Australian Dean Bowen (Gerroa, NSW) warms up for the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials which is expected to run tomorrow (Sunday Aug 14th) at Teahupo’o, Tahiti. The winner and highest placed Tahitian receive wildcards into the main event of the Blllabong Pro, event # 5 on the 2011 ASP Mens World Tour. Credit: Dawe/Billabong.
AIR TAHITI NUI VONZIPPER TRIALS WAITING PERIOD BEGINS TOMORROW HEAT DRAW FINALISED
August 14 2011 | Posted in Press Releases,Related Links
Teahupo’o, Tahiti (Saturday, August 13th 2011) The final 32 surfers and draw for the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials has been decided following the completion of a local ‘pre-trials’ event held today in four-to-six foot waves at Teahupo’o.
The pre-trials event was used to decide the remaining eight local Tahitian surfers who will join the seeded surfers in the actual Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials.
The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials consists of eight international invitees, eight sponsor wildcards and 16 local Tahitians making up the total field of 32.
From there, only the winner of the trials is guaranteed a wildcard seed direct into the Billabong Pro’s elite main event. A second position is open to the highest placed local Tahitian surfer.
It’s a challenging road for any aspiring world tour surfer and distinguishes the best from the best. All surfers are renowned big wave or tube-riding specialists.
2010 Trials winner Tuamata Puhetini (PFY) claims humbly that luck played a factor in his win last year ahead of fellow local Tamaroa McComb (PFY), especially with so many quality riders in the hunt.
“The trials is our biggest opportunity each year, so all the local surfers do their best to try and win. The motivation is there to do well or wait another year. Plus it’s our chance to make some money,” said Puhetini.
Australian charger and tube demon, Dean Bowen (AUS) has drawn last year’s trials runner up, McComb in Heat 4, along with Hawaiian Danny Fuller (HAW) and Niuhi Marere (PFY).
“It’s a gnarly heat, it’s heavy. But I guess every heat is heavy. Niuhi is dangerous out there and Danny got me a couple years ago,” explained Bowen.
“My goal is to get to the man-on-man rounds. A lot of the local guys haven’t got the man-on-man experience so that can play into the favour of the international guys who surf a lot more comps throughout the year. And being a goofy foot is an advantage too – especially if it’s going to be four-to-five foot.”
Historically, the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials champions have a habit of putting a dent in the world title campaigns of their top-seeded rivals. Most notably in 2007 when relative unknown Brazilian Bruno Santos and local wildcard Manoa Drollet went all the way to the final, finishing first and second respectively.
The VonZipper Air Tahiti Nui Trials window runs from August 14th – 17th, with just one day of competition required to find a winner.
A series of pre-event webisodes will be made available over coming days for websites. Stand by for further info.
Any media looking to register to attend the Billabong Pro, Tahiti or those who do not already receive event updates should apply here: http://billabongpro.com/bbpro/tahiti_media_registration
Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials - HEAT DRAW
Heat 1:Heiarii WILLIAMS (PFY) Enriqué ARIITU (PFY) LAURIE TOWNER (AUS) KAMALEI ALEXANDER (HAW)
Heat 2 Vetea DAVID (PFY) Tereva DAVID (PFY) MATT BROMLEY (ZAF) BRUNOS SANTOS (BRA)
Heat 3: Yan KEONI (PFY) Teva GUILLAIN (PFY) DYLAN LONGBOTTOM (AUS) GABRIEL VILLARAN (PER)
Heat 4: Tamaroa MCCOMB (PFY) Niuhi MARERE (PFY) DEAN BOWEN (AUS) DANNY FULLER (HAW)
Heat 5: Taumata PUHETINI (PFY) Ariimoana DAVID (PFY) DAMIEN WILLS (AUS) v BEN SANCHEZ (FRA)
Heat 6 Hira TERIINATOOFA (PFY) PRUNIER JEAN-BATISTE (PFY) ANTHONY WALSH (AUS) RICARDO SANTOS (BRA)
Heat 7: Heimata CARROLL (PFY) Tuhiti HAUMANI (PFY) BRUCE IRONS (PFY) SHINPHEI HORIGUCHI (JAP)
Heat 8: Steven PIERSON (PFY) Smith TIKANUI (PFY) DANE WARD (USA) ALVARO MALPARTIDA (BRA)
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