Pires Leads European Charge Flores Suffers Early Loss | Gregoire Puget | Blogs | Surf Europe

Pires Leads European Charge, Flores Suffers Early Loss

Posted on May 14, 2008 @ 1:26 PM

Photo: Tiago Pires (PRT) advanced through to Round 3 after winning his Round 1 heat over Jeremy Flores (FRA) and Roy Powers (HAW)

Tiago Pires (PRT), a rookie on this year’s ASP World Tour, was the best European on Day 1 of competition in the Billabong Pro Tahiti pres. by Air Tahiti Nui. Pires, who bested current ASP World Tour No. 4 Jeremy Flores (FRA) and Oahu’s Roy Powers (HAW) in Round 1, advanced through to Round 3 and avoided the sudden-death format of Round 2 in perfect four to six foot (1.2 to 2 meter) waves.

Pires, who started his rookie ASP Top 45 campaign with two equal 33rd places in the two first events of the 2008 ASP World Tour in Australia, posted a promissing 15.17 point heat tally (out of a possible 20) and will now face top seeded surfer Joel Parkinson (AUS) in Round 3 of the Billabong Pro Tahiti. Pires, who is used to surfing solid barrels at his home Portuguese break of Coxos, was much expected for his first heat ever in the testing Tahitian waves of Teahupoo and seems to have found his marks.

Jeremy Flores (FRA), who was relegated to Round 2 after his second place finish to Pires in Heat 4 of Round 1, suffered his worst result of the year by losing to Californian Chris Ward (USA) in the sudden-death format of Round 2. Flores, 2007 ASP Rookie of the Year and most promissing French and European surfer among the ASP Top 45, got one of the best result of his career last year in Tahiti when he defeated 8X ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) in Round 4, and was much awaited in the Billabong Pro Tahiti.

Miky Picon (FRA) is the other remaining European in the Billabong Pro Tahiti. Picon, who finished last behind Kieren Perrow (AUS) and best scorer of the day Adriano De Souza (BRA) in Heat 12 of Round 1, will now surf against Ben Dunn (AUS) when Round 2 restarts at Teahupoo. Picon opened his 2008 Dream Tour with a 17th and a 33rd at the two first events in Australia and should be at ease on the barreling lefthanders of the South Pacific being a goofyfooter.

Aritz Aranburu (EUK), fourth European representative among the ASP Top 45 and a rookie on this year's Dream Tour, is still recovering from a broken meniscus that has kept him out of the water since the opening event of the 2008 ASP World Tour. Aranburu, who was surfing his first event in two months, was elminated in Round 2 by veteran Taylor Knox (USA) and has not fully recovered yet from his injury.