2011 QUIKSILVER CEREMONIAL PUNTA DE LOBOS - Finals!

PUNTA DE LOBOS, Pichilemu, Chile (May 29, 2011) -- The Quiksilver Ceremonial Punta De Lobos Big Wave Invitational concluded yesterday with Brazil's Marcos Monteiro taking the top prize of $10,000 in the season's first Big Wave World Tour event. The podium also included Ramon Navarro, a Punta de Lobos local who took second place; and Peru's Gabriel Villarán who came in third.

Contest Winner Marcos Moneiro Photo Credit: EscobarPhotos

The day's atmosphere was intense at the natural amphitheater of Punta de Lobos, with over two thousand fans lining the cliffs and helicopters buzzing overhead. South-by-southeast winds, cool, cloudy weather and 30 -- 36 foot waves with 40 foot set waves provided the best contest conditions in three years.

"Viva Brazil! I've been coming to this event for a long time and I always knew that if I continued to work hard that this day would eventually come," said Marcos Montiero. "I kept knocking on the door, and it was finally answered. There are three parts to success in this event; you need to be physically prepared, mentally prepared and you have to have good equipment. Fortunately for me, it all came together today."

Top Winners: (from left) Ramon Navarro, Marcos Monteiro, Gabriel Villarán Photo Credit: De Heeckere

"We could not have asked for a better Quiksilver Ceremonial," said Gary Linden, Event Director. "We woke up to clear skies and amazing waves. We had been watching this swell for so long, and to see it all come together for the first stop of the Big Wave World Tour was a great way to start the season."

Adds Quiksilver's Latin America Events and Team Manager, Jim Compton, "We had amazing conditions and the best surfers in the world down here in Chile. Special thanks to the Pichilemu locals for sharing their waves, and we're looking forward to a bigger, better Ceremonial in 2012."

The 2011 Quiksilver Ceremonial participants included: Jamie Sterling, Kohl Christensen, Grant Washburn, Carlos Burle, Marcos Monteiro, Peter Mel, Ben Wilkerson, Cristian Merello, Greg Long, Gabriel Villaran, Frank Solomon, Nic Lamb, Joao De Macedo, Eric Rebiere, Sebastian De Romana, Rusty Long, Felipe Cesarano, Andres Flores, Ramon Navarro, Diego Medina, Fernando Zegers, Reinaldo "Chacha" Ibarra, Matias Lopez, and Leon Vicuna.

For additional information on the 2011 Quiksilver Ceremonial Punta de Lobos, visit: www.quiksilver.com, www.Quiksilver.com/Chile, www.facebook.com/Quiksilver and www.twitter.com/quiksilverusa.

The 2011 Quiksilver Ceremonial Punta de Lobos would like to thank the sponsors who made this event possible, including Sony Ericsson, Suzuki, Corona, Carozzi, and Surfline.com as the Official Forecasting Service used by Gary Linden and the Big Wave World Tour.