MUD FEST SEASON ENDER A NAIL BITER
Castrol Summer Mud Fest almost ends in a draw

The 2009 Mud Fest season ended with competition so tight, it almost took a tie breaker to declare the winner, at the Castrol Summer Mud Fest, staged Sunday August 23.

After an intense day of battling challenges, enduring vehicular problems and also braving the heat, Tfphill Juman and Matthew Caine narrowly edged out Jason Croney and Nick King to nab the title, King of the Mud.
Keeping the crowd on hand engaged for the day, the two teams along with 11 others gave spectators their money’s worth, as both classes - the General and Big Tyre -had too close to call finishes and several ties across the board.

In the end, the team of Juman and Caine, in their super modified, Sleep Rite Ltd. Suzuki Samurai won with 488 penalties and one DNF (Did Not Finish) versus Croney’s 488 and two DNFs.
Darrin White, one of the event’s organisers said there could not have been a better end to the season, despite the low entries which actually worked in the club’s favour.
“Sunday was the best Mud Fest so far despite what we consider a low entry, there were quality entries, all the competitors were experienced, and the vehicles well prepared, so that made for a smooth event.”

Juman and Caine, in the only four-wheel steering vehicle in the competition, and Croney and King, in a modified Suzuki Vitara, were neck and neck throughout the day. At the halfway point, Juman had the lead, but that quickly ended when Croney gained on him only to lose his grip after sustaining damage to his vehicle. Juman again took the lead before relinquishing it to Croney, eventually ending the day in a tie for points. Both teams competed in the Big Tyre class.

The competition was also keen in the classes, as David Brewster and Terry Mason took the General Class in their Champion Wrecker/ Marks Auto Spares Suzuki Samurai, just six points ahead of Brian Collymore and Adrian Jackson, also in a Suzuki Samurai. Brewster, whose vehicle sustained mechanic damage during completion, refused to give up, eventually earning him the top spot in his class as well as the respect of those who knew the challenges he faced on Sunday, prompting White to say: “ (David) Brewster’s attitude must be commended.”
Hadley Greene paired with Adrian Crane and David St. Hill with Ian Grimes, both in the Big Tyre class also tied for an overall fourth place finish, showing just how tight the competition was.

Thirteen teams were vying for top spots over 10 courses but in the end, only eight finished the event, which saw crowd favourite Ben Norris in his super modified Tom Cat, Land Rover, bow out after he sustained damage to his vehicle, and defending Mud Fest champion Rodney “Ramma” Mason, failing to start, also due to mechanical problems.
The competitors put on a good showing, providing much entertainment for those gathered at the club’s Pot House headquarters.
The second run of the-much-anticipated mud pit got the better of nine of the 11 who attempted the challenge. In the end, it might have been this course which cost Croney, who was in it to win the title, the top spot as this is where he earned his first DNF, breaking an axle, while Juman made it through was ease.

The Tank Trap was also another crowd pleaser. Here driver and spotter worked as a team, as the angles of the course required the spoter to direct the driver from outside of the vehicle, if there was any hope of conquering the tough terrain.
Other thrilling courses included the tractor pull; the tyre pit, and the rock pit which provided much entertainment for spectators, who were keen to place verbal wagers on their picks for each course.

White says the two events this season, the first to be staged at Pot House, went well; looking to next season he said despite the fun and extreme nature of the sport, they may scale back from the three mud fests that were planned for this year, and go for two Mud Fest events, maximum, for next year.
Juman and Caine will have to wait a little while longer, so see if Sunday’s win was enough to earn them the crown of overall King of the Mud for the 2009 season.
Mud Fest is staged by the Mud Dogs, the 4x4 arm of the Barbados Rally Club, this motor sport season saw two events take place. Last year’s King of the Mud, Dave Lowe did not compete this season, leaving the field wide open for a new champion.

Results:
General/Small Tyre:
David Brewster/ Terry Mason 214;
Brian Collymore/Adrian Jackman 208;
Russell Williams/Kemar Drakes 158;
Collin Goodman/Armando Matthews 152;
Nicolas Lorde/ Kyle Proverbs 138.

Big Tyre:
Tfphill Juman/Matthew Caine 256;
Jason Croney/Nick King 256;
Edson Arthur/Renata Roett 238;
Anthony King/Dave Sealy 228;
David St. Hill/Ian Grimes 198.

