Bianca, stoked on her equal 3rd at the Hunter Ports Women’s Classic.
As the start of the 2014 WCT season draws near, Bianca Buitendag has found a good rhythm ahead of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast. The Vic Bay local ripped her way to the semi-finals of the 6-Star Hunter Ports Women’s Classic at the Newcastle Surfest this weekend, and her equal 3rd place has moved her up to 7th in the WQS rankings.
Winning all her heats until her semi-final loss to fellow Dream Tour surfer, Alessa Quizon, the 2013 ‘Rookie of the Year’ will be looking to keep the momentum going as she launches her second season on the Dream Tour.
Backing up his gutsy performance at heavy Pipe earlier this month, David Van Zyl has made a bright start to his maiden WQS season.
Durban’s David Van Zyl also found some good form at the 6-Star Burton Toyota Pro, which forms part of the Newcastle Surfest. He carved his way to the Round of 24, grabbing equal 17th place and 625 points towards his WQS tally. Competing in his first full qualifying campaign, this result has moved David up to 51st on the rankings.
Beyrick De Vries took out Parko in the Round of 48.
Sitting above David at 42nd is Beyrick De Vries. The Umhlanga local also surfed his way to the Round of 24 and equal 17th. Among his list of scalps was 2012 ASP World Champ, Joel Parkinson, and Beyrick is looking good to build on the momentum he started last year.
A couple of solid heat wins during the Australian qualifying leg has seen KZN south coast surfer, Sarah Baum, move to 16th in the Women’s WQS rankings.
Two big heat wins at the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing saw Sarah Baum move up to 16th in the WQS rankings as the Australian leg concludes.
See more on www.surfest.com
Or check out the official press release below.
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BIANCA BUITENDAG THIRD IN HUNTER PORTS WOMEN’S CLASSIC IN AUSTRALIA
Bianca Buitendag (George, South Africa) performs a trademark vertical backhand turn on her way to third place in the ASP 6-Star rated Hunter Ports Women’s Classic in Australia. © ASP / Robertson
South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag employed her trademark vertical backhand manoeuvres to clinch third place in the Hunter Ports Women’s Classic, a 6-Star rated ASP Qualifying Series (QS) event in Newcastle, Australia today (Sunday).
Buitendag was in sparkling form, winning three of the four heats she contested on her way to the semi-finals before bowing out to Alessa Quizon (HAW) by 11.83 vs. 14.50. The 20 year-old from George collected US $1 900 (about 21 000) and 2 080 points which moved her up to No. 7 on the ASP Women’s QS rankings after three events.
The confidence boosting performance was ideal preparation for Buitendag’s campaign on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP Women’s WCT which gets underway at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast in Queensland on 1 March. In 2013 she finished her inaugural year at the highest level ranked No. 8 and was crowned the Rookie of the Year.
The Hunter Ports Women’s Classic was won by Malia Manuel who defeated fellow Hawaiian Alessa Quizon in the final. SA’s Sarah Baum (Durban) finished equal 13th and Faye Zoetmulder ended equal 67th.
The Burton Toyota Pro, a 6-Star ASP QS men’s event, which ran in conjunction with the women’s event as part of the 2014 Surfest Newcastle Australia, was won by Matt Banting who beat fellow Australian Nathan Hedge in the final earlier today.
Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) and David van Zyl (Durban) were the highest placed South Africans in equal 17th place with US $2 000 and 625 points each. Slade Prestwich (Durban) ended equal 49th, Dale Staples (St Francis Bay) and Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) were equal 73rd and Michael February (Kommetjie) placed equal 97th.
Lightfoot also reached the quarter-finals of the Hunter Business Boardriders Pro Junior, finishing equal 13th overall.
See www.surfest.com for full results, photos, videos and more.
ASP Qualifying Series Rankings (After Newcastle)
MEN:
1st – De Souza,Adriano (BRA) – 6564pts
2nd – Banting,Matt (AUS) – 3729pts
3rd – Hedge,Nathan (AUS) – 3470pts
4th – Hermes,Tomas (BRA) – 3000pts
5th – Martin,Charles (GLP) – 2716pts
SOUTH AFRICANS:
42nd – De Vries, Beyrick (ZAF) – 1005pts
51st – Van Zyl, David (ZAF) – 855pts
81st – Staples, Dale (ZAF) – 610pts
89th – February, Michael (ZAF) – 536pts
93rd – Prestwich, Slade (ZAF) – 500pts
155th – Lightfoot, Dylan (ZAF) – 190pts
WOMEN:
1st – Manuel, Malia (HAW) – 5580pts
2nd – Quizon, Alessa (HAW) – 5280pts
3rd – Moore, Carissa (HAW) – 3500pts
4th – Melamed, Nage (HAW) – 3120pts
5th – Le Car, Maud (FRA) – 3000pts
SOUTH AFRICANS:
7th – Buitendag, Bianca (ZAF) – 2460pts
16th – Baum, Sarah (ZAF) – 1570pts
62nd – Zoetmulder, Faye (ZAF) – 433pts
