15 November 2014, Jinzun Harbor, Taitung-Taiwan: Dede Suryana from West Java Indonesia hoisted his first ASC Men’s Open Championship today at the ASP 1 star/ASC Taiwan Open of Surfing, as follow Indonesian competitor and ASC title contender Garut Widiarta was defeated by Australia’s Jordan Lawler in Quarterfinal two this morning. Suryana is a previous Indonesian Champion, having won the title in 2008.
After placing third in his Round 3 heat earlier this morning, therefore failing to advance to the quarterfinal berth that would give him the championship title, Dede Suryana had to sit in the tower and cross his fingers in hope, while waiting for Widiarta to take on Lawler.
And it was indeed a nail biter, as Widiarta jumped out into the lead early and held it until the final seconds of the heat, when with only 6 seconds to go, Jordan, who needed a single wave score of 7.90 to win the heat, scratched into a medium sized left and gouged a couple of big turns, then finished with blow tail reverse and rode out of it to post an 8.25 and defeat Widiarta to hand the 2014 ASC Championship to Suryana.
“After I got my last wave, I was way down the beach with not much time to paddle back out, and I just saw that last part of Jordy’s wave, but I didn’t’ see the start, so I didn’t know he got the score until I was back in the tower and the boys told me,” said Widiarta. “It was like a few seconds before the horn or something that he got that wave…but I didn’t think he got the score, and then I thought damn, I can’t believe he got it! But it’s ok, I’m happy just to be here with the boys and having fun here in Taiwan, and I’m stoked for Dede that he won the championship. He’s really been surfing great this year so he deserved to win for sure. Now we can go out and celebrate with him tonite so it’s all good,” Widiarta said with a laugh.
Suryana was ecstatic and then overcome with emotion after being handed the trophy and saying “I’m so stoked and so happy to win this title, as this has been such a great year for me and it makes me look forward to next year already. Thanks to the boys for being here, for the great competition we have with guys like Garut, Raditya and all the rest, and for my family supporting me, especially my wife and baby daughter, this is for them. And I wouldn’t be here and able to compete without my sponsors, Quiksilver, Luke Studer Surfboards, Camden, +62, and Samudra Biro, and thanks to the ASC for having this great tour so we can travel and compete!”
In the ASC Women’s Division, current points leader Rina Kitazawa is still on the sidelines, waiting to see how Yasniar “Bonne” Gea will fare in the final tomorrow. Gea tapped a second place finish in semifinal 1 today behind 12-year-old Taina Izquierdo to advance to the final, where she will battle it out with Aussies Audrey Styman and Chelsea Williams. If Bonne posts a 2nd place or 1st place finish tomorrow she will win the 2014 ASC Championship. If she lands a 3rd or 4th place finish, the title remains with Rina.
You can check the heat draws as well as watch the event live at:
http://www.aspworldtour.com/events/2014/mqs/1026/taiwan-open-of-surfing
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