Stone and Winchester win at Ferrol
posted on 4th September 2010
It was a misty start to what would be an exciting final day at Ferrol as the Top 16 riders hit the water for the first time in R4.
Heat 1 was shaping up as a cracker. Former world champion Damian King was against the newy crowned champion Amaury Laverhne and the dynamic duo from Brazil Helliton Loureiro and Lucas Nogueira. It was evident from the get go that this round would be a "Flip-Fest". Damian King set the standard with a 7.25 on his opening left with a perfectly executed backflip and roll combo. Amaury followed suit and lead the heat with Kingy until Helliton Loureiro scored a 7.75 for a deep tube ride that he rolled out of and got the crowd going. In the final minutes Lucas Nogueira pushed King back to third with Loureiro forth.
The second heat was a non-stop barrel contest with Mike Stewart showing his superior skills in the green room. On one left Stewart came out long after the blow-out and scored a 9 from the judges and a cheer from the crowd. Mike has spent a half a lifetime in the tube and he looked at home in the pitting peaks. Eder Luciano finished second with South Africa's Jared Houston in third and Ardiel Jiminez in fourth.
"I was waiting for the score after that tube and was happy to hear a 9" said Stewart. "My board was working well and the waves are a little shifty but when you score one its pretty amazing."
In the next heat Ben Player looked focused and determined as he notched up a series of high scores including a 9 pointer. On the same wave South African Mark McCarthy split the peak and netted a 8.5 and took the heat ahead of Player.
"I am glad that I split that peak with Benny" said McCarthy. "Its pretty good out there and I am stoked to get into the man on man round next."
Heat 4 R4 and the local rider Nacho Garcia continues his good form finishing behind an inform Yeray Marinez. Nacho has more then proved his worth as a wildcard and will now move into the quarter finals as the highest placed local.
Other highlights included heat wins by Yeray Martinez, PLC, Novy, Diego Cabrera and Jake Stone.
With a dropping swell and a rising tide the organizers decided to run R5 and in the first one Amaury Laverhne continued his golden run with a win over Ben Player. Local Nacho Garcia's run came to an end with third and Mike Stewart struggled in 4th.
Lucas Nogueira and Yeray Martinez dominated McCarthy and Luciano in the second.
Uri Valadao and Novy finished 1-2 in the third and the last two riders into the quarters were Jake Stone and Pierre Louis Costes.
The contest went back on the knee for the man-on-man DK quarters and Ardiel Jimenez disposed of Amaury in the first. You can tell that Jimenez means business with Cesar and Feast out of the event he has a chance to jain some valuable points.
In the second one Yiyi Obenza was KO'ed by Winchester. Damian King combo'ed Fabrice Moulin and then in the last one Dave Hubbard smashed Ryan.
The DK Semi's would be:
Semi Final 1 - Jimenez vs Winchester
Semi Final 2 - King vs Hubbard
The Men's quarters were next and by this time the surf was small and wind affected as a cross-shore breeze carved up the morning glass.
Quarter Final 1: Yeray Matinez defeated Amaury Laverne
Quarter Final 2: Ben Player snuck past Lucas Nogueira
Quarter Final 3: Pierre beat Uri
Quarter Final 4: Jake Stone overpowered Michael Novy
The DK semis saw Adriel Jimenez get smashed by an inform Dave Winchester
And in the second semi Kingy put an end to Dave Hubbards run.
The DK Final would be an all Australian final - Dave Winchester vs Damian King.
The men's semis was a close one with Yeray Matinez continuing his amazing run through the e3x leg. Ben had him pegged back a few times but in the end his fitness paid dividends as he twisted out of seemingly un-makeable positions.
Semi two was a classic battle between two of the sports youngest and freshest faces PLC and Jake Stone. The lead traded hands several times and on the countdown PLC had it in the bag until Stone launched into a back-flip that pulled the score he needed and had the crowd froathing.
The Men's Final was decided - Yeray Martinez vs Jake Stone.
"I can't believe that" said Stone. "I never gave up, I just said no way am I going to be beaten. I'm so stoked"
The DK final was a classic matchup of two Australian prone riders that just also happen to be very proficient on the knee. Winny opened up with an 8 and took an early lead and hammered it home with a few 6's & 7's that left Kingy in "Combo-land". But in true KING fashion he snagged a deep barrel/ floater (1o pointer) in the final 2 minutes that left him chasing a 4 point something but time simply ran out.
Winny takes the DK crown.
In the Men's final Yeray Martinez definitely looked like the warm favourite but young Australian Jake Stone had other plans. He went for the impossible and made it, everytime. With steely determination he combo'ed Matrinez, who by the way is in the best form of his career, and took his maiden victory at Ferrol.
"This is the best thing I have ever done" said Stone. "I am stoked, that's all I can say."
When the dust settled off the e3x series the IBA were delighted with the outcome. Three great events, fun waves, fun times and the smell of the European summer still lingers in the air!
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