HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Friday, June 15, 2007) – The Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure Pro Junior will join this season’s Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) North America Pro Junior Series for its inaugural event at the famed Huntington Beach Pier from July 7-8, 2007.
As event No. 5 on the 2007 ASP North America’s Pro Junior Series, the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure (an ASP Grade-2 event) will prove a critical competition for surfers looking to gain a foothold in the regional ratings as they make their way to qualifying for the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in January.
Travis Beckmann (Vero Beach, FL), current No. 2 on the ASP North America Pro Junior ratings, is in the midst of his best season to date and understands the importance of a result at the Pier Pressure.
“The Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure event represents about the halfway point on this season’s regional series,” Beckmann said. “With the exception of Virginia Beach, we’ve already gotten all the Grade-1 events out of the way so we’re getting down to the nitty gritty as far as points are concerned. I just want to stay as consistent as I have been and hopefully get straight back into it after the two-month break we’ve had.”
19-year-old Casey Brown (Kailua Kona, HI), is another standout who is having a banner year and comes into Pier Pressure with an eye toward competing with the top Junior surfers on the mainland.
"Most of the top guys will have just finished up Nationals, so I’m assuming everyone will be very ready to compete at the 6.0 Jr. Pro,” Brown said. “It’s always fun to come in from Hawaii and surf against the top guys stateside. I’m really looking forward to putting on my jersey and doing my best, representing all my sponsors and surfing out of Hawaii."
For Nike 6.0, sponsorship of the Pro Junior event is the brand’s first event within the sport of surfing and they look to bring their unique flavor and backdrop to the competition. Building off the post July 4th atmosphere, Nike 6.0 will ramp up the onsite beach presence for both the athletes in the water and those in the stands. Fans can expect a festive atmosphere that will include interactive activities on the beach, sand sculptures, special athlete and celebrity appearances, guest competition commentary and giveaways from the 6.0 dome tent. The two-day event wraps up with a special music performance presented by 6.0.
“The 6.0 team and young competitors represent the future of professional surfing and we want to be there to support their progression and the creativity they bring to the sport,” said Bastien Renard, Nike 6.0 Brand Manager. “We’re honored and excited to partner with ASP and other retail partners like Jack’s to bring the event to the amazing athletes competing and the surf community in Huntington Beach.”
The 2007 ASP North America Pro Junior tour has been hotly contested with competitors battling it out for the highly coveted seeds in the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships held in Narrabeen, Australia, in early January. The four top-rated junior surfers from the North American region, along with the highest-rated WQS surfer who is of junior age, receive invites to the prestigious event, which has crowned such marquee surfers as Joel Parkinson (AUS), Andy Irons (HAW) and Adriano de Souza (BRA). The winner and runner-up at the ASP World Junior Championships will also be awarded wildcard seeds to all major WQS events the following year.
In addition to the action at the Pier, the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure Pro Junior will be webcast LIVE at nike6PierPressure.com beginning July 7, 2007. In addition to complete event coverage, site visitors will be able to view special athlete and celebrity event commentary, exclusive 6.0 athlete vignettes and interviews, content from recent 6.0 athlete trips and events and behind the scene footage of 6.0’s upcoming ad campaign.
Pier Pressure is supported by Nike 6.0, Jack’s Surfshop Surfer Magazine, Surfing Magazine, the City of Huntington Beach and WaveWatch.
