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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

THE QUIKSILVER ISA 2008 WORLD JUNIOR SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP IS ON!



Under the leadership of Coach Joey Buran, Team USA is off to an incredible start to the 2008 ISA World Junior Championship in France. It looks like all their training and hard work is beginning to pay off. Log on to http://www.isaworldchamp.com/ to watch a live webcast, heats on demand, results, photos and more!

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Friday, May 23, 2008

Huge Memorial Day Weekend Sidewalk Sale Starts Today!



Come join us for our Memorial Day Weekend Sidewalk Sale. We've added tons of new merchandise including mens boardshorts, walkshorts, t-shirts, shoes, and much more. Also, on the girls side of things, we have added a ton of new Spring '08 love! Check it out at these locations: Pierside-300 P.C.H. Huntington Beach 714-841-4000, HSS Girl-126 Main St. Huntington Beach 714-374-6266, Bella Terra- 7777 Edinger Ave. Huntington Beach 714-890-0800.
We'll be out there this Friday, Sat.,Sun.,and Monday! Hope to see you here.
If you can't visit one of our stores, then we have added a few sale styles at HSSSURF.COM for your convenience. CLICK HERE to shop our Sale goodies.

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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Sickest Event on the Planet Returns!



The 4th stop on the tour-The Globe Pro Fiji- is on again in, following a hiatus in 2007 Yep, defending event champion Damien Hobgood, Taj, CJ, Kelly, Mick, Parko, Pancho and the rest of the top 45 will pull on their competition jerseys once again to compete in the perfect lefts of Cloudbreak and/or Restaurants.
The excitement for this year’s tour is unlike any other. With two exciting new rookies Jordy Smith and Dane Reynolds giving the veterans a run for their money, Fiji is the ideal location for the world to see their highly touted talents step up to the World Tour level. World Champion Mick Fanning will be out to retain his first world title, both for himself and for the continent of Australia. Kelly Slater will be looking to get the world title back, what could be his 9th.
And then there’s the Globe team. Taj Burrow is breathing fire for his first world title. Damien Hobgood is as hungry as he’s ever been following last year’s abrupt end due to a broken kneecap. CJ Hobgood’s return to form in the middle of last year has proven his motivation to win is still well intact. And, Pancho Sullivan’s outstanding finish at world #7 answers a lot of questions about whether or not he is really a World Tour surfer.
In a strange twist of coincidence Damien is returning to the event for the second time in a row to defend his title. He earned his first World Tour event victory in 2004, but was forced to miss the event in 2005 with a shoulder injury. He returned in 2006, and took home a second straight win. Can he keep the streak alive in 2008?
Tune into the event webcast starting May 24th at www.globeprofiji.com.
Or Click Here for a full selction of Globe Shoes.

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HSS TEAM RIDER COURTNEY CONLOGUE IS ON A CHAMPIONSHIP ROLL!



Courtney Conlogue added another accolade to her growing list of surfing achievements claiming her first Regional Championship victory with a dominating performance in the Open Women’s final. From heat one, 15-year-old Conlogue put on a go-for-broke display and she continued to push her level in the final. The four-time Southwest Conference champion matched up with defending West Coast champion Demi Boelsterli, two-time West Coast Open Women’s champion Sage Erickson (2005, 2006) and young up-and-comer Catherine Clark. Conlogue wanted badly to win her first Regional title and she did not stray from her mission. After just scrapping through her semi-final heat against Sage Erickson and Sara Taylor the day before, the ultra-competitive regular-footer was fired up for the final. She started off with a couple mediocre scores in the 4 and 5 range and then broke through with a solid 7.50 ride. She sealed the deal with a scorching backside attack on an overhead left which posted an excellent 8.67 score. “I’ve been waiting for this since I was in the Mini Grom division five years ago,” said Conlogue. “I came in determined to win this. I knew what I needed to do and I knew there would be plenty of waves coming through. I just wanted to find the right waves and go as big as I could because it’s either win or lose.” Conlogue will strive to keep her momentum going as she aims for the Nationals. “I’m going to train really hard this month and keep my game on,” Conlogue said. “I want to carry on this streak and win the Nationals.” Conlogue’s chief west coast rival, Sage Erickson put on an impressive performance throughout the week in both Open and Explorer competition winning the Explorer Women’s division and collecting her seventh Regional title.
Congratulations Courtney!
CLICK HERE for all the other NSSA Westerns info.

