Clean offshore 2-3Ft surf greeted competitors this morning on the final day of the ASP 1-Star Women Sopela O’Neill Pro Junior pres. by Bar El Penon. Cannelle Bulard (REU) has won this second stop of the ASP European Junior Series in Sopelana, Basque Country.
Cannelle Bulard (REU) 19, entered the water with determination and focus on the event win in the final and kept busy out in the lineup consistently building her scoreboard wave after wave. After just coming short of the event win in the first event, Bulard refocused and surfed a smart heat to secure the victory today and join Johanne Defay on top of the Women’s rankings.
“I’m so tired ! I think I never wanted to win that bad and I just gave everything I had,” Bulard said. “I didn’t get anything in the first 12mn or so and then I started taking a few with only one manoeuver and finally I got that good one and I even claimed it aha !”
An uncharacteristic error from Johanne Defay allowed Bulard to get back in the heat and manage to keep the girls off of the best waves, while they only needed medium scores to overcome the difference and take the lead.
“I thought that heat would never end, I’m so happy right now ! I didn’t want to let Johanne have that one too, it would have been too easy so now the battle continues ! I’m stoked that we got some good waves today it wasn’t easy but really fun !”
Johanne Defay (FRA) 19, places runner-up in Sopelana today. The talented natural footer dominated the entire event, and was in a spectacular form on this final day of the event, netting a near perfect 9.33 out of 10 in her semi-final bout. Unfortunately she comitted an interference that cost her the win in the final.
“It was a weird situation and I think I just wanted to surf too much,” Defay explained. “I saw the girls look at the left including Cannelle, but she wanted to go right from the start and was monitoring the other two surfers; I saw it too late and an interference was called.”
Defay was in great form all week and started her final the best of ways with a 7.50 before that interference was called. Instead of letting stress or anger get in the way, Defay kept her composure and tried to find the best waves to better her scores and keep the lead. A fast dying swell didn’t quite cooperate and she finally couldn’t find the wave she needed.
“I didn’t lose my focus when I heard about the interference and I think it shows I’m a lot stronger mentally than the previous years which is a good thing. Those things happen and the other girls ripped in the final so congrats to them. It just makes for a better title race and more suspense so all good !”
Local surfer Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK) places third for the second consecutive time and solidifies her position on the rankings, netting a great result in front of her family and friends. Surprise came from Portuguese young surfer Camilla Kemp who fought her way into the final and takes home an excellent fourth place finish for her first event.
The 2013 Sopelana Pro Junior was scheduled from July 25-28, 2013 at Playa de Sopelana, Euskadi – Basque Country. For all results, photos, video highlights, press releases and LIVE webcast, log on to aspeurope.com/sopelana2013. SOPELA O’NEILL PRO JUNIOR WOMEN’S FINAL RESULTS: 1 – Cannelle Bulard (REU) 12.50 2 – Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.59 3 – Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK) 9.56 4 – Camilla Kemp (PRT) 5.90
