By Morissa Lindsay
Barbados surfer Josh Burke showed great determination during the second round of the men’s World Surf League Championship tour event presented by Corona but was unable to advance in the ongoing competition in El Salvador.
Competing in heat three, the 25-year-old knew before the start of today’s competition that it would be a challenge to get past former World Surf League champion and Olympic Gold medallist, Italo Ferreira of Brazil who won the heat with a tally of 13.20 to advance into the Round of 16.
Ferreira showed his level of experience where he made something out of nothing with the seemingly small waves presented to him as he skillfully manoeuvred on the surfboard to register scores of 7.33 and 5.87 for the top spot in that heat.
New to this level of competition having entered as a wildcard in place of American-born eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater who had withdrawn from the competition because of an injury, Burke was forced to work with the waves given to him by mother nature. In the end, he only managed heat scores of 5.10 and 3.78 behind the dominant Ferreira.
Despite not being able to advance as he would have wanted in what was an historic outing as the first surfer from Central America and the Caribbean to compete at the World Surf League Championship, Burke described it as an honour to have reached this far.
The sea conditions in El Salvador looked similar to what Burke was accustomed to at home in the Soup Bowl at Bathsheba. But it was Ferreira’s amazing capabilities that gave him the advantage over Burke who will hope to come back much stronger once the opportunity presents itself.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
