2013 Puerto Escondido Open Official results

By: The Organizing Committee
Translation: Heido Sundstrom

We would like to OFFICIALLY release the results of the SURF OPEN category:

1st Place – Mike Velasco
2nd Place – JONY CORZO
3rd Place – ROBERTO SALINAS
4th Place – Julio Quiñones

There was an incident during one of the heats in which Julio Quiñones inadvertently interfered with Roberto Salinas by accidentally pulling on his leash, causing an interference that the judges were not aware of at first. The best thing to do, would have been for Salinas to tell the judges as soon as the heat finished, but instead he waited until after the awards ceremony and after all the awards were announced. The interference was then confirmed with Quiñones and the results are those published here.

STATEMENT BY JULIO QUIÑONES
Translation: Heido Sundstrom

“Hello, greetings to all. I would like to clarify the situation that happened at the contest this past weekend in Puerto Escondido. During the final, I was charged with paddling interference but I never pulled the leash. So Robert and I spoke to the panel of judges and they concluded that it was indeed a “Paddling Interference”, which is why they took away half the points of a wave and I ended up placing fourth. I would sincerely appreciate the accurate way that this information is handled so that it won’t affect my image as an athlete. Many thanks in advance and wishing you all good waves!

Thanks for everything, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca.”

– Julio Quiñones

An incredible final as Mike Velasco, Hector Santiago, Asaya Brusa and lili giron win the 2013 Puerto Escondido open

Translation: Heido Sundstrom

The day of reckoning came on Sunday morning when the finals for the four different categories were held at the 2013 Puerto Escondido Open at Playa Zictela. The event was packed with more than a thousand spectators who delighted in the tricks performed by these extreme athletes in waves of up to 7 feet.

This was the thirteenth edition of the event, which was attended by nearly a hundred competitors from various parts of Mexico and from around the world. The contest was filled with pleasant surprises in the Open final and we saw two experienced competitors, the 8-time National Champion, Roberto Salinas, and the National and World Cup Champion, Julio Quiñones, battle it out against relative newcomers, Mike Velasco (19 years old) and Jony Corzo (15 years old), both of whom gave a great show and proved that they were hungry to make it to the final.

The quarterfinals kicked off the day and, surprise! Angelo Lozano was eliminated by his younger brother, Jony Corzo, and Roberto Salinas. In the second heat, Nahum Corzo and Heriberto Ramirez took the top two places, leaving Tehuen Petroni eliminated. In the third heat, Mike Velasco and Julio Quiñones advanced to the semifinals, eliminating Oscar Chino and Remi Chaussemiche.

In the semifinals, Jony Corzo took a big left and exited the tube successfully, giving him a perfect 10 score, making his wave the best wave of the event.

During the final, Quiñones started catching the first waves, while the young Velasco and Corzo fought back with everything. Roberto Salinas didn’t find the waves, tubes, aerials and floaters to make the competition exciting, so it was Mike Velasco that finally came out as the champion.

The bodyboard final was also exciting and very hard-fought. The competition heated up between current National Champion from Acapulco, Ulises “Votrek” Rodriguez, and the locals Hector “Motor” Santiago and David Olvera. The revelation of the event, Ranferi Ruiz, who with his thirteen years of experience, fought one-on-one against these experienced bodyboarders. It was an action-packed final that left “Motor” Santiago claiming first place.

After several wipeouts, the “Princess of Puerto”, Asaya Brusa, was able to overcome the tension and confidently gave a few good hits with her style.

The experienced Lili Giron, Roxel Perez and Soledad Fernandez, as well as the novice, Olivia Ramirez, all gave a good show in the waves, but it was Lili Giron that took the victory.

To wrap up the contest, a Tow Out Volcom aerial show was held, in which Jose Manuel “Yuco” Trujillo took first place, while Jose Ramirez flew the highest in the bodyboard category.

