International Campaigners Post Big Scores at Day 2 Honda U.S. Open

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Tuesday, July 22, 2008) The GO211 LIVE featuring the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill completed the Round of 144 today and an international contingent of top talent posted some of the highest scores in event history today, reveling in the glassy three-to-four foot 1 metre) waves on offer at Huntington Beach Pier.





The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star event narrowed its field down to 96 competitors today, moving one day closer to crowing this year's 2008 Honda U.S. Open champion.

The heat of the day was the high-flying shootout between ASP WQS combatants Jadson Andre (Natal, BRA) and Torrey Meister (Kona, HI), both exchanging consecutive near-perfect rides in their Round 2 clash.

Andre earned an impressive score of a 9.23 in the opening seconds of his Round 2 heat with a series of powerful maneuvers to get the round started. The young surfer from Brazil then followed up his excellent score with a perfect 10 out of 10 point ride for punting a massive no-grab frontside air on what looked to be a closeout wave.

"I felt really good today," Andre said. "My waves at home are like this and I felt so relaxed. I've been here many times now and I love Huntington."

Andre, current No. 73 on the ASP WQS, expressed his excitement about topping Meister's impressive performance.

"I think this is the best heat of my life," Andre said. "I'm so happy right now. All of the guys in my heat surf so good. I just want to do my best in the rest of the contest."

Meister answered Andre's first big score immediately with a 9.17 out of possible 10 of his own, but it was not enough to overtake the lead. Shortly after Meister's attack, Andre replied with his perfect score, which would go unmatched throughout the remainder of the heat.

Undeterred by the impressive scores of his Brazilian opponent, Meister still answered back with a near-perfect 9.93 out of a possible 10 for a huge frontside air.

"Andre was ripping," Meister said. "The waves are firing right now, and this is about as good as Huntington gets, I think. This is the best I've surfed it."

The performances of Andre and Meister left their Round 2 opponents unable to counter and were eliminated from U.S. Open competition.

Rudy Palmboom (Ansteys Beach, ZAF) posted an outstanding performance today, blasting a single wave score of a 9.43 out of possible 10 with a blistering attack on the peaky surf on offer. The prodigious natural-footer followed up with a solid second score for a heat total of a 17.10 out of a possible 20.

"I'm stoked because the waves here are actually similar to the waves I surf back home," Palmboom said. "There's a nice push out there today and usually Huntington is pretty weak. I had fun out there."

Palmboom, current No. 26 on the ASP Africa Pro Junior Series, proved he is transitioning easily from the ASP Pro Junior Series into ASP WQS competition by his dominating performance given today.

"This is my first full year on the ASP WQS, and I'm heading to Japan after this event and working it out on the ASP WQS for qualification for the 2009 ASP World Tour."

The spry young talent will take on fellow South African and former ASP World Tour campaigner Greg Emslie (East London, ZAF) in the Round of 96.

Timmy Reyes (Huntington Beach, CA), current No. 14 on the ASP World Tour, made the flight home in between ASP World Tour events to compete in the U.S. Open. Reyes showed an impressive display of surfing in front of his home crowd with massive turns and airs to claim a victory in his Round 2 heat.

"To be home for a week and cruise with my family and sleep in my own bed is nice," Reyes said. "Unfortunately the contests are so close together, so it doesn't give you much time to relax. I'm stoked to be here on the beaches of my home town though."

Reyes will surf again on Thursday against ASP WQS No. 10 Austin Ware (Solana Beach, CA), Brazilian young gun Jean De Silva (San Francisco do Sul, BRA) and Maui local Dusty Payne (Lahaina, HI).

The GO211 Live feat. the Honda U.S. Open pres. by O'Neill Women's 6-Star event will see three rounds of competition tomorrow, beginning with the Round of 60 at 7:30 a.m. at Huntington Beach Pier.

ASP Women's World Tour seeds Megan Abubo (Haleiwa, HAW), Jessi Miley-Dyer (Bronte, AUS), Nicola Atherton (Bronte, AUS), Julia De La Rosa Torro (Barranco, PER), Sofia Mulanovich (Lima, PER), Amee Donohoe (MacMasters Beach, AUS), Serena Brooke (Coolangatta, AUS), Samantha Cornish (Currumbin Alley AUS), Steph Gilmore (Tweed Heads, AUS), Jaqueline Silva (Florianopolis, BRA), Melanie Bartels (Makaha, HAW), Karina Petroni, (Atlantic Beach, FL), Rosanne Hodge (East London, ZAF) and Rebecca Woods (Copacabana, AUS) will all be in attendance, hoping to stave off an onslaught of hungry up-and-comers.

