|
Jadson Andre
beat Kelly Slater last week at the Billabong Pro Santa Catarina to become the
first ASP World Tour rookie to win a Dream Tour event in four years. Over the
last four months, Gabriel Medina has netted an ISA World Junior Championship, a
Rip Curl GromSearch International title, and a confidence-building scalp of CJ
Hobgood at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. And Granger Larsen looks to follow
fellow Maui hotshot Dusty Payne on the World Tour any day now.
What do
these international superstars have in common? New Smyrna Beach, FL’s, Evan
Geiselman smoked ‘em all yesterday in the opening rounds of the ASP Grade-2M Oakley
Pro Junior, held in conjunction with the ASP PRIME Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro at Lower
Trestles, CA. Utilizing the long two- to three-foot open-faced Trestles lefts
on offer, the East Coast’s “Golden Child” put on a stunning display of aerial
maneuvers, nailing the second-highest heat score (17.00) and the second-highest
wave score (9.5) of the day in downing Medina.
“Gabriel
went crazy in his first heat and I didn’t really have the best opener
and I just got mad,” Geiselman told the ASP. “Then I saw that I was surfing
against Gabriel and thought, ‘Alright, I’m going to have to do some pretty big
stuff,’ and that’s what I did. Luckily I kept getting those lefts and it just
worked out. I knew I was going to have to do big airs if I was going to compete
with those guys.”
“Compete” is
an understatement when it comes to Evan’s recent contest domination: two wins
at Sebastian Inlet as part of Surf Fest 2010 in March, including his maiden ASP
victory at the Grade-3M Ron Jon Sebastian Inlet Pro presented by Skullcandy.
Two more titles at the NSSA East Coast Championships in April, bringing his
record-breaking regional tally to 15. A clean sweep of the 2010 LandShark Pro
and DNA Energy Drink Pro Junior at home in New Smyrna Beach. Another commanding
Surfing America Prime Series performance last weekend in Cape Hatteras. A lock
on the top spot of the ASP North America Pro Junior rankings, which could lead
to a berth on the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour.
“This is
guaranteed the hardest Pro Junior of the year, so I’m happy to be in the
semis,” Geiselman said. “I’ve still got another heat to try and make it
through, so I need to stay focused, but I’m really happy with the way that the
first day has gone.”
Not to be
outdone, Geiselman’s good friend and fellow Floridian Evan Thompson also posted
a solid opening day, winning his first heat over 2009 ASP North America Pro
Junior Series champion Nat Young with a solid 13.84 heat total and advancing
through the Quarterfinals behind Hawaii’s Tyler Newton. That means the two
Evans are the East Coast’s last remaining representatives in the Oakley Pro
Junior Semifinals, as Carolina boy Fisher Heverly and Virginia Beach funnyman
Michael Dunphy both finished 4th in their respective Quarterfinal heats.
But that’s
OK for Right Coast surf fans. The way Geiselman has steadily upped every single
aspect of his game, we’ll likely be pinning all of our competitive hopes on him
for years to come.
Hope you
don’t mind, Evan, but that’s just the way it goes — once you made it
clear that you were the Eastside’s Best In Class, Best In Show must follow.
For
photos, videos, heats on demand, and a live webcast of the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro
and Oakley Pro Junior, visit www.nike6lowerspro.com
Stay
tuned to www.EasternSurf.com for
continuing coverage of both events
|
