(Monday 27th April, 2009): BILLABONG has made moves to break the mold and send the Indonesian Surfing Championship (ISC) to West Java for its inaugural Billabong Pro Java competition. The 6 star sanctioned event will be the first in the region for several years and shows a deliberate push by the surf community to expand outside the world famous surf destination of Bali.
It’s no secret that Java plays host to some of the best surf spots in the world and Cimaja was selected by event organizers due to its consistent and powerful showings through the peak season. “You just have to jump on any of the swell forecast sites to see what Java has to offer” stated Billabong Marketing Manager Peter Thew, “The sheer amount of coastline is enough to get you pretty pumped, I can’t imagine how many spots go unsurfed when hit with the right swell and right conditions”.
The prospect of holding an ISC event outside of Bali has been met with open arms, especially from 2008 Indonesia Surfing Champion Dede Suryana, a Cimaja local. “I was so stoked to hear that Billabong was going to have an event at my home break in Cimaja” beamed Suryana, “I’ve been lucky enough to travel all around the world and compete in some great events, but this is a good opportunity for the locals in West Java to experience something they normally wouldn’t be able to see”. Dede will have his work cut out for him with 2007 Indonesian circuit champion Lee Wilson fired up from his second place in the series last year. “I had good results last year but had to miss an event while I was in Tahiti” claimed Wilson, “I was consistent but Dede was surfing really well, I’m fully concentrating this year on getting the title back”.
Cimaja is just one of many breaks in the region, with a certainty that the locals have a few more secret spots up their sleeves. The area is super accessible with good roads all the way from the countries capitol Jakarta, great accommodation, consistent surf, and incredibly friendly locals.
The Billabong Pro Java will run from the 20th to 23rd of May and will feature Mens open, Womens open, and Masters divisions. The Billabong and ISC crew will be staying at the number one accommodation in town, Desa Resort, with a full view to the break from the top level of the building. The competition is also supported by Nixon, Von Zipper, and Kustom. Check out www.billabong.com/asia for more information on the comp, as well as daily media releases and web clips during the event duration.
from : www.isctour.com