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Monday, May 19, 2008

2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Set To Launch on May 24th May 18, 2008




From 24 May, the world's top junior surfing stars are set to gather on France's southwest coast, where they will compete for the 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.Organised by the French Surfing Federation (FFS) with the support of the French Ministry of Sport, Youth and Health and sanctioned by the International Surfing Association (ISA), this major meeting on the surfing calendar is returning to France for the first time since 1992 (when it was held in Lacanau, and won by Chad Edser).
The ISA World Junior Surfing Championships is uniquely imbued with the Olympic spirit, as it is officially recognised by the IOC.Unlike the formats commonly adopted for professional surfing competitions, the almost 300 competitors will be grouped into national teams, and will surf in official representation of their countries In addition to the individual World Junior Champions titles, they will also be competing together for the title Junior Team World Champion. The winners will be awarded the ISA World Junior Team Champion. The current World Team champion is Australia , who won it last year in Costa de Caparica, Portugal.
There will be a distinct Olympic feel to proceedings as well. Highlights are set to include the grand Parade of Nations in Hossegor on May 24th, and the procession will end with the now traditional Sands of the World Ceremony. News just in: the official competition venue has just been unveiled as Plage du Penon, Seignosse.
For more on the 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship go to http://www.isasurf.org/

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Bruno Santos Wins an All-Wildcard Billabong Pro Tahiti Final



