Final 16 decided in challenging surfing conditions on day 2 of the ASP 3-Star Protest Vendee Pro
The fans kept getting a heavy dose of thrilling surfing action as the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 3-Star Protest Vendee Pro continued with its Round 4 (Round of 32) heats at the main site of La Sauzaie in Bretignolles-sur-Mer, France, on Friday
afternoon, April 20.
The intensity of the battles increased as the surfers gave it their all during their respective heats to try and make a top-two finish in order to advance through into the Quarter-finals. The surfing conditions prevailing at the primary event site turned
out to be quite demanding, keeping the surfers at bay during their hunt for a decent score. Both the local and international talent had a tough time coping with the big sets that were on offer.
France’s Romain Cloitre did exceptionally well to find a couple of decent wave-scores to get to a heat-total of 11.00 points. The score proved sufficient to keep him in first place until the end to send him through into the Quarter-finals. He was accompanied
into the next stage of the competition by Portugal’s Frederico Morais, who finished with a heat-total of 8.34 points.
Morocco’s Abdel El Harim and Portugal’s Francisco Alves completely succumbed to the conditions, having no luck with the waves and eventually rounding out the bottom-two position with a heat-total of 6.73 and 1.70 points respective. The lacklustre performance
and lack of luck led to the elimination of both the surfers from the competition.
Guadeloupe’s Charles Martin claimed top honours in the sixth heat after barely beating Germany’s Nic Von Rupp in the sixth heat with a heat-total of 11.50 points against his rival’s 11.40. Both the surfers got rewarded for their superb effort during the
four-man battle as they advance through into the Quarter-finals.
Portugal’s Ruben Gonzalez finished in third place with a heat-total of 7.87 points, whereas France’s Edouard Delpero rounded out the bottom-position with a heat-total of 5.47 points. Failing to find their place in the top-two, both the surfers were left
with no choice but to exit the competition field.
Germany Marlon Lipke remained the standout performer during the course of the fourth round, putting on a superb show in the seventh heat to post a heat-total of 14.34 points on the score-bard and thus claim a comprehensive victory over his rivals to advance
through into the next stage of the competition. Basque Country’s Jatyr Berasaluce grabbed runner-up place with a heat-total of 9.97 points to accompany Lipke into the next round.
Morocco’s Yassine Ramdani and Belgium’s Lars Musschoot failed to make the Quarter-final cut after finishing with a heat-total of 8.50 and 7.17 points respectively.
The final heat of Round 4 featured a thrilling battle for the remaining two spots in the Quarter-finals. French Polynesia’s Steven Pierson grabbed one of them after claiming victory through his heat-total of 11.56 points, whereas France’s Gordon Fontaine
finished just behind him in second place with a heat-total of 9.16 points to clinch the last Quarter-final spot.
Reunion Island’s Adrien Toyon finished third with a heat-total of 9.03 points, whereas Portugal’s Eduardo Fernandes scored a heat-total of 3.90 points to finish in last place. Both the surfers were consequently eliminated from the contention for the event
title.
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