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ASP seek new sponsor for Japan event
by George Mojo
05/06/2006:// Due to there being limited time to find a major sponsor, the Association of Surfing Professionals International Ltd. (ASP) has been forced to cancel the Foster's ASP Men's World Tour event in Japan.
The event, which was scheduled to take place from August 31 to September 7 at Malibu/Hebara, on the Chiba coastline, was the seventh stop on the 12-event tour.
Quiksilver has been the major sponsor of the event for the past three years, which has been held in prime surf, typhoon season.
The president of Quiksilver Asia-Pacific, Clive Fitts, said Quiksilver had run three very successful Foster's ASP Men's World Tour events in Japan and is still very keen to continue as a presenting sponsor.
"Quiksilver pioneered this event in 2003 with an extended competition window to get the best surf at the best locations during the Japanese typhoon season," said Fitts.
"Our original aim was to work with ASP to attract a naming rights sponsor with continued support from Quiksilver. That opportunity now exists."
ASP Chief Executive Officer Brodie Carr said the organisation has been looking for an overall naming rights sponsor to support Quiksilver and ASP Japan.
"It's always disappointing to lose an event on the tour," Carr said. "But we're looking at it positively as there is now a great opportunity to bring new sponsors onto the tour. "
"There are already supporting sponsors and the event infrastructure is in place so it's a sponsorship bargain to become part of the prestigious Foster's ASP Men's World Tour."
Japan has always been viewed by ASP as an important growth area for the sport of surfing and it is also a favoured stop-over of the athletes due to the incredible support and enthusiasm of the spectators.
"We see Japan as a vital cog in the current success of the Dream Tour," said Carr. "And we would like to see the event reinstalled on the 2007 calendar, bigger and better than ever."
The call now goes out to anyone who may be wishing to become a major sponsor of this top line international pro surfing tournament.
Interested parties are invited to register with Carr via email at brodie@aspworldtour.com
Last year's Japan final, between American Kelly Slater and Hawaiian Andy Irons, was one of the best ever, with Irons winning in ideal six foot (two metre) surf in front of a massive crowd.
The result helped spearhead one of the greatest sporting rivalries ever (between Slater and Irons) with Slater eventually winning an unprecedented seventh world crown.
Cornwall's Russell Winter has had a superb start at the Buondi Billabong Pro in Portugal notching up one of the top four heat scores of the competition so far
Cornwall's Ruebyn Ash put in a superb performance to reach his second European Pro Junior final of the season
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