The ASP Prime Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro begins tomorrow May 3, 2011 and nestled in with it is the ASP 5-Star Oakley Pro Junior. That’s right, two contests in one running right through to Mother’s Day. Last year’s event was won by Gabe Kling.
To see who wins there year there are two options: make the drive to Trestles or watch the entire think live on the web by clicking right here.
For some of our photos from last year click here, or follow the jump for the official word from the ASP. Oh, and we almost forgot: Kelly Slater’s going to be there.SAN CLEMENTE, California/USA (Monday, May 2, 2011) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) PRIME Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro is set to host some of surfing’s biggest names at the fabled cobblestone pointbreak of Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Califorina beginning tomorrow, May 3, 2011.
Accompanying the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro will be the ASP 5-Star Oakley Pro Junior, stop No. 7 of 9 on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series. The Oakley Pro Junior will see the nation’s brightest up-and-coming talent compete for the crucial points on offer towards qualification for the prestigious ASP World Junior Tour.
Gabe Kling (St. Augustine, FL), 30, defending Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro Champion, earned his way back on to the ASP Top 34 via a wildcard following his amazing performance at Lower Trestles and the hard working Floridian has been in impressive form on the elite ranks since his victory last year.
“My win at Lowers was the biggest of my career,” Kling said. “The points from the win helped me get the wildcard for the second half of the year and I got a lot of momentum from it, it was a huge win for me!”
Kling also knows that the change in the ASP World Ranking points structure will make it crucial for him to earn another keeper result at this year’s ASP PRIME rated event in order to help maintain his position on the international standings.
“Yeah, there is always pressure to get keeper results and with this one dropping from my score line it would be great to get another good result at Lowers this year,” Kling said. “I’m really looking forward to surfing heats out there again.”
Nat Young (Santa Cruz, CA), 19, current No. 45 on the men’s ASP World Ranking, has been building momentum on the international stage and knows that a top result at the upcoming Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro could put him in contention to qualify for the elite ASP Dream Tour.
“I am sitting in a good position and one big result would help a lot,” Young said. “Lowers is one of the biggest PRIME events, it’s also one of the hardest. Doing well in this event is very important not only for points but because it’s such a prestigious event.”
Young, who has been surfing in the ASP PRIME events over the last few years, feels that competing against the top talent in the draw in events such as the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro helps push his progression in order to compete alongside the some of the world’s best surfers.
“Surfing against the World Tour guys definitely pushes me to surf my best,” Young said. “You need to be surfing your best in order to beat them. Competing against them now is also a good experience, because those are the guys you will be surfing against on the World Tour.”
Top names in the 2011 Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro also include 10-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL), 39, Dane Reynolds (Ventura, CA), 25, local standout and elite ASP Top 34 surfer Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 25, Australian standouts Matt Wilkinson (AUS), 22, and Adrian ‘Ace’ Buchan (AUS), 28, and dangerous Brazilians Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, and Jadson Andre (BRA), 21, among several elite ASP Top 34 standouts.
The 2011 ASP PRIME Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro holds a waiting period from May 3 through 7 and is webcast LIVE via http://www.nike6lowerspro.com/
