Beyond Boarders

The ASP World Title has heated up with the early elimination of front runner, Australian Joel Parkinson in the recent Quiksilver Pro France and the subsequent win by his Gold Coast stablemate, Mick Fanning. The Australian friends will battle other top seeds C.J. Hobgood, Bede Durbidge and Kelly Slater as the ASP Dream Tour continues the European leg at the Billabong Pro Mundaka from October 5 ? 17, 2009.
Mick Fanning claimed his second consecutive ASP Dream Tour event, the 2009 Quiksilver Pro France presented by Orange, by defeating fellow Australian Bede Durbidge in punchy 0.5 ? 1 metre waves at Les Bourdaines.  






CURRENT ASP WORLD TOUR TOP 10:  
1 Joel Parkinson (AUS) 5896 points 
2 Mick Fanning (AUS) 5750 points 
3 C.J. Hobgood (USA) 4872 points 
4 Bede Durbidge (AUS) 4792 points 
5 Kelly Slater (USA) 4638 points 
6 Adriano de Souza (BRA) 4573 points 
7 Taj Burrow (AUS) 4417 points 
8 Damien Hobgood (USA) 4384 points 
9 Bobby Martinez (USA) 4314 points 
10 Taylor Knox (USA) 4216 points

Labels: 2009, ASP World Tour

Joel Parkinson (AUS), continued his winning start to the 2009 season, claiming the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach by defeating local surfer Adam Robertson (AUS), trials winner and event wildcard, in pumping 2m (6ft) waves at Bells Beach, Australia.

This was the second stop on the 2009 ASP World Tour and capacity crowds turned out to watch a historic final. The next stop on the 2009 ASP World Tour will be the Billabong Pro Teahupoo from May 9 ? 20, 2009.

Labels: 2009, ASP World Tour, Australia, Bells Beach, Joel Parkinson

Here are the pictures I promised of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast held at Kirra, Australia, March 2009. Sorry for the delay, let's just say that there have been a few distractions.

Thanks to Cyclone Hamish, the historic pointbreak offered churning barrels with massive scoring potential in the final and local favorite, Joel Parkinson, proved to be very much at home in the challenging conditions. Parkinson buckled his board on the first wave but returned to the lineup to nail a perfect 10, his second of the day. Taking him to victory over former ASP World Junior Champion, young Brazilian, Adriano de Souza, who was surfing in his first ASP World Tour final.

In the women's final of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, another local, who happens to be the reigning two-time ASP Women's World Champion, Stephanie Gilmore, defeated Melanie Bartels from Hawaii. The final was held at Snapper Rocks and was her fourth consecutive win on the ASP Women?s World Tour.

Labels: 2009, ASP World Tour, Australia, Gold Coast, Joel Parkinson, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Stephanie Gilmore, surfing

The 2009 professional surfing season has kicked off for both the men and the women, on Australia's Queensland, Gold Coast. And both opening events saw wins for Australian surfers.

21 year old Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), reigning two-time ASP Women's World Champion, won the Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by LG Mobile, defeating Melanie Bartels (HAW), in the Final. Then, fellow Australian, Joel Parkinson (AUS), claimed victory in the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, defeating fellow finalist Adriano de Souza (BRA).

I will post detailed reports and pictures for both events. The tours now move on to Bells Beach, Australia, in April.

Labels: 2009, ASP World Tour, Australia, Joel Parkinson, Stephanie Gilmore, surfing

Stephanie Gilmore has also finished her season with a big win in Hawaii.

Having just been crowned ASP Women's World Champion for the second time, the young Australian stormed to victory in the Billabong Pro Maui, defeating Melanie Bartels (HAW), claiming the her second consecutive win in the event at Ho'okipa Beach Park and earning her first Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (an ASP Specialty Series) Title.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Hawaii, Maui, Stephanie Gilmore

Nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) finished the 2008 ASP world tour on a win, taking the big one at Oahu, Hawaii, the prestigeous Billabong Pipeline Masters. The victory is Slater's sixth of the 11 event tour, in a season that saw him top the World rankings for a record ninth time.