Overall:
Tfphill Juman/Matthew Caine 488, 1 DNF
Jason Croney/Nick King 488, 2 DNF
Edson Arthur/Renata Roett 438
Hadley Greene/ Adrian Crane and David St. Hill/ Ian Grimes 394.


Prepared by Ann-Marie Bailey

Barbados Team places 23rd

Barbados Team places 23rd at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games A full Barbados Team competed in the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games that were held in the perfect waves of Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, from August 1st through the 8th. The great team of eight Barbadian surfers placed 23rd in the Overall Team Standings. Individual team standings Open Men 81- Jonathan Reece 81- Christopher Clarke 81- Blake Sands 97- Simon Coles Open Women 33- Chelsea Tuach 49- Nikita Fitzwilliams Longboard 41- Kenneth Tuach 57- Kevin Jones About the International Surfing Association (ISA) The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980. ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since. The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karín Sierralta (Peru).

Team Barbados Chelsea Tuach Stephan Corbin

Kelly Slater on his way to his 9th ASP World Title on TV

Kelly Slater on his way to his 9th ASP World Title on TV

Team News & Entertainment Surf Phenom Kelly Slater on his way to his 9th ASP World Title. Catch the highs, lows, barrels and airs Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 August, 2009 : - - Cloud 9 - Kelly Slater’s Campaign for his 9th World Title. Take an in depth look into Kelly Slater’s journey from frustration to victory through the 2007 and 2008 WCT tours. He's won more world titles than any other competitive surfer and is the oldest and youngest tour champion. Four time ASP World Champ Mark Richards puts it like this: “Kelly Slater is a person who has transcended being called the greatest surfer in history. I think he’s on the verge of being called the greatest athlete in sporting history.” Cloud 9 includes footage spanning his career, opinions from former pro surfers and current WCT campaigners and peers from outside the realm of surfing like fellow legend Tony Hawk. The man himself weighs in with remarks on the motivation and attitude needed to achieve such results. One could easily assume that he was groomed for success in perfect running barrels from the moment he was born, but he hails from Cocoa Beach in Florida, an area with no real waves of distinction. Some retrospective footage sheds light on these early years, learning the finer points of his trade in closeout onshore beach breaks. The lack of waves was like fuel for the fire, pushing Slater to win the US open and place third in the world Championships at the age of 14. It was then that he began to contemplate a future where he could be winning contests and vying for glory. In 2007 he set about defending his world title, much to the dismay of a competitive field expecting him to bow out with 8 under his belt. Things started roughly and Slater was unable to produce a definitive result that would get him on track. He couldn’t build the much needed momentum and finished the tour in 3rd behind Taj Burrow and tour winner Mick Fanning. With a race like that 2008 was bound to be an interesting season. The rookies thought they had the tour wired and Kelly was refusing to commit to the tour full time. It seemed like the end of an era. However, the man is renowned for taking a negative and turning it into a positive. With all the attention on the new champion he flew a little further under the radar than usual. Kelly’s change in mindset and relaxed approach paid off, winning three of the next four events. Watch Kelly Slater rip apart some of the best waves in the world as he bounces back from disappointment and searches for his 9th world title on SuperSport 1 at 6pm. Date Time Channel August 24 18:00 SuperSport One / SuperSport One Africa / SuperSport CSN 25 12:40 SuperSport Six / SuperSport Six AfricA 21:30 SuperSport Two / SuperSport Two Africa / SuperSport CSN 18:00 SuperSport Seven / SuperSport Seven Africa / SuperSport (Ten) 26 02:30 SuperSport Two / SuperSport Two Africa 17:00 SuperSport Seven / SuperSport Seven Africa / SuperSport (Ten) 11:00 SuperSport Two / SuperSport Two Africa 29 23:05 SuperSport Five / SuperSport Five Africa 31 17:30 SuperSport Seven / SuperSport Seven Africa / SuperSport (Ten) September 01 05:30 SuperSport One / SuperSport One Africa 03 12:30 SuperSport One / SuperSport One Africa www.quiksilver.com

