In challenging conditions at Kugenuma Beach, Shonan, Japan, Cronulla's Connor O'Leary battled to a runner-up finish at the ASP three-star rated Murasaki Shonan Open.
Fresh from a ninth-place finish at the last event in Mexico, O'Leary continued his good form to earn 563 ASP Qualifying Series ranking points and $US4000 prize money but more importantly the result saw him climb from 93rd to 63rd on the rankings.
This new ranking will see him seeded into the higher rated events as he chases the goal of qualifying for the top 34 on the elite ASP World Championship Tour.
‘‘The event was good except for the fact that we had limited waves,’’ O'Leary said.
‘‘I'm super desperate for points at the moment to make the Prime-rated events for the second half of the year, so this was massive for me.
‘‘It's awesome to see the level of Japanese surfing rising so quickly.
‘‘Guys like Kaito Ohashi, Shun Murakami, Nobuyuki Osawa, Yuijro Tsuji and a whole bunch more are really setting the standard, with a few of them ranked in the top 100!’’
‘‘My mum is Japanese and she pretty much spent her whole life in Shonan, surfing and living there.
‘‘It's awesome to come over with her and bring my little, eight-year-old brother.
‘‘They take my mind off competing and all the nerves.
‘‘We stay at a friend’s place which is close to where the competition is held.’’