Top ten world rankings for 2008 finished:

• Kelly Slater (USA)


• Bede Durbidge (AUS)


• Taj Burrow (AUS)


• Joel Parkinson (AUS)


• C.J. Hobgood (USA)


• Adrian Buchan (AUS)


• Adriano de Souza (BRA)


• Mick Fanning (AUS)


• Bobby Martinez (USA)


• Jeremy Flores (FRA)

Bede Durbidge ended up pipping fellow Australian Taj Burrow to second place and fourth placed, Joel Parkinson made headlines earlier in the Pipline Masters event by scoring a perfect 20 out of 20 heat total, only the second perfect heat total in ASP history under the two wave format. Congratulations to Bobby Martinez and Jeremy Flores who both made the top ten.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, Hawaii, Kelly Slater, Pipeline Masters, surfing

Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, took her second consecutive ASP Women's World Title today with an emphatic win in the Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, ripping through the three-to-five foot (1.5 metre) waves at Sunset Point to defeat fellow finalists Silvana Lima (BRA), 24, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), 22, and Nicola Atherton (AUS), 22.

Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach turned out to be the most decisive event of year's tour, seeing shock eliminations on its final day before Gilmore soared to victory to claim the 2008 ASP Women?s World Title.

The next and final stop on the 2008 ASP Women?s World Tour will be event 8, the Billabong Pro Maui at Honolua Bay from December 8 ? 20, 2008.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, Stephanie Gilmore, women's, World Champion

Australian Bede Durbidge, claimed his third ASP World Tour career win with a victory at the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in Imbituba, Brazil, over France's Jeremy Flores.
The win moves Durbidge to the World No. 2 position and heading into the last event of the year in Hawaii as the defending champion, looks likely to finish the season as runner-up in the world rankings to nine-time ASP World Champion, Kelly Slater (USA).

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, Bede Durbidge, Brazil, surfing

Tyler Wright (AUS), 14, has made history by becoming the youngest ever winner of an ASP World Tour event. Tyler defeated Silvana Lima (BRA), 23, in the final of the Beachley Classic at Manly Beach.

Wright, who only gained entry into the Beachley Classic via the preceding trials, swept aside the best female surfers in the world, defeating reigning ASP Women's World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, Jacqueline Silva (BRA), 29, and Amee Donohoe (AUS), 27, on her way to the final with Lima.

The next stop on the 2008 ASP Women?s World Tour will be the Movistar Classic Mancora Peru presented by Rip Curl from November 3 ? 8, 2008.

ASP Women's World Tour Ratings: After Event No. 5

1 ? Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 4411 points

2 ? Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 3948 points

3 ? Layne Beachley (AUS) 3698 points

4 ? Amee Donohoe (AUS) 3331 points

5 ? Silvana Lima (BRA) 3194 points

Labels: ASP World Tour, Australia, manly beach, Tyler Wright, women's

Kelly Slater, USA, has just won a record ninth ASP World Title, securing a sufficient points lead in the title rankings after advancing out of Round 3 of the Billabong Pro Mundaka, Spain, the ninth event of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour.

Slater defeated local wildcard Eneko Acero(EUK) in Heat 8 of Round 3 of the Billabong Pro Mundaka in excellent four to six foot (two metre) conditions. His success comes 16 years after securing his first ASP World Title at age 20. At 36 he now becomes the oldest and youngest surfer in ASP history to win a world title.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, champion, Kelly Slater, World Champion

Tahitian Michel Bourez certainly enjoys playing in France's Hossegor surf, last year he knocked out Kelly Slater in the Quiksilver Pro France and this year he has gone and beat ASP World No. 3 Bede Durbidge (AUS)in the same event. It was his second major scalp in this year's Quiksilver Pro France, having eliminated Joel Parkinson (AUS) in Round 2.

