Oxbow World Longboard Tour 2009
Final event on the 2009 ASP World Longboard Tour
Chaaya Island, Dhonveli – Republic of the Maldives
October 26 – 31, 2009

Hawaii’s Kai Sallas wins Oxbow World Longboard Tour Maldives
Australia’s Harley Ingelby takes the 2009 ASP World Longboard Title

Attached Photos: Ben Skinner (GRB/Cornwell) placed equal 5th at the prestigious ASP Oxbow World Longboard Tour event in the Maldives today. Skinner surfed brilliantly in patches throughout this event and it was a great finish to his 2009 ASP World Longboard season finishing in 10th place over-all on the seasons ratings.. Full Press Below Credit: © ASP/ CI/ ROBERTSON via GETTY IMAGES

Thursday October 29 2009: Pasta Point Maldives: Immediate Release: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Oxbow World Longboard Tour Maldives event today crowned two champions – Harley Ingeby (Australia) as the ASP 2009 World Longboard Champion and Kai Sallas (Hawaii) as the inaugural Oxbow Maldives event champion.

Sallas (Oahu Island Hawaii) won the event, surfing clean 3 feet (1 meter) surf at Pasta Point defeating Australasia’s Harley Ingelby in a high scoring final that saw Sallas take the win with a combined two wave tally of 15.65 to Ingelby on 14.00.

Ingeby’s second placing in today’s final event on the two event ASP 2009 World Longboard Tour secured him the ASP World Longboard Title.

“I’m so stoked to win this event, the waves have been super fun all week and to beat Harley in the final capped off a perfect week for me” said Sallas.

“ I started well with 7.65 on my first ride and felt confident that I could back that ride up and take the win, Ingelby came at me hard in the final few minutes but my best ride was my final one and it’s great to win and actually beat the current world champion as well!”

The ASP World Longboard Champion is decided across the ratings from two events and Ingelby’s 1st placing in the season’s opening event in Japan along with his 2nd place here in the Maldives see’s him take the first ASP World Title for the 2009 season.

“It’s the best day of my life” said 26 year old Ingelby after the final.

“I’ve been close to winning in the past and always felt I could win the title but I’ve also seen many great surfers not win world titles and I was wary that the opportunity could slip – It’s a huge weight off my shoulders and right now the feeling is unbelievable.”

Ingelby secured the world title early in the day when he defeated Brazilian Phil Ratzman in a very close see-sawing quarter final.

“It would have been great to take the event win as well as the world title but full marks to Sallas, he surfed a great final and he deserved the win as he’s been a standout all week.”

“I really left my run in the final late, I don’t think I had one decent score in the first 20 minutes, when I did get that 8 point ride late in the final I was a real chance but simply could not find a wave to deliver a decent second score” added Ingelby.

Today’s Semi Finals were both tightly fought out with Sallas defeating fellow Hawaiian Ned Snow while Ingelby survived a late challenge in his semi final from French surfer Antoine Delpero winning on a score-line of 14.80 to Delpero on 14.35.

With excellent surf throughout the event all surfers enjoyed a great week and it was a fitting finale to the ASP Oxbow Longboard World Tour for 2009.

OXBOW ASP WORLD LONGBOARD TOUR MALDIVES QUARTER FINALS

Heat 1: Kai Sallas (HAW)12.00 V Eduardo Bagé (BRA)11.85

Heat 2: Ned Snow (HAW) 15.75D Ben Skinner (GBR)11.75

Heat 3: Harley Ingleby (AUS)14.00 D Phil Rajzman (BRA) 13.55

Heat 4: Antoine Delpero (FRA) 13.50 D Remi Arauzo (FRA) 12.00

OXBOW ASP WORLD LONGBOARD TOUR MALDIVES SEMI FINALS

Heat 1: Kai Sallas (HAW) 14.50 D Ned Snow (HAW) 13.45

Heat 2: Harley Ingelby (AUS) 14.80 D Antoine Delpero (FRA) 14.35

FINAL

Kai Sallas (HAW) 15.65 d Harley Ingelby (AUS) 14.00

ASP Final Top Ten World Longboard 2009 Ratings

Harley Ingelby (AUS)

Kai Sallas (HAW)

Antoine Delpero (FRA)

Phil Rajzman (BRA)

Bonga Perkins (HAW)

Ned Snow (HAW)

Eduardo Bage (BRA)

Colin McPhillips (USA)

Ben Skinner (GBR)