Waiting period ends for 2012 Billabong Mundaka Challenge

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Rogue Mag Surf - Waiting period ends for 2012 Billabong Mundaka Challenge

The waiting period for the 2012 Mundaka Challenge presented by Sony Ericsson and supported by Monster Energy has closed meaning the inaugural Challenge will not be held this year. The invitee only event failed to secure the perfect 6-8 foot tubing conditions needed and will now wait for the next European winter to run.


“We have had a pretty slow start to the year for Mundaka,” said Sam Carrier, Billabong Europe Men’s Marketing Manager. “We are aware that this contest may not run every year, but are willing to wait for as long as we have too for those perfect conditions.”

Guillermo Lecumberri from the Mundaka Surf Club agreed. “It has been an unusually slow winter. There were some great conditions at the end of December and some nice mid range days up till the 12th of January.

However since the waiting period opened, while the sand was perfectly aligned all winter, we have seen a lack of strong offshores and a mix of swell which have made for unfavourable conditions in Mundaka.”

Thoughts now turn to next year’s Challenge. “Billabong are 100% committed to the next Mundaka Challenge,” continued Carrier. “We are not going to walk away from Mundaka and what we feel will be an epic event.”

One invitee prepared to wait is Mark “Occy” Occhilupo, who showed he is still at surfing’s cutting edge with a semifinal placing in the recent ASP Prime Rated event held in Margaret River. “It’s a bummer, as I was so psyched to come back to Mundaka,” said Occy. “But the ocean has the final say and I respect the organizers call to wait for epic conditions. I’m sure we’ll get it absolutely cooking for next year.”

With a three-month waiting period and only one day needed to run the Billabong Mundaka Challenge, chances are we’ll see the famous Basque rivermouth being surfed by a mix of the world’s legends, superstars and local chargers next winter.

“We are optimistic and confident,” said Lecumberri. “Winter time is normally more than enough to be able to have one day of perfection to showcase Mundaka and its perfect tubes.”

The Billabong Mundaka Challenge is presented by Sony Ericsson and supported by Monster Energy, Nixon, the town and surf club of Mundaka and the Basque Surfing Federation (EHSF).

www.themundakachallenge.com

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