The Billabong Azores Islands Pro is the 28th qualifying event on the 2010 WQS tour. This event is the 5th out of 9 WQS (World Qualifying Series) events with a 6-star Prime status, a status given by the ASP only to the top venues in terms of the quality of surf available.
Top male and female surfers from around the world will be vying for the 6,500 rating points and 35,000 USD of prize money.
Billabong team rider and local hero Tiago "Saca" Pires currently sitting in 15 position on the WCT tour will compete against last year’s event winner William Cardoso and top ASP tour competitors including Chris Davidson, Patrick Gudauskas, Brett Simpson, Michael Campbell, Chris Ward, Michael Picon, Aritz Aranburu, Josh Kerr will compete against surfing prodigies such as Gabriel Medina, Granger Larsen, Julian Wilson, Kai Barger and Junior World Champion Maxime Huscenot.
Female surfers will also feature in the Billabong Azores Islands Pro where they will be battling for valuable WQS points vying to secure a position for next years ASP Women’s World Tour (WCT). This event is the 5th from a total of 9 events on the WQS (World Qualifying Series) Women’s tour with a 6-star status.
Billabong’s Paige Hareb and Courtney Conlogue along with some of the top women’s surfers including current world no 2. Sally Fitzgibbons, Coco Ho, Laura Enever, Alana Blanchard, Bethany Hamilton, Lee-Ann Curren along side local Portuguese surfers like Billabong team riders Joana Rocha and upcoming talent including Ana Sarmento, Francisca Pereira dos Santos, Carina Duarte will all be looking to do well this year at the event.
The Billabong Pro Azores Island Pro can be seen live on www.billabongpro.com
