Asher Nolan Claims Quiksilver Pro New York Trials, Earns Spot In Main Event By Casey Butler; Photos by Tom Dugan
TURF: Quiksilver Pro New York Trials Presented By UnsOund Surf, Supported By Vitamin Water; National
Boulevard, Long Beach, NY; September 4th, 2011.
ENERGY: Early Sunday morning, before the start of the Trials,
the beach at National Boulevard was deserted, save for a bare-bones crew of
photogs, surfers, and event staff. And a lot of tents and towers. Come to think
of it, maybe it wasn’t so empty, but it would soon feel like it, by comparison.
An hour later, a few thousand additional people had gathered to observe the
fray for the last remaining wildcard entry in the Quiksilver Pro New York,
which happened to take place in two-foot waves turned choppy by a humid,
onshore wind.
The conditions weren’t so
hot. But the throngs of spectators didn’t mind; their numbers multiplied
exponentially as the fog (and Saturday’s parties) wore off. It’s not often that
East Coasters, let alone New Yorkers, have the opportunity to watch their
hometown heroes vie for a spot in a monumental international contest, and they
showed their unconditional love with completely biased applause. Not that
there’s anything wrong with that.
FIRST TIME AT FIGHT CLUB: There’s no surfing in New York. Wait, there’s a World
Tour event? Huh. The world’s best surfers have invaded Long Beach and more than
20,000 people showed up to watch the Trials. Surfer’s Photo Editor Grant Ellis
said, “It was like a crowd you’d get for a final of some events. Normally,
there is nobody on the beach for a trials event.”
SLIDE: This competition almost didn’t happen. Hurricane
Irene bitch slapped the city of Long Beach so hard that they thought for a
moment that the Quik Pro wasn’t really all that important. Outraged fans,
surfers, and moms begged to differ and the Trials once again became relevant.
The Trials’ mixture of
international Quik riders, regional contest winners, and standout Atlantic guys
was reflected in the final, where Hawaiian Keanu Asing and Australian Garrett
Parkes faced Florida’s Asher Nolan and Jeremy Johnston. Unfavorable conditions
left surfers scrambling for scores above 6.0, which resulted in a couple of
paddle battles. An interference was called on New Smyrna Beach’s Jeremy
Johnston when he and Aussie Garrett Parkes nearly collided.
Despite the conditions, the
finalists all made serious grabs for the break of a lifetime: Asher with his
signature sweeping carves, Garret throwing a fins-free reverse, Keanu squeezing
five (count ‘em, five!) backside
snaps into a single ride, and Jeremy pulling an air reverse that sent spectators
into an uproar — the good kind. It was sort of funny to witness such epic
levels of stoke in such mediocre conditions.
One minute, Asher was in the
lead, and then Keanu passed him with ultra-concentrated power and clarity. One
of the commentators called the round “a crazy horse race.” With a minute left,
Keanu Asing underscored his intentions with a 7.33, but Asher Nolan ultimately
repoed the contest with his own 7.33 an 8.33 to claim the last remaining wildcard. In an interesting
twist, Jordy Smith bowed out of the comp due to a rib injury and fellow South
African Travis Logie, who lost in the trials, replaced him in the main event.
THE PAIN: Keanu Asing surfed hard and missed the wildcard by
less than a pair of points, only to have non-finalist Logie take Jordy’s comp
slot (he was an alternate). Local(-ish) boys TJ Gumiela,
Leif Engstrom, and Sam Hammer were all knocked out in the first round, despite
a strong showing of local support and some nice above-the-lip tactics.
THE MAN: Asher Nolan. The 32-year-old Jacksonville Beach,
Florida native knows Long Beach well: he’s been a three-time finalist at the UnsOund
Pro and he won the comp in 2005. With Sunday’s win, he secured his spot in the East Coast's
largest-ever contest — and a minimum of $11,000, whether he wins or loses.
Asher faced Australia’s Mick Fanning and Brazil’s Heitor Alves (who
currently rank 6th and 28th, respectively) in Heat Five of Round One. “It means
the world,” Nolan said. “I usually watch all the ‘CT events on the Internet
— I’ve never surfed in them — and these guys are my idols. It’s
going to be super exciting.”
YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT
FIGHT CLUB: "I knew it was
going to be really difficult today because of the conditions. The 15 other
surfers (in the trials) were really good surfers, too. I was just taking it one
heat at a time; I wasn't thinking about winning the wildcard.” –Winner
Asher Nolan on his mindset going into the Trials
“Dreams do come true.” –Esteemed
commentator Dave Stanfield on East Coaster Asher’s wildcard
FINAL RESULTS OF THE QUIKSILVER
PRO NEW YORK TRIALS PRESENTED BY UNSOUND SURF, SUPPORTED BY VITAMIN WATER:
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
