UBATUBA, Brazil (Sunday, October 26, 2008) - Two 18-year-old Brazilians were in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Onbongo Pro Surfing Final today, with beach local, Wiggolly Dantas, securing the best scores, defeating fellow finalist Jadson Andre and be crowned Itamambuca’s King in the last event of the Brazilian ASP WQS leg.

Andre had a chance in the last few minutes of the Final, needing 8.41, but scoring only a 7.23, leaving the final tally 16.23 to 15.06.

As champion, Dantas fills his pocket with the US$15,000 prize and was rocketed from 49th to 32nd in the ratings on the ASP WQS.

“It’s a dream come true - I’m very happy," Dantas said. "Just can’t believe it and I dedicate the victory to two important locals: Scatena who passed away years ago and Aranha who lives here. They always supported me and I’m happy to win at home.

“I was focused on this event and to win here," Dantas said. "With all the support from the people on the beach, it was amazing. It’s the new generation charging. The heat was tough because Jadson was surfing pretty well too, but my high score switched the heat balance. I have no words to describe my feelings. I just want to party with my family here."

Despite an impressive runner-up finish that took him from 32nd to 18th on the ASP WQS ratings, Andre was disappointed with the result - he thought he could have made it with his last wave.

“Sometimes I feel sad about the sport being unfair - I really thought I had won this event by surfing a bigger wave than Wiggolly but the score came otherwise," Andre said.

Had he claimed victory, Andre would have positioned himself in the 15th position on the ASP WQS, the final qualifying spot to go to the ASP World Tour in 2009.Besides Simao Romao (current No. 15 on the ASP WQS), only Hizunome Bettero appears in the qualifying zone, jumping to 13th on the ASP WQS rating. He confirmed his entrance with a superb victory in the last minutes of the Quarterfinals.

“Thank God I’m back in the qualifying zone," Bettero said, "It was a good result, even not being what I had intended which was, a victory that would lead me to the ASP World Tour. Now I’ve got to fight in Hawaii but the dream is still alive."

Leonardo Neves shared the 3rd place on the Onbongo Pro Surfing podium with Hizunome Bettero. Neves was dismissed by Andre in the Semifinal and will need to score a good result in Hawaii in order to stay on the ASP World Tour. At present, he’s not on either qualifying list, neither in the 27 maintained by the ASP World Tour nor among the 15 going up through the ASP WQS.

“What a shame, there were not many waves today," Neves said. "I like Ubatuba, where I’ve won other events. I came here confident in getting a good result. I surfed quite well in the Semifinal, but Jadson (Andre) found a better wave and switched the result. I hope to swap my two 975 points in the ASP WQS Hawaiian leg to get into the Top 15 list or get a strong result in the Imbituba Dream Tour to eventually try to compete for the vacancy in Pipeline. I have more chances here in Brazil where I did well last year and then I can go, confident, to Haleiwa and Sunset, before facing the great challenge of Pipeline. I wish everything goes well and still be in the Dream Tour next year."

For more information, log onto www.aspsouthamerica.com.br

ONBONGO PRO SURFING RESULTS - ASP WQS 6-STAR MEN

FINAL:
1 - Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 16.23
2 - Jadson Andre (BRA) 15.06

SEMIFINALS: 4 surfers remaining (1st to Final, 2nd Equal 3rd)
SF 1: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 12.24 def. Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 7.13
SF 2: Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.83 def. Leonardo Neves (BRA) 12.43

QUARTERFINALS: 8 surfers remaining (1st to Semifinal, 2 Equal 5th)
QF 1: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 12.67 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 11.17
QF 2: Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 14.93 def. Thiago Camarao (BRA) 13.73
QF 3: Leonardo Neves (BRA) 12.50 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.80
QF 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) 12.66 def. Marcelo Trekinho (BRA) 8.93