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English champion wins Beach Ball series
by George Mojo
29/07/2005:// English champion Alan Stokes bounced back to winning ways to take top spot in the Animal Beach Ball series in North Cornwall.
Stokes put his recent fourth-place finish in Sri Lanka behind him, to retain the overall Wavemaster title at Polzeath.
The Newquay surfer saw off a strong challenge from former WCT pro Russell Winter, who qualified for the final with a tremendous opening score of 16.22.
But as the new-format competition proved, it can all change with a simple wave of an arm as surfers claim their best two waves to impress the judges.
As in the two previous years, it was this battle of judgement and nerves that would keep Winter out of the titles yet again, failing to claim a second wave within the allowed time.
This, combined with strong final performances from some of the best in the water.
Stokes showed no nevers and stepped up to take the top prize money, with fellow Cornishman Mark Harris second and Stokes's Animal team mate Lee Bartlett in third.
Stokes was delighted by his performance: "Obviously it's great to have won both rounds this year and gained the Wavemaster title, the support for me personally and the whole Animal Beach Ball event has been fantastic and it has really given everyone a great opportunity to see all that is best in surfing! I am now looking forward to testing this cool bike out round Newquay!".
In the girl's division, there had been a great title challenge laid down by Sarah Bentley at Fistral Beach in the first leg of the two event tour, but at Polzeath the Animal surf girls really put on a show and swept the board.
A superb performance put young Irish Champion Easkey Britton in the number one spot, with World Champion Kite Surfer, Kirsty Jones second with St Agnes's Nicola Bunt, third.
Britton's score at Polzeath had taken her into the lead for the combined results and as Surf Diva she received an Animal Beach Cruzer bike.
The 19-year-old commented: "I have had an amazing time. The varied surf conditions proved quite a challenge and the locations here in Cornwall have been totally amazing. The competition has enabled me to do what I love doing in a really beautiful place, it's fantastic!"
Jersey's Ben Skinner demonstrated the longboard skills that are making waves on the international scene to win the division ahead of Luke Patterson and Newquay's Lee Ryan.
Newquay winner and junior hot shot Reubyn Ash is clearly the name to be reckoned with in the junior's seeing off a strong challenge from Aaron Evans and Marcus Lascelles.
In an SAS Tag Team challenge, Team Animal valiantly improved on their creative Newquay performance to take the third spot, beaten by the Red Hot Reprobates.
But is was a monumental display by Winter Wonderland to score 43.5 that saw the Winter brothers and Lee Bartlett take the title way ahead of the rest.
[Carissa Moore (in yellow) receiving the winner's prize]
[The number of high-rated Australian surf competitions are set to increase]
[Pablo Gutierrez winner of the Superbock Pro]
Hawaiian Carissa Moore won the Roxy Pro Junior surfing in her first ever contest in France
ASP International has announce the inception of their fourth regional branch, ASP Australasia
Twenty-six-year-old Pablo Guitierrez took top honours in the Superbock Pro in Portugal after defeating fellow Portugeuse surfer Eduardo Fernandes in the final
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