Peruvian Piccolo Clemente Wins ASP 6-Star Huanchaco Longboard Pro
Playa El Elio, Huanchaco / Peru (Saturday, January 29, 2011) – Piccolo Clemente (PER) won the ASP Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) 6-Star Huanchaco Longboard Pro Peru over Brazilian Danilo Rodrigo (BRA), clinching the first ever Peruvian ASP South America Longboard event in front of a enormous crowd that filled the Playa El Elio with cheer in support for their national hero.
Piccolo Clemente started the day avenging his defeat from last year’s final loss to Rodrigo Sphaier (BRA), and continued through the rounds, winning the Semifinal over Leco Salazar (BRA) before defeating another Brazilian in the closing heat of the 2011 Huanchaco Longboard Pro.
With the unprecedented title win over Danilo Rodrigo at the 6-Star Huanchaco Longboard Pro, the Peruvian takes and early lead in the race for the ASP South American Longboard Title and has also got 3,500 points in the 2011 ASP Longboard Qualifying Series.
“I’m very happy,” Clemente said. “I trained hard and the reward has come now with this audience that packed the beach to cheer for me today,”
Although he was competing with pain, Danilo Rodrigo, better known as Mulinha, managed to make good efforts on Saturday’s smaller but consistent waves which provided perfect walls for Longboarding. The Brazilian won the first heat on Saturday over Geraldo Lemos, dispatched the contest highlight keeper, Marcelo Freitas, and finished strong in his Final against Piccolo Clemente.
The Peruvian took an early lead in the Final, but the Brazilian surfed the best wave of the heat, scoring an 8.17. However, Piccolo Clemente scored an 8.00 and a 7.97 against a 7.07 second best wave of Danilo Rodrigo. The Brazilian needed a 7.81 to turn the heat when he gave up with still six minutes remaining to finish the final, failing to withstand the severe tooth pain.
Piccolo Clemente, who had the passionate support of the huge crowd that attended the Playa El Elio to cheer for the Peruvian, got the best of a rematch against the defending event champion and current ASP South American Longboard champion who defeated him in the final of 2010 in Huanchaco.
Clemente earned his berth into the final via a mistake by Rodrigo Sphaier, who committed an interference against the Peruvian to dash the Brazilian’s chances of a second consecutive victory in Peru.
In addition to Huanchaco Longboard Pro, two additional contests sponsored by Pena brand in Brazil will decide the South American Champion and the two surfers who will represent South America on the ASP World Longboard Tour (WLT). The next event of the 2011 ASP South America Longboard season is the 6-Star Pena Bahia International Longboard Classic in Itacimirim, Camaçari, on July 15-17. The following week will see the ASP LQS 3-Star Pena Pernambuco International Longboard Classic in Ipojuca from July 22-24.
Huanchaco Longboard Pro Final Results:
1 - Piccolo Clemente (PER) 15.97
2 - Danilo Rodrigo (BRA) 15.24
Huanchaco Longboard Pro Semifinals Results:
SF 1: Danilo Rodrigo (BRA) 15.67 x 9.84 Marcelo Freitas (BRA)
SF 2: Piccolo Clemente (PER) 11.90 x 10.63 Leco Salazar (BRA)
Huanchaco Longboard Pro Quarterfinals Results:
QF 1: Danilo Rodrigo (BRA) 12.33 x 11.80 Geraldo Lemos (BRA)
QF 2: Marcelo Freitas (BRA) 15.00 x 13.83 Yan Guimarães (BRA)
QF 3: Leco Salazar (BRA) 14.50 x 9.83 Daniel Gil (ARG)
QF 4: Piccolo Clemente (PER) 13.33 x 5.00 Rodrigo Sphaier (BRA)
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