National Teams Announced For The World’s Only Masters Surfing Championship

AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, FRANCE, HAWAII, JAPAN AND SOUTH AFRICA SENDING POWERHOUSE TEAMS TO THE 2013 ISA WORLD MASTERS SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP IN ECUADOR

Powerhouse National Teams from Australia, Brazil, France, Hawaii, Japan and South Africa have confirmed their surfers who will be traveling to Ecuador for the 2013 ISA World Masters Surfing Championship (WMSC) from April 6-14.

National Delegations from every corner of the globe are getting ready to compete in the warm water and perfect right-hand point-break waves of Montañita, Ecuador for the Eduardo Arena Perpetual Team Trophy and individual Gold Medals.

The defending Team Champion, Hawaii, will be returning with an All-Star lineup featuring 2012’s Grand Masters (over 40) Gold Medalist and 2000 ASP World Tour Champion Sunny Garcia and former ASP World Tour standout Kalani Robb. Garcia will be looking to defend his Gold Medal in the Grand Masters (Over 40) and improve on his 2nd place finish in the Masters (Over 35). Robb, who was the 1994 ISA World Junior Division Champion, is coming back this year to compete for the first time in the Masters Division.

Joining Garcia and Robb on Team Hawaii will be defending Women’s Masters Gold Medalist Rochelle Ballard, Love Hodel (Grand Masters), Mike Latronic (Kahunas over 45), Reuben Balmores (Kahunas) and Shuji Kasuya (Grand Kahuna over 50).

Team Australia has announced that 2011 ISA Women’s Masters Gold Medalist and 7-time ASP Women’s World Tour Champion Layne Beachley will be competing. Along with Beachley, Jack Spooner (Masters), Scott Schindler (Grand Masters), Glen Pringle (Grand Masters), Glen Valaire (Kahunas), Terry Landsberg (Kahunas) and Charlie Sullivan (Grand Kahuna) complete the Aussie’s roster.

Brazil’s National Team includes Sergio de Noronha (Kahunas) and Jojo de Olivenca (Kahunas) who were both ASP World Tour standouts during the end of the 80’s and beginning of the 90’s. Additionally, Saulo Carvalho (Masters), Rogerio Dantas (Masters), Marcelo Alves (Grand Masters), Roni Ronaldo (Grand Masters), Mickey Hoffman (Grand Kahuna), and Andrea Lopes (Women’s Masters) complete the Brazilian squad.

Team France has formed a group filled with veteran ISA Masters. The French Team includes Frederic Robin (Masters), Regis Blanchard (Masters), Oliver Salvaire (Grand Masters), Charlie Philippon (Grand Masters), Eric Lebastie (Kahuna), Eric Graciet (Kahuna), Gilles Darque (Grand Kahuna), and Veronique Hayon (Women’s Masters).

Team Japan will be looking for a strong showing in Ecuador with a talented roster featuring Hiroki Wantanbe (Masters), Takeshi Terakado (Masters), Masanobu Koga (Grand Masters), Katsumi Suzuki (Grand Masters), Masahisa Sakamoto (Kahunas), Yasushi Toyoda (Kahunas), Makoto Takahashi (Grand Kahuna) and Akiko Kiyonaga (Women’s Masters).

South Africa will bring a strong team in search of a third Team World Masters Championship.

The team includes former ASP World Tour standout Greg Emslie (Masters), Gary Van Wieringen (Masters), Wayne Monk (Grand Masters), Carl Roux (Grand Masters), Andre Malherbe (Kahuna), David Malherbe (Kahuna), Chris Knutsen (Grand Kahuna), and Heather Clark (Women’s Masters).

The ISA is expecting over 20 National Delegation and 130 athletes who will be participating in the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship. The full registration list of teams and atheltes will be published soon.

Follow all the action of the 2013 ISA World Master Surfing Championship on the Live Webcast at www.isawmsc.com

Team List

Australia

Masters: Jack Spooner
Grand Masters: Scott Schindler and Glen Pringle
Kahunas: Glen Valaire and Terry Landsberg
Grand Kahuna: Charlie O’Sullivan
Women Master: Layne Beachley

Brazil

Masters: Saulo Carvalho and Rogerio Dantas
Grand Masters: Marcelo Alves and Roni Ronaldo
Kahunas: Jojo de Olivenca and Sergio Noronha
Grand Kahuna: Mickey Hofman
Women Master: Andrea Lopes

France:

Masters: Robin Ferderic and Regis Blanchard
Grand Masters: Olivier Salvaire and Charlie Phillippon
Kahunas: Labastie Eric and Graclet Eric
Grand Kahuna: Darque Gilles
Women Master: Veronique Hayon

Hawaii:

Masters: Sunny Garcia and Kalani Robb
Grand Masters: Love Hodel and Sunny Garcia
Kahunas: Mike Latronic and Reuben Balmores
Grand Kahuna: Shuji Kasuya
Women Master: Rochelle Ballard

Japan:

Masters: Hiroki Watanabe and Takeshi Terakado
Grand Masters: Masanobu Koga and Katsumi Suzuki
Kahunas: Masahisa Sakamoto and Yasushi Toyoda
Grand Kahuna: Makoto Takahashi
Women Masters: Kiyonaga Akiko

South Africa:

Masters: Greg Emslie and Gary Van Wieringen
Grand Masters: Wayne Monk and Carl Roux
Kahuna: Andre Malherbe and David Malherbe
Grand Kahuna: Chris Knutsen
Women Master: Heather Clark