Shortboard Open
1. Mike Velasco
2. Jony Corzo
3. Julio Quiñones
4. Roberto Salinas

Bodyboard Open
1. Hector “Motor” Santiago
2. Ranferi Ruiz
3. David Olivera
4. Ulises Rodriguez

Women’s Bodyboard Open
1. Lili Giron
2.  Soledad Fernandez
3. Roxel Pérez
4. Olivia Ramirez

Women’s Shortboard Open
1. Asaya Brusa
2. Jessica Shelby
3. Valeria Peconni
4. Magda Mendiondo

Second day of the 2013 Puerto Escondido Open

Translation: Heido Sundstrom

The conditions improved on the second day of competition, with waves of 2 – 3 feet and up to 5 feet when a big set would come in, making the ride longer. The Puerto Escondido Open is an annual tradition that has been going on for the last thirty years or so and is the longest running event in Mexico.

During the past few years, many talented, young competitors have been coming out of the woodwork that surf well and aren’t afraid of going against the “pros”. Such is the case with Jafet Ramos, who placed second at last year’s event at just 14 years of age and withstood waves of over 9 feet.

This day also welcomed pleasant surprises... Yoni Corzo and Mike Velasco passed first in their second-round heats, advancing them to the quarterfinals.

During the third heat, the four competitors battled it out but it was Angelo Lozano who took the lead and held on. Second place was a super close call, but thanks to the tubes that “Pawi” Chino managed to surf, he made it into the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile in the fourth heat, Julio Quiñones went with everything, placing first and leaving a hard fight for second place, which finally went to Tehuen Petroni, eliminating the favorite, Jose Manuel “Yuco” Trujillo.

The brothers, Jorge and Daniel Diaz, advanced to the finals, as did Edwin Morales and the current National Champion, Ulises Rodriguez. All are considered favorite candidates likely to win the competition.

In the women’s category, Asaya Brusa is the favorite, while Soledad Fernandez and the experienced Lili Giron and Roxel Perez are all set to face off in the “heat of death”; anything can happen.

At three in the afternoon, an homage was paid to the National and World Cup Champion, Jesus “Chuy” Silva, and both family and friends gathered at Playa Zicatela to honor his memory as an athlete and as a person. His family thanked everyone for this noble gesture.

In his speech, Roxel Perez proposed that this event forever bear Silva’s name, as his father was a surf promoter in Puerto and Silva himself was a great champion. Jose Ramirez also stepped up and told a wave story about Silva, which was followed by applause and a minute of silence. Finally, his friends entered the ocean with flowers in hand to make the traditional surfer’s circle and offer up good vibes to Chuy Silva.

Evencio Garcia Bibiano—alive in spirit
the legend continues...

Translation: Heido Sundstrom

Around noon on Sunday, November 3rd, 2013, Playa Bonfil lit up with the orange and yellow colors and fresh scent of marigold flowers that brought a spiritual calm and joy to all those who wore the garland necklaces made from the bright flower as they participated in the annual memorial ceremony of a great surfer—one of the best—and the first national surfing champion in Mexico, Evencio “the Champion” Garcia Bibiano.

The Guerrero State Surfing Association invited the surfing community to participate in this commemoration that marked 28 years since the idol’s disappearance. Young people who never had the good fortune of knowing him, as well as contemporaries of the champion who grew up with him, gathered to honor his memory at the Arrullo del Mar Restaurant belonging to “Tia” (“Auntie”) Tere to share stories and anecdotes about the champion that expressed his simplicity, charisma and innovative surfing technique. He was a surfer ahead of his time, a pioneer in the art and a dreamer.

Evencio Garcia Bibiano remains alive in the memory of all the surfers that continue to be amazed by the stories of his life and liken him, in some respects, to another great surfer, Eddie Aikau, the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay in Hawaii. Evencio was also the first lifeguard in Acapulco and founded the Pacific Acapulco Lifeguard Union. Aikau, much like Evencio, volunteered to rescue people trapped in heavy waves. But on one fateful rescue attempt, while trying to save those trapped on a boat at sea, Aikau disappeared and only his board was found. Evencio faced a similar fate and, weeks after participating in a state surfing contest and in front of thousands of spectators, disappeared after catching a wave. The search for his body lasted one week but his remains were never found, converting him into a legend.

Sunday’s ceremony included the traditional surfer’s circle ceremony in the water, with the difference that the circle was formed about 30 meters from the shore before reaching the beach break. The change was made in order that the whole family could participate. Cheers and applause on behalf of the champion could be heard as everyone offered up their good vibes and thoughts to their fallen comrade.

Evencio Garcia Bibiano is alive in spirit and his legend continues. See you next year!