Surfboards more responsive tougher with Innegra fiber

Surfboards more responsive tougher with Innegra fiber

Industry News Surfers Experience A More Responsive, Tougher Board Thanks To Innegra Fiber Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 August, 2009 : - - Surfers, shapers, surf shop owners and even competitive surfers are beginning to take advantage of the responsive ride and tougher boards made with Innegra™ fiber. “It takes the chop out of the wave, combining the impact resistance of epoxy surfboards with the softness of polyurethane boards. It’s all about the feel,” said Arnaud Bezat, owner of Abezat Surfboards in the Netherlands. The fabric not only gives a better ride, but also adds incredible toughness to the boards. “I had it in my booth at Surf Expo 2008 and gave a hammer to everyone who came into the booth. Nobody could ding it. Then one guy asked if it would stand up to driving his truck over it, so we went out into the parking lot and drove over the board twice. It looked great!” said Roy Scafidi, owner of Island Surfboards and Oceansports World in Cocoa Beach. Scafidi has made and sold boards to Ron Jon Surf Shop where they are taking advantage of the durability in their rental boards. This durability gives you more time on the water and less time repairing your board! The fiber is the lightest composite reinforcement fiber available as well as one of the toughest. It is currently used in ballistic protection, high performance ropes, and a variety of composites including winning Formula One race cars with Technical Partner, Brawn GP Formula One Team. Scafidi of Oceansports World has also supplied Innegra fabrics to NASA engineers for testing in various applications where light weight and toughness is mission critical. These key advantages, in addition to its compatibility with many thermoset composite application methods are making it the fiber of choice for many demanding applications… including surfboards. On the West Coast, here’s what Joe Virgilio and George Gall from Plus One Surf had to say, "Innegra? Amazing. This stuff couldn't have come at a better time. Innegra is making us rethink how we make boards... ...we are just starting to see the potential." A team rider from a major, international brand commented, “My new Innegra board was so light and so responsive, when it rips for 100 surfs I’ll be convinced.” Hank Johns, co-owner of Graphite Master and SIMA board member said," A surfboard's flex and re-flex are what surfers feel (or don't feel) on the face of the wave. Innegra's significant property for surfboards is its dynamic tenacity. We will be investing a lot in this technology and really believe Innegra can represent a paradigm shift in custom board design." Through his distributorship he'll be selling Innegra fabrics to builders on the west coast as well as internationally. Also, Resin Research’s Greg Loehr offered his support by saying, "Many advanced composite materials have been used to build custom surfboards, but most haven't really made their way into the mainstream consumer market. I think Innegra has the opportunity to break through this barrier of "tradition" the way epoxy has. Innegra has the characteristics necessary to become a commercial success in surfboards: it is obviously incredibly tough, has unique flex characteristics, and best of all is the fact it is lighter than glass or resin and even lighter than carbon or Kevlar®.” Innegra’s advantages are being felt in the paddleboard market too according to Bob Boeche at Diamond Glassing. "A growing, important part of our custom glassing business is Stand Up Paddleboards. SUP'S from our customers like Stu Kenson Surfboards are evolving at a very fast pace. Their larger size puts a greater demand on weight than any other type of board. We've learned to maximize the strength-to-weight ratios. Glass is great , but the ultralight weight of Innegra is awesome. We are going to solve paddlestrike dings and rail cancer without adding weight or the costs of carbon." Boards are currently available from Oceansports World, Plus One Surf, and Abezat Surfboards in the Netherlands. Others soon to be offering boards are Diamond Glassing and Stu Kenson Surfboards in southern California, Gzero Boardsports in Brazil and Hellfish in Australia, UWL Surfboards in France and many more by the end of 2009. Fabrics are currently available from weavers Absecon Mills, BGF, J B Martin, and Lewcott and distributors Graphite Master, Oceansports World, and Advanced Composite Technology in North America as well as Colan Industries in Australia. The fabrics are compatible with standard surfboard manufacturing and are most effectively used next to the foam with a cover layer of glass over the graphics. Click here to see video of an Innegra built surfboard run over by a truck Innegrity manufactures high performance Innegra™ fiber for use in ballistic, composite and rope applications. The fiber delivers light weight and toughness at a cost that is reasonable compared to other high performance fibers, and has been used in combination with carbon, aramid and polyethylene fibers. Innegra fiber is being tested in sporting goods applications from tennis racquets, bicycle frames, baseball bats, kayaks, canoes and more. The company was founded in 2004, began pilot manufacturing in 2007 and started full-scale production in early 2009 in their 120,000 square foot facility in Mauldin, SC. Mark Shioleno; 1312 Old Stage Road, Simpsonville, SC 29681; 864...; 864-373-7080fax; mark.shioleno@innegrity.com

