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Mostly Cloudy Quiksilver Pro N.Y. trials: surfers eliminated during heats
Surfers, including Gumiela, vying for coveted spot on ASP tour's N.Y. stop
As the sun shone on National Boulevard beach Sunday morning, the excitement for Quiksilver Pro New York Trials, presented by UnSound Surf, was palpable, as hundreds gathered on the boardwalk and beach to see which of the 16 trialists competing would win the final wildcard into the Quiksilver Pro N.Y. event.
The Trials, which commenced at 8 a.m., are scheduled to run into early afternoon. The event features four 25-minute heats, two semi-final rounds, followed by the final round. According to Quiksilver representatives, two of four surfers advance from each heat, and move on to the semi-final rounds. The semi-finals determine the final four surfers, who will face off for the coveted second wildcard for the Quiksilver Pro New York.
Pro surfers Travis Logie, 32, of South Africa, and Jeremy Johnston, of the United States, advanced to the semi-finals after winning in the first heat, beating out Cristobal De Col of Peru, and Leif Engstrom of Montauk. Engstrom advanced to the trials after he won the coveted Empire State Surfing Championships Trials for the Trials, presented by Quiksilver, held at National Boulevard beach July 15-17.
Both said they were thrilled to move to the next round, but cited that the “weak” winds and “small, difficult” surf is making the contest more challenging.
“It’s really tough — it’s pretty much wind chop,” said Logie. “It’s surfable, it’s contestable. But the waves are small. You have to be really lucky, or just go absolutely crazy and surf amazingly.”
Logie added that the Quiksilver Pro New York is a “huge” competition, and said he’s ready to catch any waves possible, despite the difficult surf, to secure a spot to compete among the world’s best, including 10 time Association of Surfing Professionals world champion Kelly Slater.
“If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best,” he said.
The second heat marked for an upset for pro surfer and Long Beach resident T.J. Gumiela, who placed fourth and was eliminated, with Maxime Huscenot, of France, and Garrett Parkes, of Australia, advancing to the semi-finals.
