AL VIA IL CAMPIONATO DEL MONDO DI LONGBOARD IN MESSICO

L’Italiano Leo Ranzoni (secondo ai Campionati Italiani a S’Archittu nel 2001) è l’unico italiano che partecipa al campionato del mondo 2002.

Press release:

The 11th edition of the world longboard surfing championship will start in a few hours in Los Cabos, Mexico
(GMT-7 hours). Before the beginning of the fight between the 48 world’s best longboarders, the traditional Hawaiian ceremony of Ho’okupu, dear to the surfers’ community will take place on the contest site. This celebration brings together the representatives of each nation who in turn pour water of their respective ocean into the Koa bowl. The unification of these mixed waters is then poured into the ocean as a symbol of the competitors’ respect for one another and as a blessing of the waves.
The contest will start after completion of the ceremony. 16 heats of 3 surfers will make up the 1st round; the winner of each heat will directly reach the 16th of finals.
Some heats have a lot of excitement in prediction; one of them will oppose two Hawaiians, Dino Miranda and Duane Desoto who will be joined by talented David Kinoshita from Japan. Another heat will see a battle between titleholder Colin McPhilipps and fellow-countryman Josh Baxter; both riders were brilliant in the US Open that took place last month in Huntington Beach, CA. The first Italian in World Championship history, Leo Ranzoni, will arbitrate them. 2000 World Champion Beau Young will face his long-time pal, Californian Zack Howard – 2nd in the US Open- and young Hawaiian Noah Shimabusuro.
On the British side, Sam Bleakley will challenge two South Africans, 2001 runner-up champion Jason Ribbink and Michael Grendon. Elliott Dudley will be confronted to Brazilian Amaro Matos and Japanese Yoshinori Matsuyama. John Lee Ryan will have to fight it out against two Australians, Ian Bet and Grant Thomas.
Either of two great surf breaks in San Jose del Cabo, Zippers and La Rocca, are to be utilized over the coming 10-day event window, with a new hurricane swell predicted to arrive as soon as tomorrow and provide great weekend conditions.