Bourez opened the heat against Durbidge with a 9.80, backed it up with a 9.77 and left Bede searching for a combo 19.57 points. Bourez said. "There were a couple of really good rights and lefts out there but the rip was really strong and I needed to catch the first wave so that is what I did."

It looks as if it is just a matter of time before Kelly Slater is celebrating winning the 2008 ASP title race and a historic ninth world title. Slater could potentially wrap things up tomorrow, but only if he wins the Quiksilver Pro France and ASP World No. 2 Taj Burrow (AUS) loses in Round 4 or the Quarterfinals.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, France, Hossegor, Michel Bourez, Quiksilver Pro France, surfing

Kelly Slater (USA) beat Taj Burrow (AUS) 18.97 to 18.63, winning his third Boost Mobile Pro title at Lower Trestles and putting him just one event win away from a record ninth ASP World Title.

Taj Burrow thought he had Slater beaten, having scored a 9.00 and 9.63 before the halfway mark, but Slater stole the win right at the end, on an unpromising wave that Burrow let pass. I get the impression that the Australian felt that on Kelly's homeground he had to beat both a mighty reputation and the judges as well, but the difference between mere mortals and Kelly Slater is that given half a chance Slater grabs it while others are still considering the options. You can get lucky once or twice but to keep getting lucky you have to be good, very good.

Labels: ASP World Tour, California, Kelly Slater, Lower Tresles, surfing, USA

After a five month break, the 17 ladies on the ASP world tour are converging on the Hossegor beachbreaks, for the Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle running from August 28 through September 1, 2008.
The Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle is Event No. 3 on the 2008 ASP Women's World Tour and Sofia Mulanovich (PER), former ASP Women's World Champion and current No.1 on the 2008 ASP Women's World Tour, will soon be seen practising in the French surf.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, France, Hossegor, Rip Curl, women's

What a shock result to event number 6 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour. Andy's brother Bruce Irons (HAW) defeated fellow Hawaiian Fredrick Patacchia in the final of the 2008 Rip Curl Pro Search, to claim his first Dream Tour win and push him into the world top ten. Bruce plans to retire from the Dream Tour at the end of this season, though he still intends competing at Pipeline and Teahupoo, plus any other venues that he can get into.

The 2008 Rip Curl Pro Search, held in rifling 1.5 metre lefthanders 'somewhere' in Indonesia, concluded in a marathon day of action that was capped off with an absolutely stunning barrel shootout between the young Hawaiian friends.

Patacchia had been in stunning form throughout the event, netting high scores and eliminating several top seeds. He suffered an injury at the beginning of the season but has since returned to finish equal 9th in Fiji and Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, before securing this runner-up position in Indonesia, putting him at 14 on the ASP World Tour.

Once again, the majority of top seeds on the Dream Tour suffered early elimination, so despite his defeat, current ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) maintains a healthy lead on this year's ASP World Title race as they head to the next stop on the tour, which will be the Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley at Lower Trestles, California from September 7-13, 2008.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, Bruce Irons, Indonesia, surfing

Taking the JBay crown, Kelly Slater, is simply unstoppable this year winning four out of five events on the ASP World Tour. It is his 38th ASP World Tour victory and puts him in commanding contention to claim his 9th ASP World Title.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, J-Bay, Jeffreys Bay, Kelly Slater

The Billabong Pro at Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, which is Stop No. 5 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour, got off to a flying start and there was no shortage of standout surfing.
ASP World Tour veteran, Taylor Knox (USA) stole the show in perfect four to six foot (one to two metre) waves. Taylor posted near perfect 9.90 and a 9.80 wave scores to give him a combined heat total of 19.70 out of 20.00 points. That is reckoned to be the highest combined score in his 15 year career. What's more, he had a further 9.00 in his scoreline to spare.

The event has a scheduled waiting period running through July 20, 2008 but it is expected that conditions will be good for round 2 playoffs to carry on tomorrow.

