Billabong Pro Mundaka Called Off Again, Organizers Aim for Sopelana Tomorrow

MUNDAKA, Euskadi/Spain (Sunday, October 11, 2009) – After chasing suitable conditions for most of the day at both Mundaka and the backup site of Sopelana, event organizers have called the sixth consecutive lay day for the Billabong Pro Mundaka.

Event No. 8 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Mundaka ran in good conditions at the primary venue on the opening day of competition, completing the first eight heats of Round 1, utilizing the new man-on-man elimination format.

“We gave it a good look today at both Mundaka and Sopelana and conditions were not suitable to run competition,” Mike Parsons, Billabong Pro Contest Director, said. “By looking at what’s on tap for the rest of the waiting period, the next two days look like they’ll be our best shot in the near future so we’ll be making the call from the backup site tomorrow morning at 7:30am.”

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7:30am to assess conditions for a possible recommencement at 8am at Sopelana.

When competition resumes, up first will be ASP Dream Tour veteran Dean Morrison (AUS), 28, up against event wildcard Dean Bowen (AUS) in Heat 9 of Round 1.

Highlights from past days’ Billabong Pro Mundaka will be available via http://www.billabongpro.com/mundaka09/

The Billabong Pro Mundaka will host the world’s best surfers from October 5 through 17, 2009.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG PRO MUNDAKA ROUND 1 RESULTS:

Heat 1: Jihad Khodr (BRA) 13.60 def. Roy Powers (HAW) 11.10

Heat 2: David Weare (ZAF) 13.50 def. Tim Boal (FRA) 7.17

Heat 3: Drew Courtney (AUS) 11.67 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 10.17

Heat 4: Tiago Pires (PRT) 14.66 def. Phillip MacDonald (AUS) 13.17

Heat 5: Ben Dunn (AUS) 13.16 def. Marlon Lipke (DEU) 9.10

Heat 6: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 15.80 def. Hodei Collazo (EUK) 10.96

Heat 7: Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.34 def. Damien Fahrenfort (ZAF) 10.00

Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.84 def. Reubyn Ash (GBR) 11.50

REMMAINING BILLABONG PRO MUNDAKA ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 9: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Dean Bowen (AUS)

Heat 10: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Marcos San Segundo (EUK)

Heat 11: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Nathaniel Curran (USA)

Heat 12: Tim Reyes (USA) vs. Michael Picon (FRA)

Heat 13: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Nic Muscroft (AUS)

Heat 14: Dustin Barca (HAW) vs. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)

Heat 15: Chris Ward (USA) vs. Dayyan Neve (AUS)

Heat 16: Jay Thompson (AUS) vs. Greg Emslie (ZAF)

BILLABONG PRO MUNDAKA ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 2: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. TBA

Heat 4: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 10: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. TBA

Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. TBA

Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 13: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 14: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 15: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 16: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. TBA