TEAHUPOO, Tahiti (Thursday, May 15, 2008) – Brazilian wildcard Bruno Santos has defeated local wildcard Manoa Drollet (PYF) to win the Billabong Pro Tahiti and become the first Brazilian to win an ASP World Tour event in five years. “I’m really happy, my dreams just came true,” Santos said. “Today is not the perfect day to surf the final, but I don’t care I’m still happy. It’s still the best day of my life.”Santos, who earned his spot in the Billabong Pro Tahiti with a runner-up finish in the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials held prior to the main event, got the better of local Teahupoo specialist Drollet in their low scoring affair. Santos beat Drollet 9.16 to 6.83 on a borrowed surfboard in inconsistent three-foot (one metre) waves.“I got two little barrels and then there were no more waves, I don’t know, maybe Mother Nature was trying to help me,” Santos said. “Today is so small and my 6’3 was too big so I borrowed a board from a French guy in the channel. He saved my life, I want to keep the board.”Santos defeated last year’s World No. 1 Mick Fanning (AUS), World No. 2 Taj Burrow and 2001 ASP World Champion C.J. Hobgood (USA), among others, en route to his victory. “I’ve surfed more than 10 heats if you count the trials,” Santos said, “The waves in the trials were so perfect and I have surfed the best barrels of my life in this event. I got injured in the trials and had to get 15 stitches and not surf for 15 days. My first heat back was the one against Mick Fanning that I won in the last minute so I knew from then that luck was on my side.”The Billabong Pro Tahiti was the eighth ASP World Tour event for both Santos and Drollet – both surfers have enjoyed multiple wildcards into Pipeline and Teahupoo events among others. The last Brazilian to win an ASP World Tour event was Neco Padaratz in France in 2003.Drollet’s best result previous to today, was a semifinal showing at Teahupoo in 1999. He is widely regarded as one of the best surfers at Teahupoo but conditions in the Final weren’t exactly the big hollow barrels he is used to surfing.“The waves were small but they were small for him too,” Drollet said. “He did better in the final and he deserved to win. Getting so close to winning the event gets you nervous and there were not many waves. Bruno was putting pressure on me and he had priority. I was paying more attention to him than the waves. I let him take that first one which was a big mistake – he won there.”Drollet beat World No. 1 Kelly Slater and earned two perfect 10s in the Billabong Pro Tahiti but victory at home eluded him.“Before the final I said to myself, ’it doesn’t matter if I win the final because I have had such a good event and surfed so many amazing heats, I shouldn’t put pressure myself to win,’” Drollet said. “If I don’t win, it’s still a good day of surfing and in the end that is all that matters. I would have loved to have won though. It won’t be easy to ever make it that far again – I think I got quite lucky to get the waves I got in this event.”Drollet beat Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.33 to 10.27 in the semifinals – the same heat in which he earned the second of his perfect 10 point rides. Parkinson caught four waves to Drollet’s eight. “The swell was definitely dying so I was trying to be ive,” Parkinson said. “I still thought I could get a 10.00, anything is possible, but there was only one other wave that came through, right through the inside, and I was up the top with priority. Manoa got it and got an 8.00. I’m stoked I got a third and good for Manoa, it takes the points away, so that’s a good thing.”Parkinson moves to World No. 2 behind Slater with the result. Behind him, Bede Durbidge (AUS), Andy Irons (HAW) and Mick Fanning (AUS) sit in third, fourth and fifth respectively.Former winner C.J. Hobgood suffered a similar fate to Parkinson when he lost to Santos 8.67 to 14.34.“If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Hobgood said. “Fifteen minutes left, I had priority and I needed a six so I sat there. If you did that again, nine times out of 10 a wave would come in. A wave didn’t break for 15 minutes. Yea, I’m bummed and I wanted to break my board into a million pieces and kick and scream and cry, but I’m just going to smile.”Hobgood moves to World No. 12 with the result, but after opening the season with two equal 17th showings, was hoping for more. The fact that ratings points for 1st and 2nd place weren’t doled out since the wildcards aren’t rated surfers was of little consolation for him.“Two wildcards in the final, if you are Kelly Slater you are laughing,” Hobgood said. “But if you’re the rest of us, it’s a missed opportunity.”The World’s Top 45 surfers will have another opportunity to earn points when they head to Fiji for Stop No. 4 on the ASP World Tour next week.Visit http://www.aspworldtour.com/2007/news_show.asp?rEvent=aspwct&rcode=10657 and www.billabongpro.com for additional information.

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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Wildcards Leave Slater and Burrow in their Wake in Round 3



