The last days of August will once again be the time to drop by the Buondi Billabong Pro, the most traditional WQS event held in Portugal, at Ribeira d’Ilhas, Ericeira. Being a 6 star event, with USD 125.000 prize to offer, the Buondi Billabong Pro is one of the most important stops in the WQS tour as it ends the European summer leg.
This contest, that started back in 1989 – and, for the third year in a row, an Alfarroba organized event – is also the last of a sequence of events that bring the world’s best surfers to Portuguese waters.
It’s all going to start by the 23rd of August, with the Billabong Pro Júnior, the last event counting towards the European boys ratings and the second last for the girls. During four days, until the 26th, the best athletes in the world under 20 years old will compete for the important points offered by this 2 stars event, and also for its USD 13.000 prize-money.
“We had two choices”, said António Pedro, from Alfarroba, about the extra day in this year’s Billabong Pro Júnior. “We could limit the event to the round of 96 athletes, what was clearly not enough, as this contest always attracts a lot of attention, or we could add one extra day to it, what we thought was the best move”.
Next, on the 27th, things are going to start heating up with the Buondi Billabong Pro trials, the last chance to grab one of the few slots still on offer in this year’s event at Ericeira. And, starting on the 28th, until the 2nd of September, all eyes on Ribeira d’Ilhas to watch the battle for the best waves, the best moves, the best scores!
And this will be for sure a very special contest, since the winner of the two previous editions was Tiago Pires, local surfer, and today’s leader of the WQS ratings. In 2007 Tiago has managed to stay in the lead of the WQS ranking, almost since the beginning of the year, and with his place most probably already secured at the 2008 WCT, “Saca” will find in Ericeira a very large crowd anxious to see him make history, with a desired third win.
“Sure Tiago will be the centre of attentions in this year’s Buondi Billabong Pro,” considers António Pedro. “And it’s going to be in a very special way. But besides all the celebration around “Saca”, I’m sure that there’ll be much more to celebrate about and lots and lots of surprises, that we’ll unveil later on”, said the event organizer.
The call to another great world-class surf event in Ericeira is on. Don’t you dare miss an event that is going straight into Portugal and Europe’s surf history! Both Billabong Pro Júnior and Buondi Billabong Pro are organized by Alfarroba, and mainly sponsored by Buondi and Billabong, along with sponsors Nokia, B!, Fiat and Tmn, and indispensable support from Câmara Municipal de Mafra and Junta de Turismo da Costa do Estoril.
Important support comes also from Von Zipper, Kustom, Red Bull, Sapo.pt, Microsoft, Pólen Surfboards, Fonte Viva, LG Computers, Triumph Motorcycles, Relógios Nixon, Konica Minolta, Surfrider Foundation Europe, Ericeira Surf Clube and Association of Surfing Professionals Europe.
To help on the event’s diffusion, we count on Antena 3, Correio da Manhã, Sport Tv, Record, RTP, Surf Portugal, Sport Life, Surf.Sapo.Pt, Conquilha.Com, Hi-Life.Tv and PcMais.
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