Piping Hot Surfing Festival Bells Beach Kicking Off First ASP Event of 2014

The hallowed surfing location Bells Beach has been confirmed to host the first Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) event of 2014 with the inaugural Piping Hot Surfing Festival to run from January 3 – 7. Piping Hot is an iconic Australian surf brand and ASP Australasia are thrilled to add the Piping Hot Surfing Festival to the ASP calendar. The event will feature men’s and women’s 1-Star ASP World Tour divisions and men’s and women’s 1-Star ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series divisions.

Mark Johannsen, Managing Director of Piping Hot Surfwear is excited to announce next year’s event, but already has an eye to the future with big plans to grow the Piping Hot Surfing Festival into one of Australia’s premiere surfing events.

“I am very proud and excited to announce that Piping Hot will be hosting an ASP Qualifying Series event to kick off the world surfing calendar in 2014,” said Johannsen. “Our vision for the Piping Hot Surf Festival is to progressively grow the star ratings of the event to cement its mark annually on the ASP World Tour. As an iconic Australian surf wear label we believe it is very important to support Surfing, the sport we’ve built our business around for the past 38 years.”

Cahill Bell-Warren (VIC/AUS), current ASP World Tour campaigner and third place finisher at the 2013 Toll IPEC Victorian Open Series after his recent event win at Bells Beach, is looking forward to competing for ASP World Ranking’s points at his home break, Bells Beach.

“It’s really good for Victorian surfers to have an event like this,” Bell-Warren said. “It’s a good opportunity to have local guys surf against a mix of Australia’s best and International surfers at home. It’s also a great warm up for the Aussie events throughout the first half of the year. We get a lot more sneaky Bells sessions at that time of year than people think, there’s a good chance we will get waves. I’m expecting a good mix of older guys who used to compete a lot like Jack Perry, and the younger guys who are coming up through the ranks like Cody Robinson and Tristan Forras. I’m getting ready for the Sunset 4-Star in Hawaii and hopefully that will set me up for a big year next year, starting with the Piping Hot Surfing Festival.”

Codie Klein (Kingscliff, NSW/AUS) has recently joined the Piping Hot team and is looking forward to representing them as she tries to qualify for the ASP World Championship Tour, starting in 2014 with the Piping Hot Surfing Festival.

“It’s so good for us to start the year with an event like this!” Klein said. “It’s early in the year and gives us a great opportunity to warm-up for the rest of the events and get back into competition mode. It’s also fantastic for us to have a 1-Star event in Australia, there are a lot of great surfers that can’t get into the higher rated events and this will give them a chance to improve their seeding. I’m sure the Piping Hot Surfing Festival is going to grow in the future and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. I’m also really excited to have an event at Bells! I can’t wait!”

Max Wells, Surfing Victoria CEO is looking forward to the inaugural Piping Hot Surfing Festival and is grateful for the commitment to surfing in Australia and support from Piping Hot.

“It’s great to have another ASP event in Victoria,” Wells said. “This is will provide some excellent opportunities for Victorian surfers to get some valuable ratings points on the ASP World Tour. Surfers have been calling out for more ASP Star and Pro Junior events in the region and Piping Hot must be congratulated for stepping up to the plate. It’s fantastic to see them back involved in professional surfing and we are looking forward to working with them for many years to come.”

Dane Jordan, ASP Australasia General Manager was keen to express the importance of the Piping Hot Surfing Festival and give thanks to Piping Hot and Surfing Victoria for their support.

“Events like the Piping Hot Surfing Festival are vital in the career path of young aspiring professional surfers,” Jordan said. “The men’s and women’s Pro Junior divisions will see the best surfers under 21 from the Asia Pacific region battle for rankings points and spots on the ASP Australasia squad at the ASP World Junior Championships. While the open ASP 1-Star men’s and women’s divisions will see a range of surfers wanting to gain experience, ranking’s points and prize-money in the hunt for elite ASP World Championship Tour qualification. It’s going to be an exciting event, and will be a real snapshot into the future of surfing in Australia and the ASP are would like to thank Piping Hot and Surfing Victoria for their support.”

VIA ASP