TEAHUPOO, Tahiti (Wednesday, May 14, 2008) –Eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) and last year’s World No. 2 Taj Burrow (AUS) were Round 3 casualties to Billabong Pro Tahiti wildcards today.
Bruno Santos (BRA), who eliminated reigning World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) in a tight heat yesterday, beat Burrow in a much more convincing fashion today when he earned an early 8.33 to take a lead he never relinquished.
“It’s so good to surf against the best surfers and beat the guys,” Santos said. “This heat was so different than my heat yesterday. I got a big score at the beginning, got priority and then I got another big score, a 9.27, so I am really happy. Hopefully I can keep going, I really want to make the final.”
Local surfer Manoa Drollet (PYF), who won his Round 1 heat over Slater and C.J. Hobgood yesterday, beat the World No. 1 with a 14.00 heat total despite Slater catching the best wave of the heat, a 9.83, in the dying minutes of the heat.
“To beat Kelly Slater is pretty much as good as it gets but to win the contest would be even better,” Drollet said. “I got lucky, again like in the first round, when I got the best wave right at the beginning. I was in the lead and I was more relaxed and there weren’t many waves at the end of the heat, so he couldn’t do anything.”
Slater was handed a priority interference penalty for paddling for a wave Drollet wanted and had priority on so his second scoring ride wasn’t counted. Even if it had, Slater would have come up short 13.26 to Drollet’s 14.00.
“I paddled probably one paddle too much,” Slater said of the interference. “I sort of judged it like Manoa wasn’t going to catch it and I paddled a little more than I obviously would have and then it was too late. That’s the way it goes, I made a little mistake and out here at Teahupoo the chances of coming back from an interference are almost nil.”
Slater will retain his No. 1 rating after the Billabong Pro Tahiti despite his equal 17th finish today. His closest threats still in the competition are Andy Irons (HAW) and Joel Parkinson (AUS), both of whom are rated 6th in the world right now. Should one of them win the event, they would move to World No. 2 behind Slater.
“We’ll see what happens,” Slater said. “Taj went down and Mick went down so that’s good for me if I’m going to look at the whole year,” Slater said. “It gives Andy and Parko a chance to catch up but the best one of them can do is a 5th I think, because they’re going to knock each other out. Then there’s Bede we’ll see how Bede goes. This isn’t his strong wave, but he could get a good result.”Durbidge, who came into the event World No. 2, didn’t get a strong result and was knocked by an in form Chris Ward (USA) in the second to last heat of the day. Ward earned one of three perfect 10s awarded today, but was the only surfer earning one to advance. Tiago Pires (PRT) earned a 10.00 but lost his heat to Parkinson on an interference mistake and Leonardo Neves (BRA) needed more than a 10.00 and a 6.90 to beat Bruce Irons’ (HAW) 18.33 in Round 2.
C.J. Hobgood, the 2004 winner of the Billabong Pro laid claim to the highest heat score of the event moments after watching Ward blitz – he posted a 9.97 and a 9.67 for a 19.64 heat total in the last heat of the day.
“Wardo pretty much laid the groundwork for that,” Hobgood said. “I was just watching him. What do you do when the waves are cooking? More times than not when you are out here right before dark you get this little window and I was just hoping the waves would turn on and they did.”
ASP Rookies Dane Reynolds (USA) and Jordy Smith (ZAF) went head to head in Heat 3 of Round 3. Reynolds, who is the highest rated rookie on tour at equal 11th, got the better of the exchange and is through to Round 4.
“When I saw that I had Jordy I was like, ‘Oh, no,’ I was so nervous just because of all the hype surrounding us,” Reynolds said. “I didn’t really care who won, I just didn’t want to get smoked and be all embarrassed. I’m stoked I won that one, I’m sure there will be plenty of matchups, probably at JBay and then I’m sure it will be the other way around, so it will be fun.”
There are 18 heats of Billabong Pro Tahiti action remaining and contest officials are hoping to finish the competition by 4pm local time tomorrow. An official call will be made at 6am.
All the action will be webcast LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com.

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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Fanning Bows Out of the Billabong Pro Tahiti Slater Survives Round 2



