PASTA POINT, Chaaya Island/Dhonveli Maldives (Thursday, October 29, 2009) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Oxbow World Longboard Tour Maldives event today crowned two champions – Harley Ingeby (Australia) as the 2009 ASP World Longboard Champion and Kai Sallas (Hawaii) as the inaugural Oxbow Maldives event champion.
Sallas (Oahu, Hawaii) won the event, surfing clean three feet (1 metre) surf at Pasta Point, defeating Australasia’s Harley Ingelby in a high-scoring Final that saw Sallas take the win with a combined two-wave tally of 15.65 to Ingelby on 14.00.
Ingeby’s second placing in today’s final event on the two-event 2009 ASP World Longboard Tour secured him the ASP World Longboard Title.
“I’m so stoked to win this event,” Sallas said. “The waves have been super fun all week and to beat Harley in the final capped off a perfect week for me. “I started well with 7.65 on my first ride and felt confident that I could back that ride up and take the win, Ingelby came at me hard in the final few minutes but my best ride was my final one and it’s great to win and actually beat the current world champion as well!”
The ASP World Longboard Champion is decided across the ratings from two events and Ingelby’s 1st placing in the season’s opening event in Japan along with his 2nd place here in the Maldives earned him his inaugural ASP World Title.
“It’s the best day of my life,” Ingelby said. “I’ve been close to winning in the past and always felt I could win the title but I’ve also seen many great surfers not win world titles and I was wary that the opportunity could slip – It’s a huge weight off my shoulders and right now the feeling is unbelievable.”
Ingelby secured the world title early in the day when he defeated Brazilian Phil Rajzman in a very close seesawing Quarterfinal.
“It would have been great to take the event win as well as the world title but full marks to Sallas, he surfed a great final and he deserved the win as he’s been a standout all week,” Ingelby said. “I really left my run in the final late, I don’t think I had one decent score in the first 20 minutes, when I did get that 8 point ride late in the final I was a real chance but simply could not find a wave to deliver a decent second score.”
Today’s Semifinals were both tightly fought out with Sallas defeating fellow Hawaiian Ned Snow while Ingelby survived a late challenge in his semi final from French surfer Antoine Delpero winning on a score-line of 14.80 to Delpero on 14.35.
With excellent surf throughout the event all surfers enjoyed a great week and it was a fitting finale to the ASP Oxbow Longboard World Tour for 2009.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
OXBOW WORLD LONGBOARD TOUR MALDIVES RESULTS
FINAL
1 – Kai Sallas (HAW) 15.65
2 – Harley Ingelby (AUS) 14.00
OXBOW ASP WORLD LONGBOARD TOUR MALDIVES SEMIFINALS
SF 1: Kai Sallas (HAW) 14.50 D Ned Snow (HAW) 13.45
SF 2: Harley Ingelby (AUS) 14.80 D Antoine Delpero (FRA) 14.35
OXBOW ASP WORLD LONGBOARD TOUR MALDIVES QUARTERFINALS
QF 1: Kai Sallas (HAW) 12.00 V Eduardo Bagé (BRA) 11.85
QF 2: Ned Snow (HAW) 15.75D Ben Skinner (GBR) 11.75
QF 3: Harley Ingelby (AUS) 14.00 D Phil Rajzman (BRA) 13.55
QF 4: Antoine Delpero (FRA) 13.50 D Remi Arauzo (FRA) 12.00
ASP Final Top 5 World Longboard 2009 Ratings
1 – Harley Ingelby (AUS)
2 – Kai Sallas (HAW)
3 – Antoine Delpero (FRA)
4 – Phil Rajzman (BRA)
5 – Bonga Perkins (HAW)
