Friday, June 1, 2007

Big swells, perfect surf on tap for SriLankan Airlines Pro


The Indian Ocean is alive with a thumping swell about to fill the entire ocean with amazing surf and the big winner will be the SriLankan Airlines Pro in the Maldives.

Every year since the inaugural event began in 2001 the Maldives has delivered outstanding waves to the best of the ASP World Qualifying Series competitors but this years signs indicate we’re in for something really special with the event set to go on Sunday.

How special? Try 17 second period swells at 3 meters predicted for Pasta Point and some Indian Ocean perfection! ASP Australasian Tour Manager Glenn Best has seen every event in the Maldives and had this to say about the forecast -

“We are ready for something really amazing this year. Every year we’ve seen perfect waves up to 6 feet but this year looks like we’re going to top that in a big way” commented Best from Pasta Point at the beautiful Dhonveli Resort today.

“It’s perfect for us with a full scale live webcast now in preparation to go from day one! Vision, audio, live scores from paradise. The web team will be perfectly set up on the bar deck at Dhonveli Beach and Spa Resort overlooking Pasta Point. Viewers will feel like they are right there on the deck!”

Of the forecast Best added “Of course it’s just a forecast at this minute but we know how accurate wave forecasting science has become in the past few years, especially for open ocean island locations like the Maldives – Let’s bring on the biggest waves yet for this event!”

The Maldivian community has embraced their biggest sporting event and today the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahamood Shougee said “ASP WQS 5 star prime rating surfing is a seal of approval by surfing professionals that the Maldives is a Quality surf Destination”.

In the next few days ASP Australasia will assist the rapidly developing Maldives Surfing Association (MSA) in the running of their coveted trials event which will award four surfers positions into the main WQS event field.

16 local Maldivian surfers will contest the MSA Trials in Male, the beautiful capital of the Maldives, the local beach provides a thumping hollow beach break with multiple ‘A’ frame peaks and the local guys such as Hussein Areef, Mohamed Azly, Mohammed Areef, Ismail Miglal and Moahmed ‘Pele’ Fayaz will all be looking to cement a spot in the WQS event.

The growth of the sport has been amazing in the Maldives since the event began with the locals surfing ability escalating largely due to their involvement with this event since it’s inception and in years to come expect to see some Maldivians competing full time on the WQS!

Stand by for an explosive start to the Maldives presents SriLankan Airlines Pro on Sunday 3rd of June. The Maldives presents SriLankan Airlines Pro is made possible by SriLankan Airlines, Maldives Tourism, Dhonveli Beach & Spa Resort, Dhiraggu Internet and Atoll Travel. The event begins on June 3rd and runs through to June 9.

Source: Global Surf News

No comments: