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ASP World Masters Championships deal secured
by George Mojo
06/11/2006:// A deal has been signed in South America securing the future of the ASP World Masters Surfing Championships for the next three years.
Though the dates and venue have yet to be confirmed, it is envisioned that the event will run in different locations annually in an effort to highlight Brazil's assorted surf destinations and allow fans of all ages and regions access to the sport's superstars.
Eligibility for the ASP World Masters' Championship is based on career ASP ratings, with seeding points distributed according to year-end rankings over a surfer's professional career. A World Title is worth 10 seeding points, a Top 5 world ranking is worth five points and so on down the scale.
"The seeding is designed to favor professional surfers who had long successful careers on the ASP World Tour and whose contribution to the sport is acknowledged," ASP CEO Brodie Carr said.
The 2007 World Masters' Championship will see the sport's legends congregate to compete under the ASP umbrella for the first time since 2003. It will also mark the seventh time the Masters' Championship will be held.
"When the first Masters was staged in Fiji in 1997, there was only one division and it was open to surfers age 35 and older who met the criteria," said ASP President Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew.
"In 1998, however, it was split into two divisions. In 2007 the Masters division will showcase surfers ranging in age from 35 to 45 while the Grand Masters features surfers 46 and older, " he added.
Sixteen surfers will contest each division. The Top 14 competitors are decided by the ASP career seeding list with the additional two slots allocated to the host nation. Local surfers will be selected using the same criteria used to pick the Top 14 or via a trials round in the event that local surfers don't fit the aforementioned criteria.
The Masters will showcase everyone from 70's superstars to eligible Masters still competing on the Foster's Men's World Tour, such as Mark Occhilupo.
A host of World Champions will qualify to compete including Masters Tom Curren, Tom Carroll, Martin Potter, Damien Hardman, Derek Ho and Barton Lynch and Grand Masters Mark Richards, Shaun Tomson, Rabbit Bartholomew and Peter Townend.
The Brazilian fans will have plenty to cheer about with local legends Flavio Padaratz and Fabio Gouveia eligible to compete, while defending champions Gary Elkerton (Masters) and Rabbit Bartholomew (Grand Masters) will be putting their titles on the line in punchy Brazilian beach breaks.
Brazilian surfing legend Flavio Padaratz will be looking after the contests.
In 2007 divisions will be split into the Masters (ages 35-45) and the Grand Masters (age 45+). The Grand Masters, which in 2001 saw the age eligibility amended to Over 45, is now on its way to the envisioned final resting place of Over 50. The age will move to Over 46 in 2007, Over 47 in '08 and so on until Over 50 is reached in 2011.
Past Event Locations and Winners:
1997 ASP World's Masters' Championship Location: Cloudbreak, Fiji Winner: Terry Richardson (AUS)
1998 ASP World's Masters' Championship Location: Puerto Escondido, Mexico Masters Winner: Joey Buran (USA) Grand Masters Winner: Buzzy Kerrbox (HAW)
1999 ASP World's Masters' Championship Location: Les Cavalliers, France Masters Winner: Cheyne Horan (AUS) Grand Masters Winner: Rabbit Bartholomew (AUS)
2000 ASP World's Masters' Championship Location: Lafitenia, France Masters Winner: Gary Elkerton (AUS) Grand Masters Winner: Michael Ho (HAW)
2001 ASP World's Masters' Championship Location: Bundoran, Ireland Masters Winner: Gary Elkerton (AUS) Grand Masters Winner: Mark Richards (AUS)
2003 ASP World's Masters' Championship Location: Makaha, Hawaii Masters Winner: Gary Elkerton (AUS) Grand Masters Winner: Rabbit Bartholomew (AUS)
The dates have been set for the end-of-season British Longboard Union Series Final in Cornwall
American Nathaniel Curran opened his French campaign with a win in his opening heat at the Sooruz Lacanau Pro, in France
Generation "Next" will hit the stage at Duke's OceanFest on Monday, August 18, in the Grade 1, $5,000 Macy's E-Series Junior Pro at Kuhio Beach, Waikiki
Six major retailers have agreed to implement new labelling on cotton bud packaging following persuasive action by SAS and MCS
Newquay surfer Russell Winter narrowly missed out on a place in the last 80 of the Sooruz Lacanau Pro, in France
Britain's Russell Winter bounced back from a disappointing first round exit at the recent Rip Curl Boardmasters in Newquay to make it through to round two of the Sooruz Lacanau Pro in France
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