Labels: ASP World Tour, J-Bay, Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, Taylor Knox

The Activity Holidays Guide had a bit of a crisis recently due to the loss of a server and that resulted in a number of the Beyond Boarders' posts going astray. However, we are now back on the water and continuing to bring you full coverage of boarding events, including up to the minute surfing pictures and news of the ASP world tours.

To get up to date, here is a listing of event dates and locations, remaining on the men's ASP world tour.

• Event 5 on July 10-20 at Jeffreys Bay-South Africa for the Billabong Pro.


• Event 6 on July 30-Aug 10 at A Secret Destination for the Rip Curl Pro Search.


• Event 7 on September 7-13 at Trestles, California-USA for the Boost Mobile Pro (Hurley).


• Event 8 on September 19-28 at South West Coast-France for the Quiksilver Pro France 2008.


• Event 9 on September 29-October 12 at Mundaka-Euskadi for the Billabong Pro.


• Event 10 on October 28-November 5 Santa Catarina-Brazil for the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro.


• Event 11 on December 8-20 at Banzai Pipeline,Oahu-Hawaii for the great Pipeline event.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, men's

Kelly Slater (USA) has made a great start to the 2008 ASP World Tour and is currently holding the No. 1 position ahead of Joel Parkinson (AUS) at No. 2, followed by Bede Durbidge (AUS), Andy Irons (HAW) and Mick Fanning (AUS), ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively,
Event 4, the Globe Pro Fiji, on the 2008 ASP tour, began on Sunday in perfect six-foot (two metre) waves at Restaurants, where Slater met local wildcard Isei Tokoea (FIJ), but unlike last week's event at Teahupoo, Tahiti, when wildcards ruled and Brazilian wildcard Bruno Santos eventually defeated local wildcard Manoa Drollet (PYF) to win the Billabong Pro Tahiti, Kelly Slater surfed a near perfect heat scoring 19.73 out of 20.00 points.


The Fiji competition continued yesterday at Cloudbreaks, and the world's top surfers maintained their form, with Taj Burrow (AUS) emerging from his heat with Tiago Pires (PRT) on a perfect 10 point ride. Former ASP World Tour and Fiji Champion Mark Occhilupo (AUS) formally retired last year, but is now the only wildcard who advanced to Round 3 which makes him the lowest seeded surfer still in the event. It also means that he will meet Kelly Slater in Heat 8 of the third round.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, Cloudbreaks, Fiji, Globe Pro Fiji, Kelly Slater, Restaurants, Taj Burrow

This year is whipping though at an incredible pace and the first two events of both the men's and women's tours are already done and dusted.
In event one for the girls, the 2008 Roxy Pro Gold Coast, last year's world runner-up Sofia Mulanovich (PER) beat Samantha Cornish (AUS) at Australia's Snapper Rocks. However, just a few days late, in the final of the Rip Curl Women's Pro at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia, reigning ASP Women's World Champion, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) came from behind with five minutes remaining to defeat Sofia, claiming her second consecutive Rip Curl Women's Pro title and jumping from 9th to 2nd in the tour ratings. A mere 600 points behind leader Sofia Mulanovich.

The 2008 ASP Women's World Tour now takes a breather until July, when the top 17 female surfers will do battle again in Brazil.

The guy's tour opened in sensational style with eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) beating reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) at his home break of Snapper Rocks. This put Kelly in the number one slot of the ratings for the first time since claiming his last ASP World Crown in 2006. Proving that the win was not a fluke, he then proceeded to take the Rip Curl Pro at Bells beach. Launching a huge air, he earned a last minute score and beat Bede Durbidge (AUS) in the final. 36-year old Slater, has now claimed his 36th event win and rung surfing's bell for the third time but even more significantly, has cemented his position as the world's number one surfer.
The next event on the men's ASP World Tour will take place in Teahupoo, Tahiti from May 8-18, 2008.

