11 June 2020 – Kuta, Bali:  Congratulations to Deni Pirdaus from Batu Karas (West Java) for taking top spot in the Men’s Traditional Longboarding category, and to Bali’s Dhea Natasya (Kuta) for winning the Women’s Traditional Longboarding category!  They each take home $100 USD cash and some great prizes thanks to sponsors Gwapitos, Kudo Surf, ASC, Waves & Pavement, Single And Unattached, and SurfTime, plus an invite to the 9th annual Single and Unattached event to be held in La Union, Philippines in February of 2021.
 
This is the second LockDown Video Clip Battle that the ASC has run;  the first was focused on high performance shortboarding and was won by Bali expat Kian Martin, and this last event gave the Asian traditional longboard crew a chance to show their best to the world.
 
Using LiveHeat’s new Clippero on-line video challenge platform, a total of 24 traditional longboarding entries were received: three women (Philippines and Indonesia) and 21 men (Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan), where the top score on the Men’s category was an excellent 8.5 (out of a possible 10 points) from Deni Pirdaus, whose winning wave showed off nearly all aspects of the traditional longboard scoring requirements.  According to Judge Arya Subyakto, “Deni’s winning wave was definitely the biggest and cleanest from all clips, which allowed him to execute a variety of traditional maneuvers, including a super stylish and perfect extended Hang 5 in the pocket, mixing it up with rail surfing, then that amazing no rail grab barrel ride at the end. If he had done something more at the end of his ride instead of kicking out early he might have scored a 10, but regardless it was definitely the winner.”
 
In the Women’s category, Dhea Natasya posted an impressive 7 points (out of a possible 10) to take the win for her great combination of Hang 5 to Hang 10 and smooth rail work.   “I’m really happy to have won this,” said Dhea.  “And happy that the ASC made this clip battle during the Covid 19 time, as there are no other surf comps to join.  It’s fun to have something like this to do to keep our minds busy, while we wait until we can compete in the ocean again” she added.
 
See all the scores and the clips at https://clippero.com/Asiansurfco/lockdown-video-clip-battle-traditional-longboarding.
 
Judges for the virtual event were Arya Subyakto from Indonesia, and Luke Landrigan and Buji Libarnes from the Philippines.
 
Buji Libarnes with his wife Nikki are the creators of the unique and fun-filled Single And Unattached traditional (logging) event that takes place each February in La Union, Philippines.  Buji was stoked to be asked to participate in the LockDown Video Clip Battle, saying  “I think that this Lockdown Video Clip Battle featuring Traditional Longboarding was a very fine idea and is exactly what our loggers with itchy dry docked feet, yearning to get back in the water to cross step and throw tens needed during this pandemic when actual surf comps are simply impossible to run.”
 
He went on to add, “The Asian Surf Co team,  with the support of this event’s sponsors, did an excellent job in creating this platform where the local talent of the different Asian countries, who are currently totally disconnected physically and locked down from each other, can still in a way continue to get together and celebrate the art of longboarding as one. I, on behalf of the Single And Unattached crew, feel really honored and grateful to have been given the chance to be part of this.”
 
With sponsors such as Philippine-based brand Qwapitos, KudoSurf, Single And Unattached, and Waves & Pavement, and Bali-based SurfTime, the event was able to give cash and product prizes to the winners, and some products to the 3rd and 4th place finishers as well.
 
“Even during these uncertain times, we need to keep supporting the surfing and longboarding scene,” says Gianni Grifoni from Qwapitos. “Surfing is not only a sport, it’s also a way of life with all the stoke that it brings. Surfers sharing their waves online and showing their skills is a way to cope with this new and strange situation, and come back stronger when things get better. It’s also a great way for them to do some video analyzing and get feedback so they can improve themselves for future competitions.  So I know I speak for all the sponsors when I say I’m happy I can support this and thanks to the ASC for giving me the opportunity to join in.”
 
The Lock Down Video Clip Battle was brought to you by the Asian Surf Cooperative @asiansurfco, Live Heats @live_heats, Qwapitos @qwapitos.official,  KudoSurf @kudosurf, SurfTime @surftime_magazine, Waves and Pavement Co @wavesandpavement, Single and Unattached @singleandunattached_
 
Stay tuned to @asiansurfco for the next Lock Down Video Clip Battle coming your way!