Photo: Maxime Huscenot (FRA), 16, current ASP European Junior ratings' leader, was the man today with an impressive 18.24 point heat tally (out of a possible 20)

LACANAU, France (Friday, August 8, 2008)- It was another day of intense action at the ASP Grade-1 Oakley Pro Junior with all Round 3 remaining heats and Round 4 being completed in consistent four to five foot (1 to 1.5 meter) waves at Lacanau in France.

Chasing the precious crown, all junior surfers displayed their best surfing to advance through to Round 5 which will feature eight 4-man battles when competition resumes tomorrow morning.

Tanner Gudauskas (USA), a 20-year-old Californian phenomenon, put on a show today posting an excellent 9.50 point ride (out of a possible 10) and solid 16.17 and 16.83 heat point tallies (out of a possible 20) respectively in Round 3 and Round 4.

"It was hard down there", Gudauskas said. "It is windy and kind of big so I just tried to stay on my board. I got lucky to get a bomb and make the difference with my contenders and to advance trough to next Round."

Gudauskas, who claimed an impressive victory at the ASP Grade-2 US Open of Surfing last month at Huntington Beach, surfed in the Oakley Pro Junior from Round 1 winning all his encounters. Gudauskas seems in a very good form and will be one of the most serious contenders in Round 5.

"I will try to make the final", Gudauskas said. "There are very good kids here so I will take just one heat at a time, and hopefully win the wildcard. This year, I am much more focused on the ASP WQS tour with my brothers Patrick and Dane."

Maxime Huscenot (REU), 16, current ASP European Pro Junior ratings leader was much-anticipated for his start in the Oakley Pro Junior and ended up winning Heat 4 easily. Posting an impressive 18.24 point heat score (out of a possible 20) including a near perfect 9.57 (out of a possible 10), Huscenot set the pace and will once again be a a potential winner in the event.

"I am stoked to advance through to Round 5 with such a big result", Huscenot said. "My brand new board is very quick and perfect for these hollow waves. I felt very comfortable in the water and I was able to make many moves on every single wave."

Huscenot has been the most consistent surfer on tour this season with two semifinals and a win thus far, and remains confident to get the regional crown and a possible ASP World Junior Championships (WJC) qualification.

"It is hard to stay ahead on the ratings", Huscenot said. "I was stressed in the first events this season but I am feeling relaxed at the moment and want to keep any pressure away."

Huscenot will meet Pascal Van der Mast (NED), Ormand Rangi (NZL) and Marcos San Segundo (PRT) in Heat 2 of Round 5.

Thomas Fok Cheong (REU), 19, managed to adapt to the tricky sand banks of Lacanau and  put on a strong performance getting through to Round 5 with two wins today.

"I am over the moon », Fok Cheong said. "I didn’t hear my scores in the water because of the wind and rain but put several good turns together and it feels really good to keep going."

Cheong, who got in the spotlights after defeating ratings' No. 1 and No. 2 Huscenot and Marc Lacomare (FRA) in Sopelana last week, does not feel any pressure so far. Fok Cheong will be among the last 32 men in contention tomorrow.

"I will try to surf my best and go as far as possible", Fok Cheong said. "Following my results in this Pro Junior, I will maybe take part in the one in Ericeira but I am very focused on studying at the moment."

Fok Cheong will surf in Heat 5 tomorrow with fellow Reunion Island born surfer Kieren Bulard (REU) who displayed very good surfing since the beginning of the competition.

All 32 competitors will meet at 8.30 AM tomorrow, Saturday, August 10, and the Oakley Pro Junior could be crowned by the afternoon.

News, photos, results and LIVE scoring are available at www.aspeurope.com

UPCOMING ROUND 5

Heat 1 : Adrien Toyon (REU), Lukas Guichard (DEN), Mario Azurza (EUK), Lewis St John (BRB)

Heat 2 : Pascal Van Der Mast (NED), Ormand Rangi (NZL), Marcos San Segundo (EUK), Maxime Huscenot (REU)

Heat 3 : Naoum Ildefonsse (FRA), Tanner Gudauskas (USA), Rudy Marechal (FRA), Marc Lacomare (FRA)

Heat 4 : Hugo Dubosc (FRA), Angelo Bonomeli (ITA), Felix Delanne (FRA), Miguel Pupo (BRA)