TEAHUPOO, Tahiti (Tuesday, May 13, 2008) – Reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) suffered his first last place finish in two years at the Billabong Pro Tahiti this afternoon. After waiting for six days to commence competition, all of Round 1 and the first five heats of Round 2 were run in perfect four to six foot waves at Teahupoo today.
Fanning was relegated to the sudden death round after finishing a tenth of a point behind Pancho Sullivan (HAW) in a low scoring Round 1 heat. He failed to find his rhythm in Round 2 too, losing to Brazilian Wildcard Bruno Santos in the dying seconds of their duel.
“Things could be better,” Fanning said. “Every wave was a battle for fours and fives out there. They weren’t opening up and then I was either too wide or too deep – I couldn’t find the happy medium, but it happens. The waves were good, I wasn’t good.”
Fanning made the Final of the Billabong Pro Tahiti last year and finished in the semifinals or better in 11 of the last 13 ASP World Tour events. His equal 33rd finish today is his first since bowing out early at Teahupoo two years ago. Surfers two results at year’s end.
“It’s been a couple years,” Fanning said. “I’m just going to throw this one away – there are a lot of events left so I’m going to go home and get focused again.”
Santos trailed Fanning the entire heat but only needed a 3.34 to change the situation. He beat Fanning 10.00 to 9.17 when he earned a 4.17 on wave he caught as the heat-end hooter blew.
“It was a really bad heat because the waves were so good and I couldn’t find a wave better than five points,” Santos said. “It was a bad heat but at the end I just found a little barrel. I almost fell but I made the barrel and I got the score.”
Eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) was also forced to surf Round 2 after finishing second to local wildcard Manoa Drollet (PYF) in Round 1. Slater, the 2000, 2003 and 2005 winner of the event, beat wildcard Jamie O’Brien (HAW) 18.70 to 13.90 this afternoon.
“Jamie is a great surfer and one of the best tube riders of all time so I knew it was going to be a tough heat,” Slater said. “The thing I thought about going into Round 2 was that I’ve got another wildcard now, who is probably the best wildcard. Instead of thinking about losing earlier I was thinking that there were three waves at the end of the last heat that Manoa kept me off that I could have easily got my scores on, so the heat was a lot closer than it looked since we were basically even on one wave. You’ve got to play on your strengths and be realistic about your situation.”
Slater only surfed Round 2 once last year and prior to his Round 1 loss today, hadn’t lost a heat this season. He has won the first two stops on the 2008 ASP World Tour.
“Obviously streaks are nice but all streaks come to end,” Slater said. “The thing about it is that you just have to take your losses and learn something out there and I think I did that. I had the waves to win in that first heat but I just got held off on a couple. I figured with priority I would be able to be a little more ive, take my time and be where I want on the wave. I probably caught eight closeouts in that first heat because I had to go so deep every time.”
Slater will meet Drollet again in Round 3, but the local surfer will go into their bout with added confidence having won today.
“It’s excellent to beat Kelly,” Drollet said. “I feel bad, he was a bit pissed, but it’s a contest. I was lucky to get the best two waves of the heat, Kelly got one in the end and he almost came back. In this competition, the guy who gets the good waves is going to win the heat, and that was me today.”
Drollet is the only local surfer in the 2008 edition of the Billabong Pro, the Tahitians often eliminate World Tour surfers at Teahupoo, but a local has never won the event.
“I got third once and C.J. Hobgood knocked me out of the contest that year, that was nine years ago,” Drollet said. “Of course, I dream of winning this contest but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. They’re all good and they all know the wave as well as I do. I will take it wave by wave.”
The heat of the day was surfed by Adriano de Souza (BRA) who found two deep barrels to post a near perfect 19.53 out of 20.00 and advance over Kieren Perrow (AUS) and Miky Picon (FRA). His heat total today is by far the highest of his three year ASP World Tour career.
“I’ve come here many times to Teahupoo and I always get good waves but I can never show that in my heats so today I’m pretty happy, it’s my day,” de Souza said. “I’m really happy to get the huge scores, hopefully I can keep the same determination and the same focus for the next heat because I’m hoping to finish this contest near the Final.”
Top seeded surfers Andy Irons (HAW), Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Taj Burrow (AUS) made their Round 1 heats today and move straight to Round 3. World No. 2 Bede Durbidge (AUS) fought back in Round 2 to advance as well.
Event organizers will endeavor to run the remaining 11 heats of Round 2 and most of Round 3 tomorrow. Conditions are expected to be as good as they were this afternoon tomorrow morning so competition is slated to start at 6:30am with Heat 6 of Round 2.
The Billabong Pro Tahiti will be webcast LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and http://www.aspworldtour.com/billabongpro/.

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

The Billabong Pro Tahiti is On!



DAY 6 - LIVE WEBCAST ON NOW!

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Monday, May 12, 2008

Billabong Pro Teahupoo Day 5 - Lay Day - 7am Start Tomorrow



Bad news is, the Billabong Pro Tahiti pres. By Air Tahiti Nui is off for the day. The good news is there is a solid bump of swell expected for tomorrow (Tuesday) and come rain hail or shine it looks like round one will be on.
It’s a little bigger again today, just a touch, but day five of the official waiting period is no go.
Check out the video update above for the full run down and make sure you have got your timing down for tomorrow because all is looking good for a start.
The swell is going to be around the 2m range, it is going to be very west and it is going to be hollow so look forward to seeing the top 45 surfers in the world stick some arm in the wall and get piped.
Stay logged to BillabongPro.com for all the updates

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Thursday, May 08, 2008

HB'S CHILI AT THE BEACH ON FATHER'S DAY WEEKEND!



