro online
Go to the events official website at www.srilankanairlinespro.com and follow the links to www.fantasyprosurfing.com and www.youriding.com to access these two online games.
Both games have detailed easy to follow instructions on how to play. Like many sporting games, fantasyprosurfer.com engages participants by choosing a team of surfers with points awarded according to performance while youriding.com tackles the SriLankan Airlines Pro from an interactive wave riding perspective.
Play either or both and you’ll at least feel a little bit like you are in paradise; picture and dream of the perfect peeling points, unbelievable 30°c water temps, tropical climate... Almost as good as being there in person, maybe !
Nationals will happen on June,7th, Sunday at Dhonveli to select 2 wildcards among the top 8 Maldivian surfers. Good luck !
Follow this event live, beginning next Monday at www.srilankanairlinespro.com/
Both games have detailed easy to follow instructions on how to play. Like many sporting games, fantasyprosurfer.com engages participants by choosing a team of surfers with points awarded according to performance while youriding.com tackles the SriLankan Airlines Pro from an interactive wave riding perspective.
Play either or both and you’ll at least feel a little bit like you are in paradise; picture and dream of the perfect peeling points, unbelievable 30°c water temps, tropical climate... Almost as good as being there in person, maybe !
Nationals will happen on June,7th, Sunday at Dhonveli to select 2 wildcards among the top 8 Maldivian surfers. Good luck !
Past 7 WQS winners
2007 Dhonveli Sri Lankan Pro : Heitor ALVES (BRA)
2006 Dhonveli Sri Lankan Pro : Luke MUNRO (AUS)
2005 Lohifushi Deep Blue Oneill : Daniel REDMAN (ZAF)
2004 Lohifushi Deep Blue Oneill : Toby MARTIN (AUS)
2003 Lohifushi Deep Blue Oneill : Trent MUNRO (AUS)
2002 Lohifushi Deep Blue Oneill : Tim CURRAN (USA)
Follow this event live, beginning next Monday at www.srilankanairlinespro.com/
Seaplane crashes but no casualties
On June 02. A Maldivian Air Taxi seaplane crashed into the lagoon of Halaveli Resort in Ari Atoll this morning during a photo excursion, reports say. The incident occurred around 10:45 local time, according to Haveeru News.
All 7 people on board, including 4 photographers and 3 crews all escaped without any major injuries, according to Civil Aviation Ministry. The photographers are foreigners whilst the crew are Maldivians nationals.
A similar incident occurred on July 14th last year when a plane sank near Bathala Resort in Ari Atoll after it crashed with a Dhoni on landing.
Maldives is home to the largest sea plane operation in the world, as part of the the logistics to support the tourism industry. Most visitors take a sea plane from Male' International Airport to their destined holiday resort in outer Atolls. The operation and the fleet has an excellent safety standard and incidents of this nature rare occur. Earlier, frequent accidents in helicopters resulted in the seizing of the operation and no helicopters are currently in service in the Maldives.
May 24, 2009
SriLankan Airlines Pro : June 8-14
SriLankan Airlines Pro in the Maldives set to deliver paradise to ASP World Qualifying Series
ASP Australasia Office Casuarina NSW : Widely regarded as the most striking event on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS), the SriLankan Airlines Pro in the Maldives has again drawn a brilliant field of 128 international surfers from 20 nations around the surfing world.
Current ASP World Tour surfer and 2007 SriLankan Airlines Pro Champion Heitor Alves (Brazil) heads the field as the events number one seed with a long list of magnificent surfers in the line up that includes Phil Macdonald (Australia), Sunny Garcia (Hawaii/ASP 2000 World Champion), Aritz Aranburu (Spain), Pat Gudauskas (USA), Masotoshi Ohno (Japan), Travis Logie (South Africa) and current number one rated ASP World Qualifying Series surfer Adam Melling (Australia).
