For the first time, Quiksilver is organizing a 6 star ASP surfing competition at the legendary spot of Ericeira in Portugal, from October 19th to 24th. After the King of the Groms in Zarautz (Euk), the Quiksilver Pro France (ASP World Tour), Quiksilver Europe is now set to stage a major ASP Tour 2010 event at yet another of Europe's classic surf spots, Ribeira d’Ilhas in Ericeira, Portugal.
The Quiksilver Pro Portugal, a 6 star-rated leg of the ASP professional men's surfing tour, Men’s Star (formerly WQS), will play host to an extended field of elite surfers and local talents such as Vasco Ribeiro (wildcard), who embodies the new generation of Portuguese surfers. The new world tour rules introduced after Teahupoo/Tahiti, which cut down the men's elite to a total of 32 athletes, served to raise the level of the old WQS, and the stakes for winning promotion to the Dream Tour are higher than ever.
It all means that the Quiksilver Pro Portugal, scheduled to take place right after the Portuguese leg of the ASP World Tour and with a prize fund of 145,000$, is guaranteed to be a sporting success. The waves and the local environment will no doubt make for a great event. Under the guidance of charismatic local surfer, Jose Gregorio, the Quiksilver Pro Portugal has set up shop in Ericeira, Portugal's surfing Mecca, on the edge of a typical village located 50km far from Lisbon. And the atmosphere, with the enthusiastic Portuguese surfing fans and a veritable festival of side-events including concerts, film screening and evenings, promises to be seriously hot!
