Ian Gouveia and Vasco Ribeiro prevail in Round 2 of Burton Toyota Pro at Newcastle’s Surfest
Brazil’s Ian Gouveia and Portugal’s Vasco Ribeiro claimed victories in their respective Round 1 (Round of 144) heats of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 6-Star Burton Toyota Pro at Newcastle’s Surfest that continued at the Merewether Point
in New South Wales, Australia, on Monday, March 12.
Both Gouveia and Ribeiro got their places confirmed in the second round (Round of 96) through their Round 1 success. America’s Chris Ward and South Africa’s Dale Staples made the Round 2 cut as well after clinching runner-up positions in the 17th
and 18th heat respectively.
Some of the best surfers from around the globe were gathered at Merewether Beach to compete for the coveted ASP rating points that were crucial to earning a place in the ASP World Title series. The tricky three-foot waves on offer offered a substantial challenge
to the surfers as they battled it for to stay alive in the event.
The 17th heat saw Gouveia putting in a superb performance to down Ward, his compatriot Chase Wilson and Argentina’s Santiago Muniz.
The Brazilian got down to business as soon as the heat kicked-off, locking his first business-wave to post a 7.10 on the score-board. He added an additional 7.67 to his account off his final wave to finish with a heat-total of 14.77 points, consequently
walking away with top honours.
Ward put on a pretty decent performance as well to successfully extend his life in the event. The American scored a 5.70 off his first business-wave and backed it up with a 5.57-point wave for a heat-total of 11.27 points.
Muniz and Wilson were forced to step out of the contention for the event title after finishing with a heat-total of 10.96 and 9.50 points respectively.
Ribeiro sealed the fate of the 18th heat in his favour after landing a solid performance to defeat Staples, Australia’s jack Perry and his fellow countryman Perth Standlick.
The Portuguese surfer went through a series of average-scoring waves to post a 7.00 on the score-board and eventually added a 6.97 to his account to move to a two-wave total of 13.97 points. The score turned out to be a decisive one, earning him top honours.
Staples made the Round 2 cut as well after finishing with a heat-total of 11.94 points, which comprised of a 5.67 and 6.27-point wave.
Perry finished in third place with a heat-total of 11.30 points, while Standlick rounded out the bottom-position with a two-wave total of 10.50 points.
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