BARBADOS TOP JUNIOR SURFERS DOMINATE USA EVENT

BARBADOS TOP JUNIOR SURFERS DOMINATE USA EVENT

Chelsea Roett,Chelsea Tuach and Ametza Nicholls dismantled the American girl surfers in the 16 under division while Dane Mackie just missed out on Champion status in a close fought 12 under at the just concluded 2009 Ripcurl Gromsearch event in New Smyrna beach Florida last weekend.Roett started the final with a strong right hander all the way to the beach while Nicholls favored her forehand going left executing some quick turns and down the line power surfing but failing to make the connection to the inside.Tuach opened up with a right generating lots of speed and performing her signature slash off the top on a two maneuver wave.American Kayla Durden who finished 2nd in last years event had a hard time choosing the right waves to show her true talent.Roett collected another good right to earn another high score.Tuach and Nicholls brought on a Regular foot VS Goofyfoot battle as each favored the forehands getting nice turns and good speed out of the 3-4ft semi glassy conditions but it was Roett's day,catching the best ride of the finals in the dying seconds throwing big turns and stepping off on the beach in front of hundreds of spectators to claim her first major win and a trip to Salt Creek California on Nov 14th for a chance to qualify for the finals in Bells Beach Australia.

In the 12 under Boys division Round one, Dane Mackie and Joshua Burke were in heat four together against four American surfers ,coach for the Barbadian contingent Alan Burke states" In what appeared to be a strong possibility that we were going to have at least one bajan eliminated Dane and Josh did not disappoint,even though there was a 4-5ft Bull shark 15 ft from the beach,Dane and Josh exchanged wave for wave and finished 1st and 2nd respectively advancing to the next round","Myself and a Ripcurl photographer were standing at the waters edge when this 4-5ft Bull shark swam right infront of us feeding on some bait fish". Mackie and Burke continued their exhibition of excellent surfing with Burke been eliminated in the semi finals and Mackie taking to the finals to be Barbados's lone representative in a boys finals placing a commendable 2nd behind American Justin Croteau in a close 12 under final and just missing out on a birth to Saltcreek.

In the 14under boys Joshua Burke and Gavin Fernandes were surfing well and met in Heat 1 of the quarter finals,Fernandes came up short while Burke advanced with excellent surfing and look as though he was on his way to the finals but made a tactical error that would cost him a chance at Saltcreek,California." In the first 3 minutes of the Semi ,Josh caught the highest scoring ride of the 15 min heat,riding to the beach,but the current was strong and instead of him opting to run up the beach and paddle through the rip,which he is trained to do ,he took 11 minutes to make it back to the line up and never got a second scoring ride which is vital,all he needed was a poor second wave to advance as his first score was almost high enough to go to the finals" Coach Burke said.

Overall results:

12 under Boys:1st Justin Croteau USA,2nd Dane Mackie Barbados,3rd Logan Hayes USA,4th Cobie Grittner USA.equal 5th Joshua Burke Barbados.equal 16th Gavin Fernandes Barbados,equal 20th Andrew Rose Barbados.

14 under Boys: 1st Corey Howell USA,2nd Noah Schweizer USA,3rd Eros Exarou USA,4th Daniel Calloway USA. equal 5th Joshua Burke Barbados.equal 11th Gavin Fernandes Barbados.equal 16th Dane Mackie.

16 under Girls: 1st Chelsea Roett Barbados,2nd Chelsea Tuach Barbados,3rd Ametza Nicholls Barbados. 4th Kayla Durden USA.

