RECORD NUMBERS AS ENTRIES CLOSE FOR MR PRICE PRO BALLITO
2012/06/14
Defending Champion Patrick Gudauskas (USA) stands tall inside the barrel at the 2011 Mr Price Pro Ballito. © MR PRICE/ CESTARI
BALLITO, KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Friday, June 8, 2012) – The Mr Price Pro Ballito will roll out the red carpet for the world’s best surfers with a remarkable 23 of the world’s Top 32 entered into this year’s ASP Prime event, from July 2-8, 2012.
Entries officially closed on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 and organisers are ecstatic with the 147 entered surfers representing 21 countries.
“The entries have been fantastic,” said ASP Africa Operations Manager Colin Fitch. “We’re looking forward to hosting some of the finest international surfing talent and with 26 South African surfers pitted against them in the main event, surfing fans can look forward to some very exciting competition.”
The event will feature three of the top ten including current World No. 4 Adriano De Souza (BRA), 2011 runner-up and World No. 5 John John Florence (HAW) and 2010 Mr Price Pro winner and current World No. 7 Jordy Smith (ZAF).
2011 Mr Price Pro Champion Patrick Gudauskas (USA) will also return to Ballito to defend his title and has fond memories of Ballito after clinching his victory in flawless six – eight ft barrels last year.
“It was probably one of the best events I’d ever competed in for waves, it was so good!” Gudauskas said. “We go on free surf trips and get waves not half as good as that, so it was a special event to be a part of and to win it was the best thing ever! It is definitely one of those events everybody holds in really high regard for waves, so I’m really excited to go back.”
Older brother of 2009 Mr Price Pro Champion Tanner, the Gudauskas brothers join the Irons Brothers, late 3X ASP World Champion Andy and younger sibling Bruce Irons, as the only pair of brothers to win the event.
“Bruce and Andy had won it before and I remember always watching it growing up and thinking it would be great to win it with one of my brothers, so it’s definitely a special event for us,” Gudauskas said.
Also included in this year’s illustrious lineup are 2001 ASP World Champion CJ Hobgood (USA) and his equally talented brother Damien, Portuguese powerhouse Tiago Pires (POR), and Australian talent Matt Wilkinson who is- fresh off a Prime event victory in Brasil.
Joining them are talented up-an-comers Alejo Muniz (BRA), Miguel Pupo (BRA) and multiple NSSA Champion Kolohe Andino (USA).
Season campaigners in Kai Otton (AUS), Raoni Monteiro (BRA), Brett Simpson (USA) and Adam Melling (AUS) will show their experience whilst Dusty Payne (HAW) returns fresh off an injury, as does Yadin Nicol (AUS). ASP World Tour alternate Thiago Camaroa (BRA) is the final elite tour campaigner entered into this year’s event.
ASP World No. 21 Travis Logie (Dbn) joins Jordy Smith (Dbn) in leading the South African’s into battle and can expect to do very well given both their experience at elite level and intimate knowledge of their local break.
The six wildcard surfers will be announced early next week.
The Mr Price Pro Ballito is the first of two African stops on the elite ASP circuit that will see many campaigners move on to the Six Star Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, July 10 – 15, 2012.
The Mr Price Pro Ballito Lifestyle Festival returns this year and has ‘something for everyone’ - celebrating adrenaline pumping extreme sports, beach culture and lifestyle events, music, arts as well as the unmistakable Ballito vibe with KwaDukuza’s wonderful warm weather. As in past years, the Mr Price Pro Ballito Festival will culminate in the much-anticipated Mr Price Pro Ballito free music concerts at Salt Rock Beach. Music lovers can chill to the sounds of Gangs of Ballet, Wonderboom, the Ard Mathews Trio, Shadow Club, Aking, Crash Car Burn and Flash Republic on the 6th and party into the night with Toya Delazy, Lloyd Cele, iscreamstix, Pascal & Pearce, Goodluck, Locnville and Dino Bravo on July 7.