Puerto Rican Bags Corona Extra Pro Surf Circuit Win, Gains Confidence
For 2010 WQS Push By
Mike
Martin; Photos Courtesy APSPR.net
TURF: APSPR Corona
Extra Pro Surf Circuit Event #3; Domes, Rincon, PR; February 27th-28th, 2010
ENERGY: Good waves
in the three- to six-foot range, with calm to slightly sideshore winds on
Saturday. Sunday started out calm and beautiful, but strong northeast
sideshores again picked up by midday. A few head-high sets were on offer for
the lucky, before things laid down again late afternoon for glassy finals. True
to Puerto Rico’s tropical form, it was hot and humid, with temperatures in the
80s and occasional showers.
FIRST TIME
AT FIGHT CLUB: 20-year-old Rob Kelly of Ocean City, NJ, advanced all the
way to the man-on-man semifinals, where he fell to eventual winner and local
hero Brian Toth. Leif Engstrom, a 21-year-old Rincon transplant from Montauk,
NY, also placed equal-3rd after being eliminated by 35-year-old runner-up
Carlos Cabrero of San Juan. In addition, Engstrom was the winner of the $500 Coppertone
Best Performance Award for his 9.0 in early-round competition. Leif secured that
near-perfect score by boosting a high-flying air reverse on one of the rare
good lefts at the predominantly righthand break.
SLIDE: Esteemed
Puerto Rican veteran Cabrero became the repeat champion of the 2010 APSPR
(Associacion de Profesional Surfing de Puerto Rico) Corona Extra Pro Surf Circuit
by advancing to the final of Event #3, where he finished a close second to
Toth, 23, of Isabela in a great man-on-man clash. Cabrero actually clinched the
championship tally in the quarterfinals, when he defeated fellow San Juan
resident Leslie Bursian to gain 410 points and put the overall title out of
reach of his nearest rival, Gabriel Escudero, 25, also of San Juan. Gaby’s shot
at the title ended when he was eliminated in a shock upset in the quarterfinals
by 41-year-old veteran Juan Ashton. Cabrero rode the emotional momentum of his
title past another upstart youngster, Engstrom, in the semis.
However,
Brian Toth was clearly the in-form surfer of the event, having advanced over
two South Jersey surfers, Matt Keenan and Rob Kelly, in the quarters and
semifinals, respectively. Toth is currently the highest-ranked Puerto Rican and
East Coast surfer in the ASP’s combined World Rankings, where as of press time he
sits inside the Top 100 at #67.
APSPR
and Corona have always supported the efforts of the mujeres with a Women’s division at each of their events. Karina
Petroni, former ASP Dream Tour competitor from Atlantic Beach, FL, has used Puerto
Rican waters as a training ground for years. She has won two previous events here
at Domes, and marched through to the semis once more. However, a youth movement
is well underway in the women’s ranks, and now Petroni finds herself the
seasoned veteran at the ripe old age of 21. This year’s Domes event was won by
diminutive New York transplant Quincy Davis, who at only 14 has become the
dominant female competitor on the island, as she accomplished the remarkable
double feat of also winning the 2009-2010 overall Women’s title. Her victory in
the final was accomplished at the price of her Floridian rival, 16-year-old Jasset
Umbel, who won the $500 Coppertone Best Performance Award for the wahines.
Finishing equal-3rd with Karina was 18-year-old Alexis Engstrom, who matched
her brother Leif’s finish by also making the semifinals.
THE PAIN: Cabrero
was chasing an 8.3 in the closing minutes of the 30-minute final, in need of a
score he had already gotten twice in earlier rounds. But an untimely 10-minute
lull at the end of the heat conspired to leave him sitting in a flat ocean and
accepting another 2nd-place trophy. It was a bitter pill for Carlos to swallow,
as he suffered the unique and dubious distinction of placing in four
consecutive APSPR finals and six consecutive quarterfinals without tasting
victory. However, Cabrero’s remarkable consistency has now earned him two
straight APSPR Corona Extra Pro Surf Circuit season titles, as well as the
distinction of never having finished outside the Top 5 during the entire eight-year
history of the organization.
THE MAN: Brian
Toth was emotional atop the victory podium. His past two grueling years on the WQS
slog have kept him away from competing on his home island, but this time he was
finally back again at Domes, celebrating with his girlfriend, brother, mom, and
dad beaming below him. Soaked in the obligatory Corona shower, he addressed the
admiring local crowd in Spanish before hoisting his $4000 check high.
YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB: “This victory in my home waters gives me a great boost of
momentum when I fly off to Margaret River, Australia, next month to resume my
ASP career. Muchas Gracias!” –Domes winner Brian Toth, relishing his Domes
victory before looking forward to the rest of 2010 WQS season
FINAL RESULTS OF THE APSPR CORONA EXTRA PRO SURF CIRCUIT
EVENT #3:
MENS 1.
Brian Toth, $4000
2.
Carlos Cabrero, $1800
3.
Leif Engstrom, Rob Kelly, $800
5.
Leslie Bursian, Juan Ashton, Matt Keenan, Fernando Alvarez, $250
9.
Hector Santa Maria, Mark Dawson, Tommy Bursian, Gabriel Escudero, $225
13.
Darren Muschett, Cam Richards, Jose Tavares, Eric Victor Torres, $175
South Carolina’s Cam Richards Steals 12th Annual
Tommy Tant Memorial Classic Men’s Pro Title From Florida Vets; Cody Thompson, Amy Nicholl,
Noah Schweizer, And Dan Worley Also Win Big
VQS
HITS THE JACKPOT AT CASINO PIER Jellyfish Surf Series Winners Include Local Boys
Hammer, Schmidt, Vanaman, And Siganos, Along With Florida Girl Emily Ruppert
DUBIOUS RECORD The WRV
Outer Banks Pro Presented By Hurley Offers Locals Genuine Perspective & More
Money Per Square Foot Of Wave Than Any Surf Contest In History
Sweetwater Leaves It Up To The Grom At Oakley Surf Shop Challenge Mid-Atlantic Regional Qualifier; “Uncle” Andrew Gesler Drives Heritage Win Home In Northeast
By Matt Pruett and Nick McGregor;
Photos by Matt Lusk