Labels: 2008, ASP World Tour, Australia, Bells Beach, Kelly Slater, men's, Snapper Rocks, Sofia Mulanovich, women's

The Australian Gold Coast is the first stop for the men and women on the respective 2008 Association of Surf Professionals (ASP) world tours.
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will be running in conjunction, with the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast starting its waiting period this Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008.

Reigning men's ASP World Champion and defending Quiksilver Pro Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), is ready again to do battle with 44 of the best surfers in the world and on the Women's Dream Tour, reigning ASP Women?s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) is equally focussed as she takes on 16 of the best female surfers, beginning in her home waves.

Both the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast and the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will be webcast LIVE and Beyond Boarders will publish regular tour reports and pictures. Subscribe to Beyond Boarders now (see bottom of page) and get free email alerts each time a new post is published.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Australia, Mick Fanning, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Stephanie Gilmore

The title race was not resolved until the final event of the tour but Rookie Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) claimed the 2007 ASP Women's World Tour, as other contenders for the title fell in the third round of the 2007 Billabong Pro Maui. She then went on to celebrate her victory by claiming the Billabong Pro Maui Championship, defeating defending champion Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS). Her win, in small one metre waves at Honolua Bay, marks her fourth win of the 2007 season.

The final ratings on the 2007 ASP Women's World Tour are:

1. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)


2. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)


3. Silvana Lima (BRA)


4. Samantha Cornish (AUS)


5. Layne Beachley (AUS)


6. Amee Donohoe (AUS)


7. Chelsea Hedges (AUS)


8. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)


9. Rebecca Woods (AUS)


10. Melanie Bartels (HAW)


11. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)


12. Megan Abubo (HAW)


13. Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)


14. Karina Petroni (USA)


15. Serena Brooke (AUS)


16. Nicola Atherton (AUS)

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, champion, Hawaii, Maui, Stephanie Gilmore, surfing, women's

The girls are battling it out at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, for the Roxy Pro Hawaii, stop No. 7 of 8 on the ASP Women's World Tour and Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) can clinch the 2007 world title if she wins the event while Silvana Lima (BRA) finishes 3rd or lower.

Only seven heats of surfing, including the final, remain for the Roxy Pro Hawaii, and the next call on surf status will be made tomorrow morning, Thursday, November 29, 2007. It therefore looks as if the circus could be packing up tomorrow afternoon and Steph Gilmore could be crowned world champion.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Hawaii, Roxy Pro Hawaii, Silvana Lima, Stephanie Gilmore, women's

Australian Mick Fanning, clinched his maiden Foster's ASP World Title today. Fanning was in the water and about to surf a semifinal heat against childhood friend Joel Parkinson (AUS), when his only remaining title threat, Taj Burrow (AUS), was eliminated by Tom Whitaker (AUS).

It was a day for the Australians and after realizing his lifelong dream, Fanning surfed a signature heat to beat Parkinson 18.70 to 12.84 in Semifinal 1 before defending his Brazilian title by beating rookie Kai Otton (AUS) in the final to win the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in Brazil.

Americans Kelly Slater and Andy Irons have monopolized the World Title for the last five years but Mick's win today breaks the run and makes him the first Australian to clinch a men's ASP World Title since Mark 'Occy' Occhilupo in 1999.

Full report and pictures to follow.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Australia, champion, Mick Fanning, surfing

Bobby Martinez (USA) has achieved a sensational victory in the 2007 Billabong Pro Mundaka, beating Foster's ASP World No. 3 Taj Burrow (AUS) in a close fought final. The win makes Martinez the first surfer in the history of the Billabong Pro Mundaka to post back to back victories at Spain's reeling lefthander. The win also leaps the 'smiling assassin' to 6th on the ASP World Tour ratings.

