Ado to replace Curren in ASP World Junior Championships

Pauline Ado (Hendaye, FRA), 18, 2X ASP European Women's Junior champion and 2008 ASP WQS No. 18, will replace Lee-Ann Curren (Anglet, FRA) at Narabeen next January after Curren decided to pull out for personal reasons.

Ado, who finished the year ranked No. 3 on the regional junior ratings behind Curren and 2008 champion Alizee Arnaud (Hossegor, FRA), will attend her fourth event at Narabeen where her best result so far is an equal 5th.

"I have been to Narabeen for three years now and I am happy to have a chance to get into the event," Ado said. "I was very disappointed with my 3rd place finish overall (only 1st and 2nd are invited) and with the cancellation of the final event. It's a great opportunity to be able to surf against the best girls of my age and it's a great training for the WQS as well."

Ado, who was crowned ISA World Junior champion in 2006, will go to the most prestigious junior event in the world with one goal, to win the title.

"I really aim at winning but I know the competition is tough," Ado said. "I am not really thinking about it at the moment because I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. I am going to take it heat by heat and see what happens. I am going to go there a few days before the event to get used to the waves and get ready."

Ado, who surfed in a few ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) in 2008, impressed with her consistency finishing No. 18 with six events only thanks to several solid results including a runner-up finish in the ASP WQS 5-Star Mr Price Pro at Durban and an equal 5th in the ASP WQS 6-Star Cascais Billabong Gilrs Festival in Portugal. At 18-years-old, the French Basque surfer is ready to go on tour.

"I will be on the WQS next year," Ado said. "This year's good results gave me the motivation to go on tour in 2009. My goal is to qualify as fast as possible for the ASP Women's World Tour but I know how tough the first year usually is on the Grind and that I will need time to get used to it. I will learn from my mistakes and go heat by heat, just as in Narabeen."

From France's Basque Country to the world's best waves, Ado has all the potential to become the third French and European surfer to make it to the Dream Tour along with fellow new generation surfer Lee-Ann Curren who will be on tour in 2009.