This year’s event also welcomes esteemed international surf brand Ocean and Earth as a supporting sponsor. “We have seen the amazing perfection that the Maldives event has delivered to world surfing over the past five years through the webcast, images and vision and Ocean and Earth are excited to be involved” said Ocean and Earth International Chief Executive Officer, Paul Munten.
“I understand it’s the warmest waters of any ASP tour event in the world and with most surfing nations either just out of winter season or heading into winter it has to be the perfect place to be “ added Munten. Perfection off the reeling Pasta Point reef, set on the glorious Chaaya Island – Dhonveli is what this event has become famous for.
The event runs from the luxurious Sunset Beach Deck Bar and Restaurant, a location that delivers highest quality surfing at close range to the judges, spectators and media making for one of competitive surfing’s truly unique quality experiences.
Sunny Garcia, one of ASP’s most experienced and venerated competitive surfers ever, summed up his first experience in the Maldives last year saying; “This place is amazing with fantastic waves, crystal clear warm waters in a setting that is so perfect for a high level event – I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get here and I’ll certainly be back.”
A quarter finalist last year, Sunny is back in the field for 2009 and in such quality waves will be a certain contender. As an ASP World Qualifying Series Prime Six Star rated location the SriLankan Airlines Pro offers maximum points and prize money and the event is vital to the chances of all competitors surfing not only to win this event but also to qualify for the elite 2010 ASP World Tour.
It’s the perfect midyear venue to the ASP World Qualifying Series season and whoever wins this year’s 2009 SriLankan Airlines Pro will be ideally set up for the years tour.
ASP Australasia as the event managers will ensure a quality live Webcast along with Television News Feeds, class complimentary Digital Images for newspapers and websites, Web highlight packages and a dedicated 30 minute international television program.
SriLankan Airlines Pro 2009 is made possible thanks to the following sponsors: SriLankan Airlines, John Keells Group, Chaaya Island – Dhonveli, Atoll Travel, Atoll Adventures, Ocean & Earth International, Dhiraagu, Maldives Tourism & Promotions Board, ASP AustralasiaMay 17, 2009
Flight booking : Malé is not Mahé
When booking a flight to maldives, don't get mixed up between Malé (MLE) and Malé (SEZ). That's what happened recently to a french surfer due to arrive in Malé on EK flight. When boarding his flight in Dubai, he looked at the route map on TV and was wondering " why do they show the Seychelles map ?" before he understood his blunder. He got mixed up. Fortunately, there was enough time to exit the flight and re-book for Malé.
May 11, 2009
Vindhu2 hit the reef and sink with surfers
On 06 May 2009, A safari vessel called ‘Vindhu’ carrying 9 German surfers and an Indian has ran around Farukolhu Fushi (Ex Club Med near Hulhumalé anchoring spot) reef while travelling to Male’ from Kaafu atoll Dhihfushi.
According to Maldives Police Services, at the time of the incident, a total of 13 people were onboard. Police reports that when the incident was reported at around 2015 hours on Tuesday, a police rescue launch was immediately dispatched. The 13 people, including 9 Germans and one Indian was brought to Male’ onboard the rescue vessel.
Police also rescued many of surfing equipment belonging to the tourists on board Vindhu. At the time of the incident, in addition to the German tourists, the vessel owner, one Indian and Bangladeshis were onboard.
Although no causalities were reported, the vessel Vindhu sank just hours after running aground reef. At the time the paper went to press, Maldives Coast Guard has commenced activities to salvage the vessel.
According to Maldives Police Services, at the time of the incident, a total of 13 people were onboard. Police reports that when the incident was reported at around 2015 hours on Tuesday, a police rescue launch was immediately dispatched. The 13 people, including 9 Germans and one Indian was brought to Male’ onboard the rescue vessel.
Police also rescued many of surfing equipment belonging to the tourists on board Vindhu. At the time of the incident, in addition to the German tourists, the vessel owner, one Indian and Bangladeshis were onboard.
Although no causalities were reported, the vessel Vindhu sank just hours after running aground reef. At the time the paper went to press, Maldives Coast Guard has commenced activities to salvage the vessel.
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