Come join HB Downtown for Father's Day fun including a Chili Cook-off, huge charity raffle(benefiting CHOC), children's activities, art exhibits and tons more! For more info: CLICK HERE

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"I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED!...THE BILLABONG PRO AT "CHOPES" HAS ARRIVED



Things are starting to get edgy at the end of the road. In less than 2 hours the waiting period for the 2008 Billabong Pro Tahiti pres. by Air Tahiti Nui officially begins. The majority of the top 45 surfers on earth have made their way down to Teahupoo, settled into their respective family homes, or pension style digs and are getting familiar with the wave that only a few know how to tame.
While the surf has been a far cry from what was witnessed throughout the trials, there have been some tasty 2-3ft (1m) waves for the boy’s to wash away their jetlag.
The opening ceremony will kick us off at 3pm local time tomorrow (7th May) and then at around 7am local time on the 8th an official call will be made on round one.
Stay logged to BillabongPro.com for all the updates.

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Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Congratulations Johnny Elles and Christian Saenz on your NSSA Explorer Victories!



The Southwest Conference wrapped up the 2007-08 Explorer Season in 2-3 foot mushy peaks at HB’s Golden West Street sandbar. Over 300 surfers competed in the regular season finale which was 5 star rated and worth valuable ratings points going into the 2008 West Coast Regional Championships next week.
HB’s Christian Saenz put his local know-how to work taking a close but clear decision in the Juniors final over runner-up Victor Done. The win for Saenz was big as it rocketed him to No. 2 in the Juniors ratings. Kolohe Andino delivered another technically superior display all weekend in the Boys category winning all of his heats including another standout surfing performance in the final. Andino netted the highest scoring heat total of all the finals, a 16.0 out of a possible 20. In the Menehuene final, HB local Johnny Elles schooled his opponents in his neighborhood turf nailing an impressive 15.0 out of a possible 20 heat total. In the Women’s division, Jenna Balester is firing up the momentum down the stretch claiming her second straight victory. Shelby Detmers took her first NSSA win in the Girls category. Going into this event, No. 2 ranked YuFu Penrose was hoping to clinch back-to-back conference titles in the Masters. He won the final but it wasn’t enough to slam the door on ratings leader Rick Takahashi whose second place finish sealed the deal. After undergoing hip surgery last summer and enduring the recovery and rehab for a majority of this season, Mike Gillard was back in winning form delivering a strong performance in both the Super Seniors and Longboard divisions. Gillard also was runner-up in the Super Seniors to winner Bill MacLeod.
For all the results, CLICK HERE.

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Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Quiksilver Bleeker Boardshort has finally Arrived!



We've been waiting for this thing to come in for months and it has finally arrived! This thing is a 21st Century Echo Beach. The 60's meets the 80's right now. Young, Loud, proud, and in your face. With a 2 way stretch you avoid nasty knee catches and flexes through your best turns. The Boardshorts are a must for the aspiring contest surfer or average bro who just wants to show how hard he rips. Also equipped with flow through panels to help reduce duck dive drag and the anatomical contoured stretch make these boartdshorts the ultimate in comfort and performance. Get 'em Here while you can!



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Monday, May 05, 2008

Congratulations HSS Team Rider Jason Harris on your 2nd Place Finish at the 2008 Oakley Pro Junior at Lowers!



