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WAITING FOR CALL - NEXT CALL: 8:30am (local time) (Wed, 1 Oct 2008 Posted at 01:00:00 AM)
WAITING FOR CALL - NEXT CALL: 8:30am
Wednesday 1st Oct - NEXT CALL 8:30am
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Due to the withdrawal of five world ranked competitors the Billabong Pro Mundaka features more European surfers than any other ASP world tour event before.
A total of nine Europeans will join the elite 48-man line-up including world ranked contenders Tiago Pires (PRT), Aritz Aranburu (EUK), Jeremy Flores (FRA) and Mikael Picon (FRA).
Local Mundaka surfer Txaber Trojaola is the latest European surfer be included in the field after WQS replacemnt surfer Gabe Kling was unable to take his position due to prior committments.
Reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) has withdrawn from the event due to a groin injury. Neco Padaratz (BRA) and Dean Morrison (AUS) will miss another contest courtesy of their ailments and Bruce and Andy Irons (HAW) have pulled out of the Billabong Pro for personal reasons.
The ASP World Tour surfers who have pulled out will be replaced by Nic Muscroft (AUS), Manoa Drollet (PYF), Tim Boal (FRA), Reubyn Ash (GBR) and Trojaola.
Former ASP World Champion Mark Occhilupo (AUS), Marco San Segundo (EUK) and Hodei Collazo (EUK) are the event wildcards.
Another call on competition status will be made at Sopelena tomorrow at 8am local time.
Billabong Pro Mundaka Round 1 Heat Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Kai Otton (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA), Aritz Aranburu (EUK)
Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Mick Campbell (AUS), Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Roy Powers (HAW), Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA), Ben Dunn (AUS), Tim Boal (FRA)
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Mark Occhilupo (AUS)
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Tim Reyes (USA), Hodei Collazo (ESP)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA), Taylor Knox (USA), Reubyn Ash (GBR)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Damien Hobgood (USA), Marco San Segundo (EUK)*
Heat 10: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Tom Whitaker (AUS),Txaber Trojaola (EUK)*
Heat 11: Luke Stedman (AUS), Jay Thompson (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 12: Chris Ward (USA), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA), Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 13: Dayyan Neve (AUS), Mikael Picon (FRA), Leonardo Neves (BRA)
Heat 14: Dane Reynolds (USA), Tiago Pires (PRT), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 15: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Daniel Wills (AUS), Ben Bourgeois (USA)
Heat 16: Kieren Perrow (AUS), Royden Bryson (ZAF), Luke Munro (AUS)
*(EUK) is the abbreviation for Euskadi – the Basque region of Spain.
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