SOPELANA – Basque Country/Spain (Friday, July 30, 2010) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Nikita Pro Junior Sopelana today crowned both men's and women's champions during another long day of competitive surfing which saw Charles Martin (GLP) take the men's title over Filipe Jervis (PRT), William Aliotti (FRA) and Ramizi Boukiam (MAR). While Alizee Arnaud (FRA) left her opponents battling for the minor placings in an overwhelming display of dominance.

Peaky 3ft (1m) waves were on offer during the day with event officials halting the event during the lower tide to allow the best conditions possible for the finals late this afternoon. Clear skies and perfect beach weather assured a huge crowd lining the shore. With the swell decreasing and a poor prediction for the following days organisers were forced to finish two days ahead of schedule.

Charles Martin (GLP) 20, may have entered the water for the 40-minute final a little pushed for time but this did little to hinder him getting off to a flying start opening his account with a 7.83 which he immediately backed up with an 8.83 out of a possible 10 to take the lead which he never surrendered.

Surfing from round one and focused on this his last year on the ASP Pro Junior Tour Martin has decided to concentrate on the remaining two ASP sanctioned Pro Junior events being held over the next two weeks to run for the ASP European Junior title and to secure his place on this year's inaugural ASP World Junior Series to be held in Bali and Australia.

“I was in the car listening to music with a friend thinking I had enough time,” explained a smiling Martin about his sprint to the contest area. “Then when I was coming down the beach I heard the end of the girls final so I just ran to get my vest and they started celebrating the victory of Alizee so I had a little more time and I just got in the water and I caught that first wave and I was straight into a good rhythm.

“I got the first left that came in and that got me going,” continued Martin. “Then a few more came through and then it kind of went slower for the last part of the final. The two best waves of the final came straight to me so I was lucky,”

Event officials waited during the middle of the day for the tide to push in before running the finals which were held in some of the best waves of the entire event. Punchy beach breaks allowing for a variety of turns and manoeuvres on both the lefts and rights. Martin chose to destroy the right handers laying down some huge rail turns in front of the large crowd lining the shore.

“It was the best waves actually that I have surfed here at Sopelana and I am stoked to win in my first pro junior of the year and I hope to keep it going in the rest of the series. This is my last year as a pro junior so I have left the WQS for the moment and I want to concentrate on these next two events in Gran Canaria and Lacanau and just focus on the overall results so I get to do the World Junior Series this year”

Filipe Jervis (PRT) was one of the form surfers in the Nikita Pro Junior Sopelana in runner-up position ahead of William Aliotti (FRA) 16, who finished third in his first ever ASP pro junior event. Commenting a little about today's result and playing down the tag of ‘wonder kid' Aliotti was calmly pleased with his efforts.

“Today I am very happy with my third place in my first pro junior and with the surfing we saw today I enjoyed very much the contest and I want to do it again in the next one.”

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