Rote Open 2011 Wraps Up With Local Expression

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - The Grand Finale to the Rote Open 2011 presented by Billabong culminated with a Rote locals expression session and a grand closing award ceremony with officials from the Regency of Rote Ndao.

Blessed with surf the entire event, the closing day was no different as peeling righthand waves in the head high to a couple feet overhead range marched into Boa Beach with clean conditions.

Billy Hangan, Surfing Australia judge and certified surf coach from Australia, started the day with a surf-coaching clinic with 12 of Rote’s top local surfers in order to improve surfing skills and approaches to maneuvers.
     
Following the clinic a two-heat Expression Session hit the water where the 12 surfers showed definite improvement from the clinic, in particular, Mus Eli who tore apart several waves with a combination of powerful turns that impressed the judges to take the win.

Adi Lenggu, already the Rote Open 2011 Local Division Champion, came in second with a completed aerial that although small by pro standards, was a definite sign of improvement in local surfing. Yandri Kase placed third with some strong carves on his rides as well as two double grab aerial attempts that had the beach cheering.

Cash prizes from Tresna Tour and a pool of surf products had been collected for the Expression Session with winner Mus Eli scoring a stylish Nixon watch and Rp 500,000. 2nd place finisher Adi Lenggu took home Rp 300,000 and a ready-to-ride surfboard donated by Rote traveler Mary Lee, and in 3rd place, Yandri Kase pocketed Rp 200,000 and a slick new pair of Von Zipper sunglasses.

As the Expression Session finished the Closing Ceremony commenced with a large group including Rote Ndao Regency officials, event officials and Coca-Cola ISC surfers.

Several speeches were made, in particular by Vice Regent of Rote Ndao, Marthen Luther Saek, who saw the Rote Open 2011 as an event that positively portrayed the potential of Rote as a world-class tourism and surf destination. He was pleased with the run of events and hoped to continue the Rote Open in the coming years. The Regency of Rote Ndao have been the primary sponsor of the Rote Open since its first year in 2009.

To help develop local surfing, Coca-Cola donated five brand new mini-malibu surfboards that were presented to three local villages and to the Nembrala Surf Club to encourage more surfers to learn and enjoy the sport.

In closing, Tresna Tours Managing Director Amos Lillo took to the mic podium and announced that, We are particularly proud with the improvement of local surfing and in appreciation Tresna Tour will sponsor two ambassadors of Rote Ndao surfing, Mersi Titi and Adi Lenggu to travel and compete in Bali next year to further this movement.

"The Rote Open 2011 has been a colorful and fruitful event for all. Thank you very much to the Regency of Rote Ndao’s enthusiasm and willingness to continue this event next year," he added.

With the last words said, the final podium photos of Division Winners were shot and the final good byes came in the form of a Rote cultural exhibition by ikat-clad dancers and musicians playing tunes on local drums, gongs and the indigenous palm leaf guitar-harp sasando. As the tour busses pulled away from Boa Beach filled with competitors bound for Bali, the biggest set waves of the day started to pour through, saying their final Rote good bye.

A huge Makasi No’uk (Thank You) goes out to the Regency of Rote Ndao for backing the Rote Open. Also to Tresna Tours for getting everyone there and to Billabong Indonesia for supporting the event. Additional sponsorship came from Von Zipper, Nixon, Kustom, Garuda Indonesia, Trans Nusa, Telkomsel, Bank NTT, Jayakarta Suites, T-More Hotel, Anugerah Hotel, Bintang Flores Hotel, and Express Bahari and media support from Surfersvillage.com, Alam TV Bali, Baliwaves.com, Surftime Magazine, Magic Wave Surf Community Newspaper, Lines Magazine, RVM, and Balibelly.tv

Congratulations again to Bali’s Marlon Gerber for winning the Rote Open 2011 and the Coca-Cola ISC Championship title with the resulting points from this win.(**)

The Rote Open 2011 presented by Billabong was sponsored by the Regency of Rote Ndao and held at Boa Beach in Rote Island from September 14th-18th. The event boasted a record $25,000 in total prize money and attracted top professional surfers from Indonesia as well as international surfers from Australia, France, Hawaii, Japan, and California.

This is the third year for the event, which is part of a government tourism promotion program to attract foreign and domestic surfers and tourists to their unique and still pristine island. The Rote Open 2011 presented by Billabong is sanctioned by the Coca-Cola Indonesian Surfing Championship Tour.(**)