The Quiksilver Pro in Durban (sponsord by Virgin Mobile) is a 6-star ASP Prime Mens WQS event

With less than a month to go, already some of Durban's top surfers have been putting in the hours at New Pier in preparation for this World Qualifying Series (WQS) event.

It's all set to take place from 17-26 April 2009, and has attracted some of the world's best surfers to take on the South African surfing elite. Over and above the US$145,000 in prize money that will be up for grabs, these surfers will be hungry for the invaluable ratings points the 6 Star event offers in their bid to qualify for the elite World Championship Tour (WCT) in 2010.

Leading the local charge are New Pier locals Travis Logie (Durban North) and Jordy Smith (Berea), both experienced competitors who will need all their local knowledge to hold off the international onslaught.

Pic: Travis Logie : photo Tuck/Quiksilver

Another local name to look out for is 2008 Quiksilver Pro Durban champion David Weare (Umhlanga) who's win last year provided the perfect springboard for his 2008 campaign which ultimately saw him qualifying for this year's WCT.

Other surfers who will be a threat include 2009 WCT surfer Greg Emslie (East London), 2008 WCT surfers Royden Bryson (Cape Town) and Ricky Basnett (Bluff), and also the Virgin Mobile Wildcards Brandon Jackson (Durban North) and Dan Redman (Umlodti) both of which will be seeded through to a higher round courtesy of their wildcards.

Heading in to take a shot at the title are some of the world's most radical surfers, Ben Dunn (Australia), Jihad Khodr (Brazil), Drew Courtney (USA), Marco Polo (Brazil), former world champion Sunny Garcia (Hawaii) and 2008 Quiksilver Pro Durban runner-up Austin Ware (Australia).

But the surfer that most people will have their eyes on is 21 year old Australian Julian Wilson who hails from Queensland's Sunshine Coast and has been hailed as one of the biggest names of the future. He is already a star of several big surf films and his graceful style and flamboyant aerial maneuvers have made him one of the most popular and respected surfers in the world. Wilson will also be a Virgin Mobile Wildcard along with South Africans Redman and Jackson, and his resulting higher seeding will provide him the perfect platform for a high placing.

The 2009 Quiksilver Pro Durban is scheduled to take place at New Pier, Durban, but due to the unreliability of the surf conditions the event organisers have made arrangements to move the contest out to Ansteys Beach on the Bluff if the need arises. The total prize money for the event is US$145,000 with the winner walking away with US$20,000 and, more importantly, 3500 WQS ratings points.

Two other exciting aspects of the Quiksilver Pro Durban will be the incorporation of the Quiksilver Pro Junior and the Komunity Project Future Stars events. The Quiksilver Pro Junior is an ASP Grade 2 Junior event that will see some of the world's top junior surfers competing for US$10,000 in prize money and ratings points that will count towards the crowning of the 2009 ASP World Junior Champion. The Komunity Project Future Stars event will showcase the progress that is being made in the transformation of the sport of surfing in South Africa and is due to take place on Friday 17 April.

Eight junior surfers will be selected from Surfing South Africa's transformation and development program and flown in to Durban where they will be accommodated by Komunity Project. These surfers will then compete against each other in an exclusive surf-off giving them the opportunity to win a wildcard into the Quiksilver Pro Junior as well as a one year sponsorship from Komunity Project.

Keeping in line with the latest technological developments, the Quiksilver Pro Durban will include a live webcast on quiksilverprodurban.com  that will attract a host of viewers from around the world. The webcast will feature live footage and score updates in real time, and will be punctuated by commentary from some of world surfing's most respected voices, among them 1989 World Champion and former Durban local Martin Potter.

www.aspworldtour.com
www.quikprodurban.com