From next 14th to 19th of June, the second edition of the Quiksilver Pro Portugal will take place at the world-class surf spot, Ericeira, near Lisbon. Following the inaugural event in October 2010, which was classified as 6-stars and won by the Basque surfer, Hodei Collazo, the 2011 Quiksilver Pro Portugal steps up a notch.
Now classified as an ASP Prime event, with $250,000 prize money, the event is growing in scale and will take its position as the first top-level contest of the 2011 season on European soil. Among the 96 international surfers expected at the famous point break at Ribeira d’Ilhas, a wave very similar to Bells Beach (Aus), will be several members of the ASP World Tour.
Among them, the national hero, Tiago Pires who is from Ericeira and currently ranked 4th on the ASP World Tour. Tiago recently rejoined team Quiksilver, having started his career there. He will share top billing with his friend Jeremy Flores (Fra), also a member of team Quiksilver, number 9 in the world and 1st in Europe in 2010, who made his mark on the surfing world by winning the iconic Pipe Masters in Hawaii last December.
The Quiksilver Pro Portugal, like the other 10 Prime events on the ASP 2011, is more than ever crucial for those trying to make the jump into the closed circle of the best surfers in the world that only accepts the top 34. The Quiksilver Pro Portugal will be broadcast live on the Internet. The English commentary will be provided by a dream team trio: Jake Paterson (Aus), once a member of the ASP elite and a fountain of
knowledge, as well as two Brits, 1989 World Champion, Martin Potter and Spencer Hargraves. The Portuguese commentary will be provided by a trio of experts: journalists, Maria Ventura and Diogo Alpendre and the Portuguese surfing pioneer, Bruno Charneca, aka Bubas. The Quiksilver Pro Portugal will be a mobile event, so will be able to move to the beaches neighbouring Ribeira d’Ilhas, to be able to offer the surfers the best possible conditions.
As the first Prime European event of 2011, the Quiksilver Pro Portugal is an ideal opportunity for Quiksilver to simultaneously open its Tiago Pires Boardriders store in Ericeira. Following the stores in Capbreton and Paris, Quiksilver will lift the veil on its 3rd flagship European Boardriders that will also be the official seat of Quiksilver in Portugal. It will also feature a surf school backed by Tiago Pires and a skate park open to the public.
THE QUIKSILVER PRO PORTUGAL, AN ASP PRIME EVENT
With 11 $250,000 events, the ASP Prime circuit is the most prestigious after the ASP World Tour (which is now reduced to 34 surfers). Only the 96 best surfers on the ASP Men’s World Ranking, which comprises all the pro surfers in the ASP including the elite, will be invited.* The winner of a Prime event takes home 6500 points and 40,000 euros prize money (compared to the winner of a 6-star who wins 3500 points while the winner of an ASP World Tour event gains 10,000 points). To win a Prime event means a significant point advantage for a surfer aiming to qualify or maintain in the elite, which encourages many surfers on the ASP World Tour to try their luck in the Prime events.
*Depending on the number of surfers in the elite ASP World Tour who choose to compete, the invite list can extend beyond the top 96 in the world rankings.