Oakley's Seabass Wins OPJLower Trestles, San Clemente, CA - 5/4/08Oakley's Sebastian Zietz (Hanalei, HAW) has claimed the 2008 Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge North American Qualifier in firing three-to-four foot surf at Lower Trestles over fellow finalists Jason Harris (Huntington Beach, CA), Travis Beckmann (Vero Beach, FL) and Dusty Payne (Lahaina, HAW). The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior event culminated a week’s worth of competition this afternoon as performance levels went through the roof, with some of the highest scored waves of the event being logged in during the hard-fought final. Zietz, who proved the form surfer of both the Oakley Pro Junior and the ASP WQS 4-Star 6.0 Lowers Pro (only knocked out with a last-minute interference), absolutely dominated the final, seamlessly blending beautiful rail work with explosive fin-free maneuvers to net the highest-scoring heat total of the Oakley Pro Junior, an 18.40 out of a possible 20. “I was surprised when I heard that first score because I didn’t think that it was that good of a wave and then I got that second wave and I finally started to relax a little bit,” Zietz said. “I surfed about 11 heats in this contest, and I’m bummed to lose out in the quarters of the men’s event because of an interference, but it made me want to go out and smash it in this heat that much more. It’s always a big breakthrough to win an event and take home some money.” As the opening event of the Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series (an ASP North America Specialty Series), Zietz’s win also sees the young Hawaiian take the ratings heading into the second stop in September. Harris, who advanced through the field relatively unnoticed, rocketed from third to second in the dying moments with a blistering forehand assault on a roping Lowers righthander. The score netted in at an 8.27 out of a possible 10 and upped Harris into runner-up position. “I knew it was a battle for second and when that wave came through at the end, I just focused on surfing top-to-bottom and not falling,” Harris said. “This is the best result of my career and it definitely helps in terms of ratings and qualifying for the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships is definitely a goal this year because it’s my last season as a junior.” In finishing 1st and 2nd respectively, Zietz and Harris have qualified for the Oakley Pro Global Challenge, which will run October 7-17, 2008. “It’s unreal,” Harris said. “I’ve never been to Bali. I’ve been to the Mentawais, but never to Bali and I think it’s great that Oakley is putting money into junior surfing.” Beckmann, who was one of the form surfers of the Oakley Pro Junior, looked in solid position throughout the final, but was unable to stave off the onslaught of Harris towards the end. “It’s really tough to have second locked up and then lose it at the end,” Beckmann said. “3rd is still a pretty good result and it will help my rating this season as I aim to qualify for the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.” Payne, who consistently picked off the highest scores in both the 6.0 Lowers Pro and the Oakley Pro Junior, seemed to run out of energy towards the end of the day, but his impressive performances put the entire globe on notice. “I was just out of rhythm I guess, and I just couldn’t get any good ones out there in the final. I just couldn’t get into a rhythm,” Payne said

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Ben Bourgeois Wins 6.0 Lowers Pro and Takes Ratings Lead on Macy's Trifecta



