Local Tahitian Michel Demont Wins OPT Tahiti Pro Longboard
PAPARA,
Tahiti (Saturday, July 28, 2007) - After yesterday’s interruption in the
last heat of round 3, what a relief it was fro everyone to get back to the
beach knowing Keoni Perkins (Haw) was definitely safe. We could then start
round 4 in the best conditions, some clean 3 ft waves breaking for this
final day of competition of the OPT-Tahiti Pro Longboard.
The three-men quarterfinals started at 8.30 AM, and Duane De Soto (Haw)
faced Scott Fong Jnr (Haw) and local Heifara-Jean Tahutini (Pyf). With a
similar level, the three men surfed really well, Fong using the repertoire
with accuracy while De Soto and Tahutini were going vertical on the hollower
lefthanders. Opening the day with an upset, Tahutini eventually eliminated
Fong to advance to the man-on-man quarterfinals.
“I’m stoked to make the man-on-man heats at home. Just too good to reach
such a round and surf against some of the best surfers in the world,” said
Tahutini.
Carlos Bahia (Bra) was eliminated in round 3 by fellow countryman Eduardo
Bagé (Bra) and onfire Frenchman Damien Castera (Fra) in a close heat when
the three men kept exchanging waves until the last minutes, the situation
changing every second, when Castera found a long hollow left to score
perfect re-entries finishing with a classic hang-five and get an 8.10 pts
reward. Beating the two Brazilians, Castera was delighted with his victory.
“I chose to surf all the lefthanders I could and I knew I had some tough
opponents out there. I was hoping to qualify, but to win is just perfect and
gives confidence in a such a heat,” said Castera.
Heat 4 brought some amazing action when Tahitians Michel Demont and
Heifara-Peter Tahutini surfed against French favourite Antoine Delperro. In
the highest scoring heat of the event at that time, the two Tahitians going
off on every wave of their home spot. Delperro resisted despite Demont’s
best score of the event with a 9.25 after landing a huge floater re-entry
and linking the sections with a perfect nose-riding to secure his spot in
the quarterfinals. while Heifara Peter Tahutini was destroying a lefthander
to control his second place qualification.
The man-on-man quarterfinals got underway straight after, and Eduardo Bagé
(Bra) was the man of heat 1 when he eliminated Duane De Soto (Haw) thanks to
an excellent ride while Duane couldn’t find his waves to catch up with the
Brazilian and had to accept an equal 5th finish.
In quarter #3, Jackson Close (Aus) just dominated the battle against local
Heifara Peter Tahutini (Pyf), leaving him in need of a combination; only
Australian of the final day, Close left the water very satisfied and
confident about the remaining heats; however he finished equal 3rd and got
$1500 for his result when he was eliminated by future champion Michel
Demont.
“It’s been a great event, what a pleasure to be on this island. I mean, it
must happen again and maybe if it is at another time in the year we will
have all the best... For sure actually, as this was running at the same time
as the US Open. But great thanks to all, happy with my result,” said Close.
The clash of the titans took place in the last quarterfinal when Michel
Demont (Pyf) faced former world champion Bonga Perkins. In a tight heat
until the last minute, Demont used his priority to find the 5.65 pts he
needed leaving Bonga at the outside out of reach of a spot in the
semifinals.
The giant killer Heifara-Jean Tahutini (Pyf) was eventually in reach of his
first final in an ASP World longboard tour event when he paddled out against
Eduardo Bagé (Bra). Starting fast, the Brazilian looked unstoppable again
opening with a 7.25 pointer out of possible 10. Slowly but confidently,
Tahutini surfed wave after wave, feeling no pressure to catch up with the
Brazilian until he stuck to the lefthanders and started getting on fire,
overtaking Bagé to advance to the final of the OPT-Tahiti Pro Longboard.
“I just started good but couldn’t hear the scores clearly outside because of
the wind and couldn’t stop paddling because of the current. However he got
the bomb of the heat and just deserved making this one”, said a positive
Bagé, finishing equal 3rd pocketing $1500 of prize.
The second semifinal sent the last foreign representation home, Michel
Demont (Pyf) beating one of the favourites Jackson Close (Aus) with the same
control and experience, added to all the technique that brought him to the
semis.
The ultimate heat of the event lasted 35 minutes and brought together giant
killer Heifara-Jean Tahutini (Pyf) and longtime competitor and favourite
Michel Demont (Pyf). The two men looked relaxed and confident, already
satisfied with their result, but still knowing they could seize the first
ever OPT-Tahiti Pro Longboard title, and the 2007 ASP European Longboard Pro
Tour crown. Everything started with average scores, Demont opening with a 6
pointer while Tahutini was securing a 4.75.
Then the men got on fire, and started destroying the lefthanders with
amazing verticality and power; halfway in the heat, the two surfers were
tied, with the same total for three minutes, before Demont took off on this
4 ft solid set wave and carved his way up to the shore using the whole
repertoire of longboarding from radical re-entries to perfect
hands-in-the-air hang five nose rides, claiming his 8.5 pts reward and
knowing he had definitely taken the option for the victory.
“So stoked to win this event. I entered this 4 Star WLT event with no goal,
just the pleasure of surfing with my friends and the new generation and I
end up winning it... So happy. I want to thank all the organisers and
contest directors Ralph Sanford and Christophe Hollozet for making this
possible and I hope it will be back next year,” confessed Michel Demont
after his victory in the first ever OPT-Tahiti Pro Longboard 4 Star WLT
event in Papara, Tahiti.
Michel Demont becomes the 2007 ASP European Longboard Champion and grabs
OPT-Tahiti Pro Longboard title in front of an impressive field of
internationals, including former world champion Bonga Perkins (Haw).
Congratulations for the event, see you next year from Tahiti.
RESULTS
Final: Michel Demont (Pyf) def. Heifara-Jean Tahutini (Pyf)
Semifinal #1: Heifara-Jean Tahutini (Pyf) def. Eduardo Bagé (Bra)
Semifinal #2: Michel Demont (Pyf) def. Jackson Close (Aus)