For all of your U.S. Open inquires log on to www.usopenofsurfing.comFor any other information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org

GO211 LIVE feat. the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing pres. by O'Neill Results:

Round 2: 144 surfers remaining(1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Kieran Horn (HAW) 13.84, Hodei Collazo (ESP) 11.00, Bobby Hansen (NZL) 10.90, Jacob Kirschenbaum (USA) 7.70
Heat 2: Pablo Gutierrez (ESP) 12.00, Jose Maria Cabrera (CNY) 11.66, Jean Sebastien Estienne (BLM) 10.40, Dunga Neto (BRA) 9.63
Heat 3: Sterling Spencer (USA) 12.10, Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.87, Ben Bourgeois (USA) 9.67, David Rutheford (MEX) 7.20
Heat 4: Tim Reyes (USA) 14.17, Teppei Tajima (JPN) 10.54, Chad Compton (USA) 8.07, Simao Romano (BRA) 7.60
Heat 5: Evan Geiselman (USA) 10.80, Jesse Heilman (USA) 9.20, Tonino Benson (HAW) 8.06, Tommy O'Brien (USA) 6.50
Heat 6: Ricky Whitlock (USA) 14.57, Luke Cheadle (AUS) 14.16, Micah Byrne (USA) 12.26, Anthony Petruso (USA) 8.80
Heat 7: Phillip MacDonald (AUS) 12.00, Jack Perry (AUS) 10.60, Paulo Moura (BRA) 9.84, Brandon Ragenovich (USA) 7.46
Heat 8: Nick Rozsa (USA) 13.77, Enko Acero (EUK) 10.60, KillianGarland (USA) 9.50, Gabe Garcia (USA) 5.83
Heat 9: Shane Beschen (USA) 14.50, Cory Lopez (USA) 14.00, Kyle Knox (USA) 11.77, Mike Losness (USA) 9.2
Heat 10: Wiggoly Dantas (BRA) 13.90, Eric Geiselman (USA) 12.96, Brad Ettinger (USA) 11.14, Gavin Gillette (HAW) 11.13
Heat 11: Rudy Palmboom (ZAF) 17.10, Asher Nolan (USA) 11.76, Macy Mullen (HAW) 10.73, Robson Santos (BRA) 9.36
Heat 12: Cory Ziems (AUS) 13.93, Justin Mujica (PRT) 13.43, Zach Keenan (USA) 11.74, Gavin Roberts (ZAF) 11.64
Heat 13: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 16.17, Andre Silva (BRA) 14.63, Izuki Tanaka (JPN) 11.27, Duran Barr (USA) 9.03
Heat 14: Kevin Sullivan (HAW) 15.57, Ola Eleogram (HAW) 14.00, Blake Thorton (AUS) 9.84, Quinn McCrystal (USA) 8.80
Heat 15: Jadson Andre (BRA) 19.23, Torrey Meister (HAW) 19.10, William Cardoso (BRA) 12.64, Charlie Brown (BRA) 10.24
Heat 16: Charles Martin (GLP) 12.17, Sean Marceron (USA) 11.10, Wesley de Souza (USA) 10.17, Jarrad Howse (AUS) 8.50
Heat 17: Kyle Ramey (HAW) 15.70, Roy Powers (HAW) 14.50, Khy Vaughan (AUS) 11.40, Alain Riou (PYF) 14.20
Heat 18: Joan Duru (FRA) 12.27, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 11.54, Flynn Novak (HAW) 6.57, Michael Hoisington (USA) 5.40
Heat 19: Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 11.73, Blake Howard (USA) 10.87, Sam Page (AUS) 10.7Brent Reilly (USA) 10.66
Heat 20: Justin McBride (USA) 15. 17, Alex Smith (HAW) 13.66, Makuakai Rothman (HAW) 10.14, Sean Moody (HAW) 9.03
Heat 21: Blake Jones (USA) 12.17, Romain Cloitre (FRA) 11.96, Jarrad Sullivan (AUS) 11.66, Romain Laulhe (FRA) 10.54
Heat 22: Jesse Merle-Jones (HAW) 15.17, Gabe Kling (USA) 14.43, Jay Quinn (NZL) 14.34, Gavin Beschen (HAW) 9.80
Heat 23: Federico Pilurzu (CRI) 14.00, Nils Schweizer (USA) 11.93, Paul Fisher (AUS) 11.83, Casey Brown (HAW) 8.33
Heat 24: Ian Walsh (HAW) 16.34, Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.00, Abdel El Harim (MOR) 10.44, Odirlei Coutinho (BRA) 9.16

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