Final stop of the Rip Curl GromSearch hits New Smyrna

Chelsea Roett : photo courtesy Rip Curl Rip Curl GromSearch New Smyrna Beach Florida 16 August 2009 Final stop of the Rip Curl GromSearch hits New Smyrna Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 August, 2009 : - - This past Sunday, August 16, groms from across the Sunshine State invaded New Smyrna Beach for the fourth and final stop of the Rip Curl GromSearch fueled by H2O Overdrive. A fun, crossed up swell welcomed the competitors who carried aspirations of the title, the cash, the loot, the coveted National Finals slot, and the bragging rights awarded to the 2009 Rip Curl GromSearch Florida Champion. The Boys 12/under was the first final to hit the water on Sunday as the tide turned and the swell pushed. The closest final of the day, Justin Croteau narrowly took the upper hand over Dane Mackie and snatched the sole invite to the National Finals. In the Boys 14/under, Noah Schweizer and Corey Howell exchanged blows, but Howell ultimately took hold of the reigns and rode out on top. Howell was in prime form, making two finals, winning the 14/under division, and rounding out the day with the H20 Overdrive Maneuver of the Event and $100 cash prize by throwing a massive carving reverse. Justin Couteau : photo courtesy Rip Curl The ladies also brought their A-game, but only one could win the title and the invite to the Salt Creek Finals. With so much on the line, tension was high, but at the end of the day, Chelsea Roett’s skills shined the brightest, as she dropped a high score in the dying minutes of the heat and solidified her win. Rip Curl’s own Florida ripper, Christian Miller, started strong in the Boys 16/under final, putting the pressure on young Evan Geiselman and fellow finalists. But EG would not be outdone and stormed back to claim a near perfect ride of 9.5. “I am so stoked! I never get to surf events at home any more and to have a few waves to ride made it that much better,” Geiselman enthused as he collected his winnings. “I am just stoked to make the National Finals and come out to California to get a shot a making it over to Bells.” The 2009 Rip Curl GromSearch regional qualifiers are wrapped up and a solid crew of surfers will be heading to California for the Rip Curl National Finals on November 14th at Salt Creek. An invitee list will be posted to Ripcurl.com/gromsearch as well as notified through email. For post event coverage log on to surfingthemag.com and cast your vote for the "Rip Curl GromSearch Video Elections presented by Surfing Mag", as well as get connected at Surfline's exclusive community site at surfline.com/gromsearch. For all media inquiries, please contact Rip Curl marketing coordinator Chelsea Johns: cjohns@ripcurl.com. Christian Miller : photo courtesy Rip Curl OFFICIAL RESULTS OF STOP #4, 2009 RIP CURL GROMSEARCH FUELED BY H20 OVERDRIVE, New Smyrna Beach, Florida: H20 Overdrive Maneuver of the Event: Corey Howell- $100 BOYS 16/UNDER 1. Evan Gieselman- $250 2. Christian Miller 3. Corey Howell 4. Noah Schweizer BOYS 14/UNDER 1. Corey Howell- $250 2. Noah Schwiezer 3. Eros Exarhon 4. Daniel Calloway BOYS 12/UNDER 1. Justin Croteau- $250 2. Dane Mackie 3. Logan Hayes 4. Cobie Gittner GIRLS 16/UNDER 1. Chelsea Roett- $250 2. Chelsea Tuach 3. Ametza Nicholls 4. Kayla Durden www.ripcurl.com www.ripcurl.com/gromsearch

ALLAN/MACKIE DOMINATE ASHFORD/BRANKERS SURF EVENT

Event #3 of the Burkie Junior Surfing Championship Series sponsored by ASHFORD DAIRIES/BRANKERS surfed off last weekend in ideal 3-4ft waves at South Point.

Over 60 entries were received in three divisions 14-under,under-12 and 10-under.

Winning on Saturday,10 year old Che Allan has won all three of the BJSCS events for 2009,with one more event to go he has basically sealed the overall championship in 10-under. 2nd and 3rd place finishers Zander Venizia and Andrew Rose has a long shot at clipping Allan of the title.4th in 10-under was Trip Chandler from South Carolina,our first international entry since the beginning of the BJSCS in February at Freights Bay.

Dane Mackie won the 14-under and the under-12 divisions with solid surfing,consistently choosing the right waves and utilizing them with radical control maneuvers. Just missing out on dethroning Mackie in the Under-12 was Josh Burke securing one of the highest scoring rides in the event with a series of off the lips and a speeding round house cutback,but came up short of another high scoring ride.3rd was equally as talented Gavin Fernandes and 4th 8year old Zander Venizia.

14-under final was the battle of the event,two of Barbados's top 14-under girls against two of the top junior boys.Mackie,Chelsea Roett and Joshua Burke started the heat with excellent wave selection and finished in front of the judges on the beach with equally high scores,leaving Chelsea Tuach out the back playing catch up.Mackie responded with another high score to take the lead and stood there,Roett and Burke exchanged blow for blow fighting for second position,with Tuach being out of synch with mother nature.In the end Mackie took first,Roett 2nd just clipping Burke in third and Tuach in 4th.

Next event is Nov 14th at Brandens with surfers point the alternate venue.

