Wed Jul 30 2008 20:30:00

 

 

 

Photo: Tim Boal (FRA) placed 2nd in the US Open of Surfing, his best result this year 

 

CAPBRETON, France (Wednesday, July 30, 2008) – Tim Boal (Anglet, FRA), 24, placed 2^nd to winner Nathaniel Curran (USA) last sunday in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star US Open of Surfing, his best result of the season so far. Boal, who failed to clinch his first major ASP WQS title in the tricky one to  three foot (0.5 to 1 meter) waves, was the best European in the event and jumped from 40^th to 18^th on the ASP WQS international ratings with his result.

 

Boal, who got through three heats on the final day of competition defeating Damian Fahrenfort (ZAF), Dusty Payne (HAW) and local star Brett Simpson (USA) on his way to the final, was disappointed with his result.

 

"I’m upset that I lost," Boal said. "I’m happy with the points, but I would have liked to come away with the win."

 

Boal, a former ASP European Junior champion, has been in European leaders’ pack for a couple of years now and missed his ASP Top 45 qualification in the second half of the year in 2007. He started the 2008 season with a promissing equal 5^th in the ASP WQS 5-Star Prime Hang Loose Pro in Brazil and was chasing a second solid result to keep building his path towards next year’s Dream Tour. His runner-up finish in the US Open will definitely be a keeper.

 

Apart from Boal’s solid performance were Joan Duru (FRA), Marlon Lipke’s (DEU) and Michel Bourez’s (PYF) excellent results.

 

Duru, 19, ASP European Junior Champion in 2006 and possibly Europe’s most promissing young surfer, secured one of the best results of his career in California placing equal 5^th after he lost by a mere 0.10 point to former ASP World Tour campaigner Gabe Kling (USA). Duru, who placed equal 9th in the ASP WQS 6-Star Prime O’Neill Highland Open in April, stepped up against the world’s most experienced surfers and will be one to watch when the ASP World Qualifying Series hit Europe next week.

 

Lipke, 23, who has had one of his best seasons so far on “the Grind”, was defeated by Duru just before the Quarterfinals but left California with another keeper for the international ratings. Rated No. 27 thanks to his result, the best German surfer ever will be much awaited at all European events.

 

Bourez, 2006 ASP European Champion and Europe’s No. 1 campaigner this season, lost in Round 5 but keeps all ASP Top 45 qualification chances alive. With three strong results and many events coming up, Bourez will be a favorite at all events he attends. His last ASP WQS win was in 2005 in the Canary Islands and he is ready for more. He is now rated No. 16, a promissing spot before all European events get underway. 

 

ASP WQS EUROPEANS’ TOP 5

No. 16, Michel Bourez (PYF), 7776 points

No. 18, Tim Boal (FRA), 7663 points

No. 28, Marlon Lipke (DEU), 7176 points

No. 35, Hugo Savalli (REU), 6538 points

No. 37, Gony Zubizarreta (ESP), 6475 points