2011 ASP World Championship Tour kicks off...

Quicksilver Pro Gold Coast 2011

The long awaited and much anticipated 2011 ASP World Title race is just a few short days away from commencing.  Land Rover, one of the world’s leading SUV 4x4 manufacturers presents the Quicksilver Pro Gold Coast. It’s a new year, clean slate, fresh moves and a chance for disappointed dreams of last year to become reality this year.

The first event of the ASP men’s World Tour 2011 will take place out at Snapper Rocks on Queensland’s Gold Coast from February 26 through March 09, 2011. The beach named after the gnarly outcrop of old lava. Snapper Rocks offers a high-performance pointbreak allowing the Quicksilver Pro Gold Coast the ability to go mobile to several  nearby world-class waves, offering the ideal forum for the ASP top 34 to open up their respective 2011 ASP World Title Campaigns.

“The waves at Snapper wake me up enough for motivation and I’d love to get another win at The Quicksilver Pro. Either a great way to go out or to start another campaign! It will depend on where the waves show up,” Kelly Slater (10-Time ASP World Champion) said.

Taj Burrow (Aus), defending event champion fine-tuned his equipment and boosted his confidence with a World Qualifying Series (WQS) win at Burleigh Heads last Sunday. Burrow who has featured in the top 5 for most of the past decade, said that winning the illusive World Title would mean everything to him. The 32 year old Australian is looking to defend this title in this event and start his campaign on a high note.

Jordy Smith (ZAF), 2010 ASP World Runner-Up has been recharging in his home town South Africa for the upcoming season preparing mentally and physically for the tour which takes on the world’s best. Finishing Runner-Up, coupled with his incredible run amongst the world’s elite last year, Smith has established himself as a major contender at the Gold Coast. “The first thing that comes to mind regarding Snapper is that it’s one of the best rip, tear and slash waves around,” Smith said.

Dane Reynolds (USA), who finished the 2010 ASP World Title season in 4th, has withdrawn from the Quicksilver Pro after undergoing surgery on his right knee which he injured in Hawaii in early December. Cory Lopez (USA), will be serving as his replacement at the event.

Surfers, shapers and all water crazed, be prepared to be entertained and bedazzled!  These top 34 Surfers are breaking boundaries daily in terms of high-performance surfing.  I’ve got my boardy, do you?

QUICKSILVER PRO GLD COAST ROUND 1:
Heat 1: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA), Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS), Bobby Martinez (USA), Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 5: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Patrick Gudauskas (USA), TBA
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA), Kai Otten (AUS), TBA
Heat 7: Owen Wright (Aus), Taylor Knox (USA), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 8: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Brett Simpson (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 9: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 10: Michel Bourez (PYF), C.J. HOBGOOD (USA), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 11: Chris Davidson (AUS), Keiren Perrow (AUS), Adam Melling (Aus)
Heat 12: Jadson Andre (BRA), Damian Hobgood (USA), Tiago Pires (PRT)