TOP JUNIOR SURFERS FOR USA EVENT

Barbados will be represented with a strong contingent of junior surfers next weekend at the 2009 Ripcurl Gromsearch in New Smyrna beach ,Florida.

The gromsearch is a series of surf events open to 16 years-under surfers from around the world and sponsored by surf industry giant RIPCURL in the hope of searching for new and up and coming talent,hence the name "Grom" is slang for young surfer.

Coach/Spokesperson for the young group of surfers Alan Burke is excited and confident the Bajan surfers will do well,"No one in the local surf industry would argue that since the inception of the Burkie Jnr Surfing Series there has been a huge improvement and participation in Junior surfing in Barbados","after conducting numerous coaching sessions over the past month with these kids I am happy with their progress". Multiple Girls National Champion Ametza Nicholls will be competing in the 16-under along with the ever improving and fluid style of Chelsea Roett who will be in the 16-under and 14-under divisions.The dynamic trio of 12 year olds Gavin Fernandes,Dane Mackie and Josh Burke will be pushing Barbados Junior surfing next weekend in the 14-under and 12-under. " These three boys are doing adult type turns,generating lots of speed,flow and radical maneuvers,the perfect winning formula,I wont be surprise if one of them win or make the finals" Burke states.

The youngest surfer on the team is 10 year old Andrew Rose who has improved tremendously.

"Although this trip has been financed individually and its not an official National team,we will be operating as a Barbados team with a high level of team spirit present and knowing the determination and pride in each and everyone of these young surfers,Barbados will be in great hands next weekend and in the future!" Explains Burke.