SAN CLEMENTE, California (Saturday, May 3, 2008) - ASP Top 45 member Ben Bourgeois (Wrightsville Beach, NC / Carlsbad, CA) took down the 2008 6.0 Lowers Pro in pumping three-to-four foot (1 metre) surf at Lower Trestles over fellow finalists Fredrick Patacchia (North Shore, HI), Joel Centeio (North Shore, HI) and Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA).
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-Star event wrapped up a week’s worth of competition this afternoon with Bourgeois showcasing the form that has taken him to the most elite level of competition in the world.
The powerful natural-footer nailed a 7.83, an 8.33, a 7.53, an 8.83 and a 7.53 throughout the 30-minute final in a staggering display of consistency and ability, leaving his fellow finalists in a combination situation and unable to surpass.
"In the last two heats, the quarters and the semis, I was just able to squeak through, and everything was going my way that final," Bourgeois said. "I’m stoked, it’s always good to get a win, and all those guys in the final are good friends of mine. My last win was in England, and Lowers is always a great event.
Bourgeois now joins the prestigious list of competitors who have proven victorious at Lower Trestles, including eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL), Shane Beschen (San Clemente, CA), C.J. Hobgood (Melbourne Beach, FL), Tom Curren (Santa Barbara, CA), amongst others.
"Everyone wants to surf Lowers with only three other guys out, and I¡¦m living in Carlsbad now so it’s right up the street," Bourgeois said. "It’s an honor to come away with the win and I’m super pumped."
In addition to taking the 6.0 Lowers Pro Title, the healthy prize purse and valuable ASP WQS ratings points, Bourgeois also takes the lead in the 2008 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series (an ASP North America Specialty Series). With two more events taking place in September and October of this season, Bourgeois remains the marked man from here out.
"I haven’t put much thought into continuing the Trifecta Series at this point,¡¨ Bourgeois said. "However it is nice to be in the lead, but I’m just going to see how it goes."
Patacchia, current No. 29 on the elite ASP World Tour, was another who displayed preternatural talent and incredible competitive savvy throughout the 6.0 Lowers Pro. Although unable to best Bourgeois in the final, the powerful Hawaiian racked up a solid result on the ASP WQS as well as some beneficial practice time at the venue for when the Dream Tour comes to Lower Trestles in September.
"It’s always fun to come to Lowers and surf with just a few more guys out," Patacchia said. "I’m a bit disappointed that I couldn’t come out on top in the final, but Ben (Bourgeois) was surfing really well. Still though, great result and a good way to get some heat practice in before we come here in September."
Centeio, current No. 122 on the ASP WQS, will take his 3rd place finish at the 6.0 Lowers Pro and increase his current rating on the hunt to qualify for the ASP World Tour. Centeio who has nearly qualified for the Dream Tour the past several years will hope that 2008 will be his season.
"Benny was just really in rotation, and it seemed like he was on every good wave, and he ended up taking it, so that just how it goes sometimes," Centeio said. "It’s a good result for me and hopefully I can put it together the rest of the season."
With his 4th place finish at the 6.0 Lowers Pro, Gudauskas has reclaimed the ratings lead on the ASP WQS, and will look to hold on through the remainder of the season in hopes of qualifying for the prestigious ASP World Tour in 2009.
"It feels really good to be back on top with another results," Gudauskas said. "It’s a long season, but hopefully I can keep putting away results and stay consistent throughout the season."
With the completion of the 6.0 Lowers Pro, the next stop on the Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series is the Oakley NB Pro held in September.

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Friday, May 02, 2008

Offshore and Pumping for 6.0 Lowers Pro Day 4!



SAN CLEMENTE, California (Friday, May 2, 2008) – The south swell has arrived and is pumping in clean four-to-five foot (2 metre) waves for Day 4 of the 6.0 Lowers Pro, rewarding competitors who survived the opening rounds of competition with the opportunity to strut their stuff in classic Lower Trestles.
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-Star event will finish the remaining heats of Round 5 this morning before running Round 6, and the top seeds will no doubt revel in the improved conditions.
The remaining heats of Round 5 will see ASP World Tour icon Fredrick Patacchia (North Shore, HI) as well as marquee ASP WQS campaigners Dane and Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), Brett Simpson (Huntington Beach, CA), Sterling Spencer (Pensacola, FL), among others do battle this morning before the running of Round 6.
With the completion of Round 6, the 6.0 Lowers Pro will have narrowed the field down to the remaining 16 competitors which will culminate tomorrow.
Immediately following the completion of Round 6 of the 6.0 Lowers Pro, the ASP Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior will begin competition, with 48 of the top junior surfers in the nation squaring off for a chance at prize money, valuable ASP Pro Junior ratings points in hopes of qualifying for the prestigious Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.
Seeded in today’s event will be reigning ASP North America Pro Junior Champion Adam Wickwire (Satellite Beach, FL), current ratings leader on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series Cory Arrambide (Ventura, CA) as well as international superstars Dusty Payne (Lahaina, HI), Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay, ZAF), amongst others.
The Oakley Pro Junior also serves as the North American qualifier for the Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge and will reward the top two finishers with seeds in the event.
Action kicks off at 8am.
All 6.0 Lowers Pro and Oakley Pro Junior action is being webcast LIVE via www.nike6lowerspro.com
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org

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