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AUSTRALIA continues its domination of the world surfing scene. |
AUSTRALIA continues its domination of the world surfing scene with TravelSIM Team Australia winning a team gold medal at the Panama ISA World Masters Surfing Championship in clean, well shaped 5 to 7 foot waves in Santa Catalina, Panama today.
Led by an individual gold medal by Copacabana ace Rob Baldwin (NSW), Team Australia wrapped up the numero uno position with Brett Bannister (Narrabeen) and Dean Hall (Miami) finishing with silver and bronze medals respectively in the Masters division, a silver medal to Glen Pringle (Cronulla) in the Grand Masters and a copper finish for Sandra English (Budgewoi) in the Masters Women’s division.
The Australian team’s title came after an intense and tight battle with South Africa. A mere difference of less than 300 points gave the first ISA Masters World Championship to Australia, stopping two years of African supremacy.
Final Team Medal Standings:
Gold: Australia – 10456 points
Silver: South Africa – 10196 points
Bronze: Brazil – 8770 points
Copper: Puerto Rico – 8684 points
Sandra English, competitor and Team Manager of Australia, said it was a great victory, “It was team work that gave us the edge. Everyone was cheering for each other and it all paid off with a couple of good results in the finals. Since it is a hard wave, it was really important to come here one week before. I’m so happy.”
In the Masters division, South African Andrew Banks turned things to his favour in the last five minutes of the final. After scoring a 9.07 on a set wave, he secured the Gold Medal with a combined score of 17.57. The Australian duo of Bannister and Hall finished second and third respectively with Juan Ashton (PUR) fourth.
Ashton (PUR) won his third Gold Medal of his career today in the Grand Masters (over 40) division.
The Puerto Rican waited patiently for a good wave and when it came he linked a set of strong moves worth 9.00 points to the judges. Ashton backed that up with an 8.40 to leave Australian Glen Pringle in second, Andre Malherbe (RSA) in third and Ricardo Villanueva (PUR) in fourth.
The powerful backside attack of Rod Baldwin (AUS) gained the Australian team their only individual gold medal in the Kahunas (over 45) division. Midway through the final, Baldwin took off on an excellent set wave and after linking a series of vertical off the lips, he received an 8.67 from the judges. He added another high scoring 6.37 wave to reach a combination of 15.04. Sergio Penna (BRA) placed second, David Malherbe (RSA) third and Martín Jerí (PER) placed fourth.
Baldwin, the Copper Medalist in the 2008 ISA World Masters, said, “This is fantastic, I didn’t expect this. I’m so grateful. I have been surfing for 35 years and this is the best result I have ever had. You just have to keep surfing, it keeps you young and I just love it!”
Brett Bannister flanked by drop wallet specialist’s Dean Hall (L) and Glen Pringle.
Heather Clark won her second consecutive ISA Women Masters (over 35) title. Just as in Punta Rocas in 2008, her backside surfing was powerful, clean and radical.
Clark scored a total 17.86 (8.93 + 8.93) in the final to leave Andrea Lopes (BRA) in second, Patricia Rossi (TAH) in third, and Sandra English (AUS) in fourth.
Clark has won every heat she has entered in her two appearances in the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship.
The Closing Ceremony took place immediately after the last heat. The President of the Republic of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, honored the surfers, as well as the Vice President, Juan Carlos Varela, Minister of Tourism, Salo Shamah and Minister of Economy, Alberto Vallarín. They joined ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, in the medal awarding.
The winning nation’s anthems were played out loud and the ISA´s Surfing Camaraderie spirit was displayed in Santa Catalina as an amazing way to finish the event.
The President of Panama showed great interest in Surfing, he said to all the visiting surfers, “Tell everybody about the perfect waves we have and come here, you are more than welcome.” He also made sure to have the ISA President commit to bringing another international event to Panama in the summer of 2011.
Shamah said, “We are very happy and surprised with the results of this tournament. Governments do not usually get involved in the surfing arena. We decided to do it because we think the waves will attract tourists and wealth, and that has been the result of this competition.”
As for Fernando Aguerre, he said, “I want to thank the Panamanian people, the government and the private sector for their commitment with this sport. This is the most exciting part of the event, the medals ceremony, but it is also the part when we remember everything, the rainy days, the wind, the great waves, the broken boards, and the emotions. We want to let all the Panamanians know that we leave your country with our hearts filled with great memories.”
The ISA World Masters Surfing Championship will be held again next year in a soon to be announced location.
Medalists
Masters
Gold: Andrew Banks (RSA)
Silver: Brett Bannister (AUS)
Bronze: Dean Hall (AUS)
Copper: Juan Ashton (PUR)
Grand Masters
Gold: Juan Ahston (PUR)
Silver: Glen Pringle (AUS)
Bronze: Andre Malherbe (RSA)
Copper: Ricardo Villanueva (PUR)
Kahunas
Gold: Rod Baldwin (AUS)
Silver: Sergio Penna (BRA)
Bronze: David Malherbe (RSA)
Copper: Martín Jerí (PER)
Grand Kahunas
Gold: Chris Knutsen (RSA)
Silver: Javier Huarcaya (PER)
Bronze: Kenneth Myers (PAN)
Copper: Javier Gorbea (PUR)
Women Masters
Gold: Heather Clark (RSA)
Silver: Andrea Lopes (BRA)
Bronze: Patricia Rossi (TAH)
Copper: Sandra English (AUS)
Final Team Standings:
1: AUSTRALIA
2: SOUTH AFRICA
3: BRAZIL
4: PUERTO RICO
5: PERU
6: VENEZUELA
7: ARGENTINA
8: FRANCE
9: PANAMA
10: COSTA RICA
11: MEXICO
12: ITALY
13: URUGUAY
14: REP.DOMINICAN
15: JAMAICA
16: NEW ZEALAND
17: GUATEMALA
18: TAHITI
19: EL SALVADOR
20: GERMANY
21: IRELAND
Team Australia is led by Team Captain Sandra English (Budgewoi, NSW), who is also representing TravelSIM Team Australia in the Masters Ladies Over 35 division.
TravelSIM team members include:
Masters Over 35 Men- Dean Hall (Miami, QLD), Brett Bannister (Narrabeen, NSW)
Grand Masters Over 40 Men- Chris Brooks (Currumbin, QLD), Glen Pringle (Cronulla, NSW)
Kahunas Over 45 Men- Rod Baldwin (Copacabana, NSW), Mark Traucnieks (Palm Beach, QLD)
Grand Kahunas Over 50 Men- Neil Cameron (Byron Bay, NSW)
Masters Ladies Over 35- Sandra English (Budgewoi, NSW)