Team USA wins ISA World Surfing Games in Costa Rica

Team USA : photo Watts/ISA Billabong ISA World Surfing Games International Surfing Assn. Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica 1 - 8 August 2009 Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc Team USA wins the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games in Costa Rica for the first time in 13 Years Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 8 August, 2009 : - - It was a fitting end to an event steeped in a mix of camaraderie and tough competition as Team USA took the overall gold medal today over Team France at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games presented by Monster Energy in Costa Rica. It was the first time that the Americans have won an overall gold medal in since the 1996 World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach, California. From the opening heats of the Games at Playa Hermosa that began eight days ago, Team USA appeared committed and focused, as they competed against 34 other teams for a spot on the podium. With the final day of competition looming overhead, Team USA stood firm and was able to place five or their eight team members into the three finals, hence becoming the team to beat. The team was led by Ian Cairns who assumed the position as Coach less than one month ago. "We had good surfers and what we did was to stay very concentrated,” said a low-key Cairns. “This is a long event and it was very important to preserve your energy.” "I am really very happy” said Cairns of the first American title in more than a decade. “My goal was to come here and win. But also I wanted to establish a different personality for American surfing. I didn't want to make a lot of noise until things were happening. We built the support, the calmness and we focused on being together and concentrating on doing things well. Later, at the final, we went to the beach to wave the flag.” Jeremy Flores : photo Watts/ISA ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said about the amazing Billabong ISA World Surfing Games: "This was a great event. The new team format (4 open men, 2 open women and 2 longboarders) proved to be the right decision. The inaugural Billabong ISA World Surfing Games will go down as a historical moment for surfing, with record number of competitors and national teams in attendance. Congratulations to all the nations and see you next year!” Hot on the USA's heels was the French team, led by ASP World Tour surfer Jeremy Flores. He looked in stellar form throughout the entire contest. France managed to put a one athlete in each of the Open, Women's, and Longboard divisions. Kick-starting the final day of the contest was the ISA Aloha Cup, run as a tag-team event with five surfers from each team taking turns competing in the hour-long final. The unique format brought the national pride and overall competitiveness that had been simmering to a roaring boil. Historically, one of the strongest teams in the event and last year's overall event winner, Team Australia, took the lead in the Aloha Cup at the outset of the heat and managed to hold on to it despite a strong rally from the French Team. It was a bittersweet moment for the Aussies as the team was not able to secure the ISA Team World Championship gold medal as it's done many times in the past. The Aloha Cup was the only gold medal for the Australians. Courtney Conlogue : photo Watts/ISA Following the Aloha Cup, the Longboard finalists took to the tepid 4 to 5 foot Costa Rican lineup and put on a tremendous show. The final, that included an American, a Frenchman, an Australian, and a British surfer, brought the thousands of fans that swarmed the beach to their feet, blending old-world noserides and iconic style with modern high-speed turns and speed floats. In the end, France's Antoine Delpero came out on top as he narrowly edged out Aussie surfer Harley Ingleby with a two-wave combined score of 15.50 points. “I feel unreal�I'm so happy I can't say a word,” said a beaming and visibly shaken Delpero following his win. “This is so cool for me and Team France.” In the Women's final, 16-year-old American Courtney Conlogue was surfing on a higher plane as she dismantled her competition with a determined backhand attack on the lefts that earned her a slew of 8- and 7-point rides along with a gold medal. Heading into the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games, Conlogue was coming off monumental performances this year, including silver medal at the ISA World Junior Championship in Ecuador, and a victory at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA. Judging from her recent competitive dominance, Conlogue has proven that she will be a formidable figure in the sport for years to come. With her face partially shaded behind a pair of aviator sunglasses, Conlogue remained poised following her gold medal win. “To be surfing in front of all these people is amazing. It's been such a great event. To be in the final I had to put it all on the line,” she said. “The conditions were really good out there�it's just really been such a fun journey so far.” Antione Delpero : photo Watts/ISA Highlighting the final day's action was the Open final. Comprised of two Americans—Floridian Cory Lopez and North Carolina native Ben Bourgeois—a Peruvian and a Frenchmen, the level of surfing in the Men's final showcased just how technically advanced surfing has become throughout the world. Opening up the heat with a barrage of mind-numbing turns was American Cory Lopez. Throughout the Games, Lopez looked extremely relaxed and confident—a dangerous mix in the game of competitive surfing. Despite Lopez's stellar rail work and progressive turns, France's Jeremy Flores was the man to beat. Surfing like a man possessed, Flores seemed untouchable, putting his trademark low center of gravity style and lightning fast turns to good work in the final. That surfing earned him a pair of 8-point rides that the other competitors couldn't touch as Flores went on to win the gold medal. Following his win, Flores appeared proud and confident as he reflected on the impact of bringing home a gold medal. “I haven't won too many contests, I've always done well, but I hardly ever seem to win. For me this is huge. This was more than a victory for me. I never win anything�I can't believe I just won. Wining the gold medal for my country, is the best feeling I ever had in my surfing career.” Men's finalits : photo Watts/ISA FINAL Team Results: GOLD - United States – 14910 points SILVER - France – 13280 points BRONZE - Australia - 10996 points COPPER - Hawaii – 10856 points INDIVIDUAL FINAL RESULTS Open Men Gold: Jeremy Flores (FRA) Silver: Cory Lopez (USA) Bronze: Gabriel VIllarán (PER) Copper: Ben Bourgeois (USA) Open Women Gold: Courtney Conlogue (USA) Silver: Rosanne Hodge (RSA) Copper: Sage Erickson (USA) Bronze: Pauline Ado (FRA) Longboard Gold: Antoine Delpero (FRA) Silver: Harley Ingleby (AUS) Copper: Ben Skinner (GBR) Bronze: Tony Silvagni (USA) FINAL TEAM STANDINGS 1 - USA - 14910 points 2 - France - 13280 points 3 - Australia - 10996 points 4 - Hawaii - 10856 points 5 - South Africa - 10666 points 6 - Peru - 10180 points 7 - Costa Rica - 9650 points 8 - Venezuela - 9040 points 9 - Brazil - 9000 points 10 - Puerto Rico - 8820 points 11 - New Zealand - 8100 points 12 - Argentina - 7160 points 13 - Tahiti - 6688 points 14 - Ecuador - 6170 points 15 - Panama - 5952 points 16 - Italy - 5670 points 17 - Mexico - 5560 points 18 - Japan - 5324 points 19 - Chile - 5208 points 20 - El Salvador - 4784 points 21 - Ireland - 4568 points 22 - Austria - 4320 points 23 - Barbados - 4128 points 24 - Germany - 4024 points 25 - UK- 3810 points 26 - Guatemala - 3696 points 27 - Switzerland - 3440 points 28 - Jamaica - 2912 points 29 - Canada - 2784 points 30 - Nicaragua - 2656 points 31 - Colombia 2544 points 32 - Trinidad & Tobago - 2240 points 33 - Bahamas 2240 points 34 - Rep. Dominican - 1680 points 35 - Aruba- 384 points