Heat 5 : Vasco Ribeiro (PRT), Thomas Fok Cheong (REU), Filipe J.Pereira (PRT), Kieren Bulard (REU)

Heat 6 : Vincente Romero (ESP), Justin Delanne (MRT), Yassine Ramdaini (MAR), Jules Thomet (FRA)

Heat 7 : Medi Veminardi (REU), Omer Bar (ISR), Joachim Guichard (DEN) ; Leonardo Belime (PRT)

Heat 8 : Dimitri Ouvre (FRA), Charles Martin (GLP), Igor Muniain (EUK), Pierre Valentin Laborde (FRA)

ROUND 4 RESULTS

Heat 1 : Adrien Toyon (REU) 15.17 pts, Pascal Van der Mast (NED) 7.77 pts, Miguel Mouzihno (PRT) 7.74 pts, Pierre Rollet (FRA) 5.16 pts

Heat 2 : Lukas Guichard (DEN) 10.83 pts, Ormand Rangi (NZL) 8.80 pts, Edouard Delperro (FRA) 7.00pts, Roberto d’Amico (ITA) 4.17 pts

Heat 3 : Marcos San Segundo (EUK) 12.67 pts, Mario Azurza (EUK) 10.17 pts, Mathias Maalem (FRA) 7.07 pts, Thomas Chamula (PYF) 6.87 pts

Heat 4 : Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 18.24 pts, Lewis St John (BRB) 12.40 pts, Hugo Robin (REU) 5.16 pts, Jose Feira (PRT) 3.23 pts

Heat 5 : Naoum Ildefonsse (FRA), 15.33 pts, Hugo Dubosc (FRA) 8.13 pts, Pedro Sanz Pinto (PRT) 7.00 pts, Hugo Palmarini (REU) 5.60 pts

Heat 6 : Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 16.83 pts, Angelo Bonomeli (ITA) 11.83 pts, Damien Chaudoy (REU) 10.37 pts, Pedro Sousa (PRT) 0.00 pts

Heat 7 : Felix Delanne (FRA) 9.50 pts, Rudy Marechal (FRA) 8.20 pts, Fransisco Alves (PRT) 7.07 pts, Tom Neushwanger (REU) 5.30 pts

Heat 8 : Miguel Pupo (BRA) 16.40 pts, Marc Lacomare (FRA) 12.16 pts, Killan Raust (FRA) 7.56 pts, Jocelyn Poulou (PYF) 6.44 pts

Heat 9 : Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 10.33 pts, Vincente Romero (ESP) 10.20 pts, Yann Martin (GLP) 9.53 pts, Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK) 8.03 pts

Heat 10 : Thomas Fok Cheong (REU) 10.66 pts, Justin Delanne (MRT) 9.27 pts, Martin d’Ambreville (FRA) 6 .77 pts, David Leboulsh (FRA) 6.70 pts

Heat 11 : Yassine Ramdani (MAR) 11.77 pts, Filipe J. Pereira (PRT) 8.06 pts, Thomas Valente (PRT) 6.90 pts, Toby Donachy (GBR) 5.50 pts

Heat 12 : Jules Thomet (FRA) 11.37 pts, Kieren Bulard (REU) 9.66 pts, Ian Fontaine (FRA) 8.63 pts, Pablo Pola (FRA) 5.37 pts

Heat 13 : Medi Veminardi (REU) 14.50 pts, Dimitri Ouvre (FRA) 9.90 pts, Billy Norways (GBR) 7.30 pts, William Aliotti (FRA) 4.97 pts

Heat 14 : Omer Bar (ISR) 12.17 pts, Charles Martin (GLP) 9.66 pts, Ivo Caçao (PRT) 9.50 pts, Dane Hall (GBR) 9.47 pts

Heat 15 : Igor Muniain (EUK) 10.83 pts, Joachim Guichard (DEN) 8.27 pts, Yann Guyonneau (FRA) 7.94 pts

Heat 16 : Pierre Valentin Laborde (FRA) 11.06 pts, Leonardo Belime (PRT) 7.40 pts, Tristan Guilbaud (FRA) 7.14 pts, Alessandro Piu (ITA) 5.84 pts