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Nokia Biarritz Surf Festival (10-18 July)
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) www.aspworldtour.com 2004 World Longboard Tour (WLT)
July 10th, 2004 (Côte des Basques, Biarritz, France)
The 2004 Nokia International Longboard Bear Championships of the Nokia Biarritz Surf Festival were inaugurated this morning with the ceremony of the Ho'Okupu (mix of waters from the surfers' home spots), symbol of the origins of each surfer and of the unique community of surfing. Conducted by the legendary Clyde Aikau from Hawaii, special guest of this festival, surfers, tandem teams, Polynesian canoes gathered at the outside in front of the crowd. The event began with a wonderful journey through Polynesian culture.
At 3pm started the Nokia International Longboard Bear Championships of the Biarritz Surf Festival. With US$35,000 prize money, all the best nations of longboard made the trip to meat here hoping to bring the crown home. Indeed, it's here in Biarritz that will be known the 2004 world champion of longboard at the end of the contest next Sunday.
This year looks promissing with a total of 114 surfers present in the international contest including more than 45 European surfers but overall with the best longboarders of the world. Former world champion Rusty Keaulana (Haw), former world champion and last year's world #2 and amazing free surfer Joel Tudor (USA, Ca), last year's winner of the Nokia Biarritz Surf Festival Taylor Jensen (USA) and 3 times world champion Colin McPhillips (USA) will compete for the world champion crown here at the Côte des Basques in Biarritz, France.
The first wild card was given to Jonathan Larcher (Fra), 2003 European champion, who got to the semifinals here last year. 18 years old Antoine Delpero, winner of the Nokia Biarritz Surf Festival Junior Longboard in 2002, was given the second wild card as one of the most promissing French longboarders.
In 2-3 ft glassy waves the first 20-minute heat took place under a sunny sky and in front of a numerous crowd. The contest will run today until 7pm with the two pre-trial heats of the Nokia WLC Bear event, and the round of 112. The surf's on for a week from now and it's obvious that there's gonna be some action here in Biarritz for the 2004 World Longboard Championships in this Nokia Biarritz Surf Festival.
Check-in tomorrow at 8:00 am for the round of 96 of the Nokia International Longboard Bear Championships, which will be followed by the round of 72.
Delphine Stein
ASP Europe/EPSA Manager
Villa Casa Mia
9, rue des Acacias
40 130 Capbreton
France
Ph. (33) 5 58 72 39 96/ (33) 6 85 05 49 46
Fax. (33) 5 58 41 85 89
e-mail: aspeurope@wanadoo.fr
site: www.aspeurope.com
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