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Margaret River, Western Australia — DANIEL Ross (AUS/NSW/Yamba) has won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) six star prime rated Drug Aware Pro defeating fellow North Coast NSW Australian surfer Adam Melling in clean 3 to 4 feet (1.25m) surf at Margaret River in Western Australia today.
It was Ross’s biggest career victory and could not have come at a better time for the powerfully built surfer who fell short of requalifying on the ASP World Dream Tour last season and also recently lost his major sponsorship deals!
“ I was so pumped to win this event and I can’t believe how good I feel right now” said an elated Ross after his win.
“I’ve made the semi’s the last two years here and I knew coming here I was a really good chance to win, I’ve trained hard leading into this event and it has really paid off for me in a big way.”
“Without a major sponsor the cash that comes with winning ($US20 000) will make my year of competing that much easier and I wanted to prove to everyone out there right now that I am worth sponsoring and capable of big results!”
Ross surfed the ASP Dream Tour last year but failed to requalify. Today’s result has him exceptionally well placed for requalification this year.
“That’s my aim for sure and now I’m winning I want to get on a roll and string together a lot more excellent results.”
With the lead see sawing in a high scoring quality final, Melling opened with an excellent 8.67 ride and looked to have control when he backed that ride up shortly after with a strong 6.07 ride.
Ross opened with a 6.77 score, remained patient and found the finals best ride when he scored an outstanding 9.43 at the twenty minute stage of the 30 minute final.
Ross unleashed all his power on this ride combining two massive bottom to top turns sending fans of spray high off the wave and it was immediately clear to the large crowd on the hills of Margaret River that he had taken the lead with that ride.
While Melling searched for an achievable 7.54 to regain the lead, he fell on a few critical turns late in the final and was forced to settle for second on a score line for each surfers top two scoring rides of 16.20 (out of a possible 20) for Ross and 14.74 to Melling.
Melling’s second place today is the second time he has finished runner up in an ASP prime 6 star event.
“It’s disappointing not to win but Rossy is a great guy and I’m really stoked for him today” said Melling.
“Having made the finals twice I now really want to win one of these events; my start to the season has been great but there’s still a lot of work ahead to qualify for next year’s Dream Tour – that’s my goal and I have to remain focused because the season has really just started.”
Despite being disappointed at not winning, Melling’s good early season form see’s him as the number one rated surfer on the ASP World Qualifying Series Ratings ahead of Brett Simpson (USA) , Dion Atkinson (AUS) with Ross in fourth place.
In what turned out to be a dominating day for the Australian surfers, with all Australian semi finalists, Luke Munro (AUS/Gold Coast) and Dion Atkinson (AUS/SA) placed equal 3rd both picking up valuable 2625 rating points along with $US2950.
Both Atkinson and Munro have firm goals to qualify for the ASP Dream Tour for next year.
“I’m really happy with my start to the season, 5th last week in Tasmania and 3rd here is a great start to my season” said Atkinson.
“That’s two ‘keepers’ already to the season in my aim to qualify and that is a lot better than most other surfers this early in the season so I’m feeling great”
For most of today’s finalists their next stop on the ASP World Qualifying Series will be South Africa in mid April for the Quiksilver Pro presented by Virgin Mobile in Durban, another six star prime event.
Veteran Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Dream Tour surfer Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS/WA/Dunsborough/33 years of age) won her fourth Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River defeating rising Hawaiian star Coco Ho (17 years old/North Shore Ohau) in clean 1.25m (3 to 4 feet) surf.
Redman-Carr’s local knowledge and experience at the break saw her select the superior waves in the final which she won comfortably with a combined top two wave final score tally of 12.60 To Ho on 7.67.
“I have really surprised myself winning here today” said Redman-Carr.
“The younger emerging girls here have been ripping and I was sure I’d be eliminated in the opening quarter final today when I faced Carissa Moore (Haw); she has been the form surfer all week and I thought she’d win the event”
“The waves were really fun out there today and I’m sure my local knowledge helped out a lot” added Redman-Carr.
Redman-Carr opened with a 5.83 ride and was never seriously challenged by Ho who had difficulty finding the right waves to deliver any high scores at all.
Redman – Carr sealed the final with 3 minutes remaining when she used her priority on a clean righthand breaking wave, scoring the finals top scoring ride of a 6.77.
That left Ho chasing a very difficult 8.10 and with no waves in the final few minutes the 2009 Drug Aware title was Redman-Carr’s.
Redman- Carr’s experience includes finishing second on the ASP World Tour on two occasions, the last time in 2006 and she officially retired from full time professional surfing this year following the birth of her daughter Willow last year.
Being a local girl with an affinity to the surf here at Margaret River she accepted a wildcard into this event and went on to win $US 4000 in prize money.
Drug Aware Pro Margaret River is the biggest ASP World Qualifying Series Six Star Prime Rated event in the world. Prize money totalling $US145 000 and essential prime rated points on the ASP World Qualifying Series ensures an outstanding field of the world’s best surfers. A field of more than 250 surfers representing countries such as New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, USA, Peru, Brazil, South Africa, France, Spain, England, Portugal, Reunion Island, Canary Islands, Japan and Israel will be competing with some of Australia’s best surfers across the week long event
