The ASP North America Pro Junior Series is rapidly becoming the benchmark of emerging talent in the region as well as an essential stepping stone for junior surfers looking to make the leap to the next level. Boasting 11 national events in 2006, a huge jump from the three held in ’05, the series is the most hotly-contested junior circuit in the country with North America’s best 20-and-under rippers all vying for one of the five qualifying spots into the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships held each January.

Out of last season’s 11 events, New Smyrna Beach’s Eric Geiselman made the finals in seven and was victorious in three – a staggering feat considering the caliber of talent at this level of competition. The prodigious natural-footer jumped out to the ratings lead early on and stamped his mark on the series with his second win of the season at the prestigious Oakley Pro Junior at the Body Glove Surfbout, an ASP Grade-2 Pro Junior event. Geiselman would go on to be crowned the 2006 ASP North America Pro Junior Champion and was the No. 1 regional seed going into the ASP World Junior Championships.

Since last season, the promising Floridian has been ironing out any creases in his seemingly flawless game, and if his performance at March’s Ezekiel Pro Junior is any indicator, the surfing world is in store for a much more electrifying E.G. in ’07.

“Last year went really well for me and I won the first two Pro Junior events on the west coast,” Geiselman said. “Since last year, I’ve really focused on being more explosive in my surfing. I’ve got some great boards under my feet from my Dad (Orion Surfboards), and I’m feeling really good coming off of the win in Huntington. I’m not claiming anything for this year; I’m just trying to be consistent. I’m really looking forward to competing again at Lowers.”

The Oakley Pro Junior’s 32-man field will get things underway at the world-famous Lower Trestles on Friday, Apr. 27, 2006. The Oakley Pro Junior will be run in conjunction with the Jeep-Body Glove Surfbout, an ASP WQS 4-Star event, which runs from Apr. 24-28, 2007. Both the Oakley Pro Junior and Jeep-Body Glove Surfbout will be the opening events of the 2007 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep (and ASP North America Specialty Series).

For more information on junior events and surfers, go to www.aspnorthamerica.org.

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