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Cornwall's Ruebyn Ash put in a superb performance to reach his second European Pro Junior final of the season
by George Mojo
26/08/2008:// Ash from Widemouth Bay, near Bude, is a former European under=18 champion, and if this performance at Ericeira, in Portugal is anything to go by his appetite for competition on the ASP tour shows no sign of diminishing.
It was the second fourth place finish within a month for Ash - last month the England international placed fourth at the Vans Pro in Northern Spain. He currently holds a top ten place in the rankings with one more event of the season remaining.
Ash, who has already strung together some solid performance this season including lilfting the opening UK Pro tour even in Croyde, didn't hold back in the final at Ericeira although the tricky 2ft beachbreak waves at Ribeira d’Ilhas served up a surfing feast to be savoured.
The final brought one of the most dramatic upsets of the year with Guadaloupe's Charles Martin coming out ahead despite an amazing level displayed by all the surfers.
Martin, who was the only one to counter the event’s top scorer Boardmasters winner Wiggoly Dantas, from Brazil, won his maiden Pro Junior title and eventually reaches the highest rank in an under-21 event.
Martin's classy small-wave reperrtoire and tactics was enough to defeat Dantas, Euskadi's Jatyr Berasaluce and Ash in the highly-anticipated showdown.
"It was a long final and I felt under pressure," Martin said. "The 35 minutes were really long after I took my two best waves in the first five minutes and I was just sitting there watching the others surf and trying to stick to them for the priorities. I am stoked to get that title."
Martin missed several event this year due to school obligations but has jumped back to number16 on the regional ratings in only four events.
"I have been on a good roll so far with a final in Lacanau, a 17th in the WQS, now this win," Martin said. "Things are going my way and it is so good to make it through that many heats. I cannot wait to paddle back out next week and try and get another good result."
Placing runner-up was Jatyr Berasaluce. The 19-year-old was surfing his thrid final of the year and once again missed the win failing to counter Martin’s assault in the final battle of the event.
"I did not catch the better waves during the final and I was not able to show my best surfing," Berasaluce said. "I even had an interference penality so I am pretty stoked to still get a second place. It is excellent for my Top 5 goal and I will be waiting patiently for the final event in Portugal in October."
The last event of the European Pro Junior men's tour will be staged in Portugal in October.
Final result: 1 Charles Martin (GLP) 13.84 pts, 2 Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK) 10.35 pts, 3 Wiggoly Dantas (BRA) 8.77 pts, 4 Reubyn Ash (GBR) 8.27 pts
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