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| O'NEILL
DEEP BLUE OPEN |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
14th June 2003
Event: O’Neill Deep Blue Open
Dates: 9th – 15th June 2003
Location: Republic of the Maldives – North Malé Atoll
Rating: 5-star Prime World Qualifying Series Event
Prize Purse: US$100,000 |
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Australia’s
Trent Munro today topped off his sensational week in the
Maldives by winning the 3rd O’Neill Deep Blue Open pocketing
2200 WQS tour points and banking a healthy US$12,000 cheque in
the process. The final was a heavily weighted Brazilian affair
with the exceptional talents of Paulo Moura, Raoni Monteiro and
Rodrigo Dornelles occupying three of the four final berths.
However the South Americans seemed powerless to halt the
progress of natural footer from Scott’s Head in NSW as a
focussed Munro quickly sewed up the 35-minute final to secure
his 3rd ever WQS career victory. The Brazilians were left to
settle for runner up positions with Moura taking second and
Monteiro and Dornelles taking third and fourth respectively. |
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The
US$100,000 World Qualifying Series event (WQS) commenced with
the quarterfinals this morning. After a short break the
semi-finals hit the water before climaxing with the grand finale
late afternoon. Despite the left-hander of Lohi’s failing to
attract the perfect turquoise walls that had been present
earlier in the contest the high performance wave continued to
host highly rippable 1.5-meter conditions for the culmination of
the 2003 event.
Under
an oppressive tropical sun and in front of a huge crowd the
35-minute hunt for Deep Blue Open glory began. Trent Munro, no
stranger to Maldives finals after his third place performance in
2002, made his intentions clear from the very start. Pulling
into a long walling set wave he proceeded to work it all the way
down the line, vertically hooking up under the crumbling lip in
rapid succession, before finishing in fine style with a modest
aerial on the inside section to collect a 8.67 score. Backed up
with two more high scorers, an 8.3 and a 8.1, Trent’s solid
lead left his competitors anxiously scratching for an
unattainable combination of big rides as the minutes slipped
away. |
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TRENT
MUNRO |
Showered
with beer an ecstatic Munro finally made it back to
shore after being mobbed by his Australian supporters
who had congregated in a flotilla of zodiac boats on the
shoulder of the Lohi’s reef.
“That
just feels great,” said Trent. “It’s been a long
time since I have had a win! Last year I got third so
this year I was really determined to win it. I just
can’t explain how good it is! When your surfing at
this level anyone can win. It was a tight heat but luck
seemed to be on my side. I had no strategy. I just
wanted to come here and enjoy myself and that’s what I
have done. After 5 months out of the water because of my
knee injury it’s good to be back on form and win!
It’s the best warm up for the Japanese WCT and a real
confidence boost!” He added. |
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Second
place Paulo Moura, who displayed devastating form throughout the
contest, was powerless to respond to Munro’s onslaught in the
final. Starting out his quest for glory with a solid wave and
backing it up with another ride in quick succession Moura looked
every bit the champion as he repeatedly slammed the lip.
Unfortunately he was unable to capitalise on his weighty openers
and reluctantly settled for the second spot.
“I’m
stoked to have made the final.” Said Moura. “The waves for
the final were difficult but Trent surfed them really well
getting those two big 8 scores, it was difficult after that to
remain focussed knowing that his scores were so big. I would
obviously liked to have won but my second is good and gives me
motivation for the next contest. It was cool to surf with the
other Brazilians guys, it was a nice friendly final and it’s
been an amazing contest. Maybe next year I’ll go one better.”
He added. |
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Raoni
Monteiro took the third spot from Rodrigo Dornelles in
his first ever WQS final. The young Brazilian, who
earlier in the week posted the only 10-point ride in the
history of the Deep Blue, traded hits with Dornelles and
Moura as they launched an assault on Munro’s lead. But
it was not to be and Monteiro eventually settled for
third place, US$4,000 and 1606 WQS tour points.
“It
was a good final, I’m so happy and so stoked with my
result!” Said a glowing Raoni. “It’s my first ever
final on the WQS tour so that’s good for me. It was
hard out there because I was so tired but really good to
be in a final with three other Brazilians. I thought one
of us would win but Trent Munro was surfing so well so
he deserved the win. I have some great memories from the
contest. My 10-point ride yesterday was one of the
highlights of my trip to the Maldives. I’ll never
forget that wave it was so perfect from start to
finish!” |
PAULO
MOURA |
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Rodrigo
Dornelles, runner up in the first Deep Blue Open contest in
2001, was unable to go one better in his second Maldives final.
The brilliance that had seen him climb through the heats over
the week’s competition appeared to be wavering during final 35
minutes. Out of position and facing the monumental task of
toppling Trent’s colossal lead, Dornelles frustration began to
show through as he fell on a few good scoring waves and
struggled to make an impact on the proceedings. Dornelles
settled for fourth place, US$3000 and 1474 WQS tour points. |
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MICHAEL
CAMPBELL |
As
champagne showered down on the victorious Trent Munro,
O’Neill Europe’s Bernhard Ritzer thanked all
involved for making the Deep Blue Open the most
successful WQS event on the tour The weeklong contest
again saw some excellent surfing unfold in prime
conditions. Contest director Matt Wilson summed up the
3rd O’Neill Deep Blue Open as the freesurf sessions
took to the water. “In short we’ve had
unbelievable waves and seen some unbelievable surfing!
It’s been an incredible event again.” Said Matt.
“The waves have peen pretty much flawless and the
weather has been amazing. The surfers couldn’t ask for
anymore and we couldn’t have asked for any more as
organisers. There have been so many highlights
especially in the earlier heats. Let’s hope we return
in 2004 for more of the same!” he stated before
joining the rest of the ASP event officials in the
lineup.
The O’Neill Deep Blue Open today entered the
penultimate stages of the competition finishing the
day’s proceedings knocking on the door of the
quarterfinals. Proceedings were delayed first thing this
morning as the hulhangu, otherwise known as the South
West Monsoon, shed another payload of torrential rain
and unleashed gale force winds on the islands. By
midmorning it had vanished and the ASP Australia event
officials made the call for the event to commence. |
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Lohi’s,
the focus wave of the contest so far, was inconsistent, however,
it still managed to dish up the occasional, perfect, doodle book
waves witnessed in the earlier stages of the contest.
Of the
40 surfers that started the day with sights set on the quarters
only 16 would make it through. The majority bowing out of the
2003 event by nightfall. With everything to play for the stops
were pulled out and day 5 of the Maldives contest recorded a
barrage of sharply contested high scoring heats.
O’Neill
team rider Jarrad Howse from Australia was the first to snatch a
spot in the quarters. The huge scoring heat set the precedent
for the remaining 7 heats to follow with Howse, Luke Hitchings (Aus)
and Victor Ribas (Brz) taking turns to lead the heat as the
scores were exchanged. In the final five minutes Howse racked up
a high scoring 8 to slip into first place with Victor Ribas
taking second.
“Oh
it’s so good to make it through!” said Howse. “It’s my
first quarters in a year so I’m really happy. I just waited
and only caught two waves but they were both high scorers so I
guess I was lucky. It was kind of like Australia versus Brazil
out there, it’s a bummer that Luke (Hitchings) didn’t make
it. The waves are inconsistent and it gives you almost too much
time to think. Sometimes a few negative thoughts slip into your
head so you have to stay focussed, regroup and wait for that
next set.” he added. |
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O'NEILL DEEP BLUE OPEN 2004
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