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US Open Heat Win For Ricardo |
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Written by Ben Kennings
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Wednesday, 03 August 2011 |
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| Ricardo in the Huntington shore pound - Image Hurley |
Richard Christie busted his way through to the Round of 48 at the Nike US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, Californiaearly this morning (Wednesday 3rd August).
The event is the most important ASP Prime event on the tour with $100,000 up
for grabs for the winner as well as massive points toward qualification for the
ASP World Tour.
Christie got the jump on his opponents displaying powerful, committed surfing
on the small peaky waves at Huntington
Beach and scoring an 8.93 point ride on his first ride
– the highest of the day.
Christie backed his first ride with a lower scoring 5.20 to win the heat and eliminate
ASP World Tour veteran and current world number 10, Damien Hobgood (USA). Christie moved through to the next round
alongside Australian whizz kid and ASP World Junior Champion Jack Freestone who
also looked impressive. Former US Open
winner Nathaniel Curran placed fourth in the heat.
"I'm just having a go and trying to get some scores and I'm stoked to get
through that one," Christie said.
"I was just trying to find a good wave and surf it the way I would usually
surf it and not get too wigged out by the crowd and it seemed to work" he
added of the pressure of surfing in front of the crazy beach crowd the US Open
is renowned for.
Christie will next face off against Damien Hobgood’s twin brother CJ, Pedro
Henrique (BRA) and Conner Coffin (USA).
The heat is scheduled to take place in the early hours of Thursday morning
(NZ time) once the first round has been completed.
Check out the US Open action live.
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