Since only eight of 10 events are factored into the Foster's ASP World Tour ratings at the end of the year and Burrow is now able to drop a 33rd and a 17th place result with only two events left to run, if he wins the next event in Brazil or places one spot ahead of current ratings leader Mick Fanning (AUS), the World Title will be decided at the ASP season finale, the Pipeline, Hawaii.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Bobby Martinez, championship, Mick Fanning, Mundaka, Spain, surfing, Taj Burrow

Mick Fanning (AUS) has won the 2007, Quiksilver Pro France, beating South Africa's Greg Emslie, in one to one and a half meter (three to five foot) surf at Les Bourdaines, Hossegor.

The tour has now moved across the border to Mundaka, Spain, where Fanning has the opportunity to clinch his maiden Foster's ASP World Title.

If Mick wins the Billabong Pro Mundaka, while Kelly Slater and Taj Burrow fail to earn Semifinal berths, then he will win his maiden World Title. Slater and Burrow need to post equal 3rd or better results to keep their world title hopes alive.

Live action from Billabong Pro Mundaka.

Labels: ASP World Tour, France, Mick Fanning, Spain, surfing

The top ten male surfers on the Foster?s ASP World Tour Ratings after event 6 of 10, is as follows:

1. Mick Fanning (AUS) 5270


2. Kelly Slater (USA) 5040


3. Taj Burrow (AUS) 4511


4. Andy Irons (HAW) 4331


5. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 4029


6. Damien Hobgood (USA) 3824


7. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 3467


8. Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 3462


9. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 3438


10. Dean Morrison (AUS) 3248

The surfing tour is moving on to event 7, Quiksilver Pro France, where they will enjoy the surf at Hossegor, France, from September 20 to 30, 2007. I reckon they will turn the surf red for local hero Jeremy Flores.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Jeremy Flores

ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) has won the 2007 Boost Mobile Pro at Lower Tresles, California. Kelly is the only surfer to score a 'Perfect 20' competition heat total, which he achieved in Tahiti, 2005, and this win takes him past legendary Tom Curren, for the highest number of elite tour wins in pro surfing history (34).

Only his first event win in over a year, he moves to current World No. 2, a mere 230 points behind current leader, Mick Fanning (AUS). Powerful Hawaiian, Pancho Sullivan, was a standout performer on the final day of competition, beating Neco Padaratz (BRA), Troy Brooks (AUS) and Jeremy Flores (FRA) on his way to meeting Slater in the Final. His second place puts him at eight in the rankings.

Also enjoying the time of his life is Frenchman, Jeremy Flores, whose third place in the event, was enough to jump him to nine in the world rankings; making him the highest-rated rookie on the 2007 tour.

Labels: ASP World Tour, California, Kelly Slater, Lower Tresles, surfing, USA

Heat one of the Boost Mobile Pro, which is the 6th of 10 events on the 2007 ASP World Tour, is now underway at Lower Trestles, California, USA. The surf is small, but clean, with frequent one metre sets.

Watch live streaming video.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Boost Mobile Pro, California, Trestles, USA

The ASP Women's World Tour resumes tomorrow, at Santander, Spain, where the world's top female surfers will be contesting the Rip Curls Girls Festival.

This is stop four of seven competitions used to determine the world rankings. It has a waiting period through to September 9, 2007.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Rip Curls Girls Festival, Spain, women's

Samantha Cornish (AUS) has won her first ASP Women?s World Tour title since 2003, at the Billabong Girls Pro Itacaré.

Cornish defeated Brazilian sensation Silvana Lima (BRA) shooting her to World No. 2 on the ASP Women?s World Tour ratings.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Billabong Girls Pro, Brazil

Australian Taj Burrow has beaten Kelly Slater (USA) to win the 2007 Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay. The victory is Burrow's second on the 2007 Foster's ASP World Tour and moves him to World No. 2 on the ASP ratings. Indeed, with their final place points, Slater and Burrows have blown the fight for the World crown wide open.
It is now halfway through the tour, Mick Fanning (AUS) still holds the number one spot with 4860 points but Taj Burrow moves up to second, just 524 points behind. Andy Irons (HAW) has 3921 points in position three, while Kelly Slater (USA) now sits threateningly on 3840 points, in fourth position; Joel Parkinson (AUS) is fifth in the rankings and starting to trail with 3804 points, having been stopped by Burrows in the quarter-finals.

