Despite some early wet weather this morning at Newquay’s Fistral Beach, the Rip Curl Boardmasters launched into action at 8am this morning with the opening round of the 5 star Men’s World Qualifying Series (WQS) contest.

The opening round featured 12, four-man heats, with the event’s unseeded competitors battling the tricky 2-3ft (0.5-1m) surf in 20-minute spurts.

Eight British surfers paddled out in Round 1, all hopeful of winning through their opening heats and impressing the large local crowd.

Mark Harris (GBR), Sam Lamiroy (GBR), Matt Capel (GBR), Oli Adams (GBR) and Johnny Fryer (GBR) all won through their Round 1 heats, advancing to the ‘Round of 144’.

Lamiroy was one of the early standouts, defeating former ASP Europe Pro Junior winner Josch Scmeltzer (ZAF) and Joss Ash (GBR).

“I’m glad I made this one, I just checked the heats yesterday and realized I would be out in the water very early,” said Lamiroy. “It ended very good for me, so I’m just happy to get through.”

Lamiroy was later eliminated in Round 2 by former 2004 European Pro Surf Tour champion Justin Mujica (PRT).

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Four revolutionary eco-friendly surfboards are being exhibited by the Eden Project at the Rip Curl Boardmasters Surf & Music Festival at Fistral Beach, Newquay, until Sunday (August 12).

The boards are being heralded as “the most sustainable in the world to date” and two will be surfed by professionals in the Rip Curl Eco Tag Team Contest during the festival.

Every year approximately 750,000 surfboards are manufactured worldwide. The vast majority of these are made from oil-based plastics with little thought to the environmental impact of either their manufacture or disposal at the end of their life.

Eden has been working on its eco board project for four years with the ultimate aim of seeing all boards manufactured using sustainable materials and processes.
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The Davidoff Cool Water Wave Women’s 5 star World Qualifying Series (WQS) event hit the water at Newquay’s Fistral Beach at 8am this morning, launching an exciting week of action sport and music mayhem at the 26th annual Rip Curl Boardmasters.

The WQS surfers faced wind-blown 3-4ft (1-1.5m) waves throughout the morning, competing in front of a massive crowd who were also enjoying one of the more warmer days Newquay has seen in recent weeks.

WQS events always showcase the exciting young talent moving through the surfing world ranks, but the Boardmasters is also blessed to have some of the ASP World Tour’s elite in town for the week. Tour veteran Megan Abubo (HAW), Sam Cornish (AUS), Jacqueline Silva (BRZ) and 2006 ASP World Tour ‘Rookie of the Year’ Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) are four of the higher profile surfers who competed today.
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Saturday night saw the arrival of a solid 4-5 foot swell. A light off-shore which only lasted until the end of the morning gave way to a steady side-shore. The waves continued to pick up with the out-going tide, making the paddle-out difficult for all the surfers.

The contest started at 8 o’clock with the girls. They had the good fortune of taking advantage of the best of the conditions to finish the semis and the final.
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HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Sunday, July 29, 2007) – C.J. Hobgood (Melbourne Beach, FL) has taken the 2007 Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill title today, defeating Jeremy Flores (Hossegor, FRA) in an all-elite Foster’s ASP World Tour final.
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After yesterday’s interruption in the last heat of round 3, what a relief it was fro everyone to get back to the beach knowing Keoni Perkins (Haw) was definitely safe. We could then start round 4 in the best conditions, some clean 3 ft waves breaking for this final day of competition of the OPT-Tahiti Pro Longboard. The three-men quarterfinals started at 8.30 AM, and Duane De Soto (Haw) faced Scott Fong Jnr (Haw) and local Heifara-Jean Tahutini (Pyf). With a similar level, the three men surfed really well, Fong using the repertoire with accuracy while De Soto and Tahutini were going vertical on the hollower lefthanders. Opening the day with an upset, Tahutini eventually eliminated Fong to advance to the man-on-man quarterfinals.
“I’m stoked to make the man-on-man heats at home. Just too good to reach such a round and surf against some of the best surfers in the world,” said Tahutini.
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JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Saturday, July 21, 2007) – Australian Taj Burrow beat eight-time Foster’s ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) to win the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay today. The victory is Burrow’s second on the 2007 Foster’s ASP World Tour and has moved him to World No. 2 on the ASP ratings.

“It feels amazing!” Burrow said. “I’m so stoked to have won two events. I’ve had so many bridesmaids over the last couple of years and to get this monkey off my back, it just feels really good!

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We’re totally blessed in Cornwall to have awesome beaches and great waves right on our doorsteps however, for whatever reason, there are still lots of girls who have never tried the exhilarating sport of surfing. This summer top surfing brand Roxy will be opening up the waves for them and giving them a great chance to get on board as they bring a host of inspiration female surfing pros and a lot of fun to Fistral Beach in Newquay on the 1st and 2nd August.
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BIARRITZ, France (Sunday, July 15, 2007) – Jennifer Smith (USA) has been crowned the 2007 ASP Women’s World Longboard Champion, following her victory in the Roxy ASP WWLC in Biarritz, France this afternoon.

“I feel so blessed to be in the situation I’m in right now,” Smith said. “I made the final last year and lost, so to come back and make the final again and take the title is just an incredible feeling.”

Smith attributed her board selection as a big part in both her semifinal and final victories.

“I rode my heavier board in these offshore conditions,” Smith said. “It allowed me to get into the waves way earlier than my lighter board. It glides so well and longboarding is all about the glide.”

Smith was quick to give credit to her opponent in the final, Justine Dupont (FRA).

“I was really on edge throughout the final,” Smith said. “Justine is such a good surfer and has been getting really high scores throughout the whole event. She’s only 15 and I have six years on her. She’s not going anywhere. In six year’s time, she is going to be absolutely annihilating it.” (more…)