The 2015 SATA Azores Pro will host some of the world's best surfers for the second-to-last stop on the European Qualifying Series.
The QS10,000 SATA Azores Pro returns in its seventh edition to the idyllic setup of Praia de Santa Barbara, on Sao Miguel Island of the Azores, starting Tuesday, September 22.
The fifth of nine QS10,000 events in 2015, the Azorean stop is already a classic European experience for surfers trying to qualify for the Elite Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour or Top32 surfers in the need of the precious ranking points to maintain their status amongst the very best surfers in the world.
Come Tuesday, nine surfers from the Elite will join the opening round of competition, facing hungry newcomers and seasoned QS tour grinders in what promises to be an exciting five days of high-performance surfing and pristine surfing conditions.
Jesse Mendes (BRA) 22, reigning event champion, will be back to Azores to defend his title and will matchup with recent winner of the VANS US Open of Surfing Hiroto Ohhara (JPN), 18, in the second heat when the event commences.
With an encouraging forecast for the opening two days of competition, the SATA Azores Pro could kick off right away at Santa Barbara. This event will also launch the Portuguese Waves Series - Cascais Trophy, an exclusive three-event leg that will then take some of the world's best surfers to the Allianz Billabong Pro Cascais before concluding at the Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
Past winners of the series include Australia's Adam Melling in 2013 and current World No.22 Jordy Smith (ZAF) last year, and if the prestige wasn't enough, the extra $25,000 bonus will definitely bring out the best in every surfer that competes in the series.
SATA Azores Pro to Reignite Qualifying Battles
WSL
The QS10,000 SATA Azores Pro returns in its seventh edition to the idyllic setup of Praia de Santa Barbara, on Sao Miguel Island of the Azores, starting Tuesday, September 22.
The fifth of nine QS10,000 events in 2015, the Azorean stop is already a classic European experience for surfers trying to qualify for the Elite Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour or Top32 surfers in the need of the precious ranking points to maintain their status amongst the very best surfers in the world.
Come Tuesday, nine surfers from the Elite will join the opening round of competition, facing hungry newcomers and seasoned QS tour grinders in what promises to be an exciting five days of high-performance surfing and pristine surfing conditions.
Jesse Mendes (BRA) 22, reigning event champion, will be back to Azores to defend his title and will matchup with recent winner of the VANS US Open of Surfing Hiroto Ohhara (JPN), 18, in the second heat when the event commences.
With an encouraging forecast for the opening two days of competition, the SATA Azores Pro could kick off right away at Santa Barbara. This event will also launch the Portuguese Waves Series - Cascais Trophy, an exclusive three-event leg that will then take some of the world's best surfers to the Allianz Billabong Pro Cascais before concluding at the Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
Past winners of the series include Australia's Adam Melling in 2013 and current World No.22 Jordy Smith (ZAF) last year, and if the prestige wasn't enough, the extra $25,000 bonus will definitely bring out the best in every surfer that competes in the series.
Jordy Smith
Featuring Gabriel Medina, John John Florence, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Molly Picklum, Barron Mamiya, Caitlin Simmers, Caroline Marks, Ethan
Featuring Gabriel Medina, Crosby Colapinto, Cole Houshmand, Italo Ferreira, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Yago Dora, Gabriela Bryan, and Jordy Smith.
Featuring surfing from Barron Mamiya, Molly Picklum, John John Florence, Caitlin Simmers, Bettylou Sakura Johnson, Jordy Smith, Leonardo
Jordy Smith was born in South Africa, the son of one of the country's most respected board builders, Graham Smith.
Featuring Yago Dora, Filipe Toledo, Caio Ibelli, Ian Gouveia, Kelly Slater, John John Florence, Gabriel Medina, Julian Wilson, Adriano de
SATA Azores Pro
Past editions of the SATA Azores Pro have seen their share of epic conditions.
Kolohe Andino advances to Round 4 of Moche Rip Curl Pro and solidifies victory as Portuguese Wave Series champ.
The Aussie gets closer to making the 2016 Tour after dominating a talented field in solid conditions.
The Australian claims his first QS10,000 win in Azores on an exciting final day of action.
Surfers light up two-to-three foot waves on the third day of competition in Azores to whittle the field down to just 16.