Mick Fanning commented, "Taj surfed insanely the whole event." However, despite falling to Taj Burrow in the semis, Fanning's consistency remains unchallenged this year with three 3rds, a 1st and a 2nd.

The men's tour now enjoys a six week break before reconvening at Lower Trestles, California, USA, in September.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Billabong Pro, Jeffreys Bay, Taj Burrow

Stop No. 5 on the 2007 Foster's ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay gets underway tomorrow; the event waiting period is July 11-22.
If you cannot be there in person, you can join the hordes of spectators at the event by viewing on the live webcast. For those luck enough to be there, a three-day J-Bay Music Festival will keep them partying on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings,
12-14 July.

This could prove to be a vital competition for the title contenders Mick Fanning, Damien Hobgood, Andy Irons, Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson but South Africans Ricky Basnett, Royden Bryson, Greg Emslie, Travis Logie and young Jordy Smith, currently rated second on the ASP World Qualifying Series, are all capable of spoiling their game plan.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Billabong Pro, J-Bay, Jeffreys Bay, South Africa

Well the finals of the 2007 Rip Curl Pro Search lived up to expectations. Twin brothers, Damien and CJ Hobgood, met for the third time in ASP tour semifinals and this time it was Damien who came out on top in a very close heat.

Bobby Martinez clinched a 10 point ride in his quarter-final against ratings leader Mick Fanning but it wasn't enough to secure a semi-final place and Mick went through to face Andy Irons, who continued his surge to defend his Pro Search title. Then, in a hard fought final against Damien Hobgood, Irons scored a late 9.17 to grab the globe-shaped trophy for a second year in succession, moving him to 3rd in the rankings behind Damien, who jumps to the number two slot.

Andy is actually in quite a strong position in the rankings because when calculating final points total, he will be allowed to drop his last place finish in the first event of the year.




The top five ASP World Tour rankings are currently:

1. Mick Fanning (AUS)


2. Damien Hobgood (USA)


3. Andy Irons (HAW)


4. Taj Burrow (AUS)


5. Joel Parkinson (AUS)

Kelly Slater (USA) comes in at number six, having had a disappointing start to the year with only one semi-final show.

The Foster?s 45 are now headed to JBay, South Africa, for event 5 of the Dream Tour.

Labels: 2007, Andy Irons, ASP World Tour, championship, Chile, Ex-Isla Alacran, Rip Curl Pro Search, surfing

Arica, Chile, is the location of the 2007 Rip Curl Pro Search, event four on the 2007 Foster?s ASP World Tour, which begins on June 20.

Andy Irons won the 2006 Search event held in the long, barreling, warm-water rights of La Jolla Mexico but the Chilean break of Ex-Isla Alacran is distinctly cold and as Irons notes,
"Defending the Search title is unique because you?re dealing with an entirely different element than the one you won the event in; the wave in Arica is the exact opposite of what we dealt with in La Jolla last year, so it levels the playing field for sure."

The cold-water Chilean break of Ex-Isla Alacran is a right and left-hand reef break, which is so similar to Hawaii's Banzai Pipeline that it is known as the 'South American Pipeline'.

Labels: 2007, Arica, ASP World Tour, Chile, Ex-Isla Alacran, Rip Curl Pro Search, surfing

Damien Hobgood from Satellite Beach, Florida, USA, defeated current ASP ratings leader Mick Fanning (Aus) by less than a point in the dying minute of a closely contested Billabong Pro final, to take his first win of the 2007 season.

The win moves Hobgood into third place on the Fosters ASP World Tour. It also set some personal daemons to rest, following the 2005 Billabong Pro Tahiti Final, when Damien was forced to retire after dislocating his shoulder.

Mick Fanning's second place increases his lead at the top of the ratings and he is followed in second place on the ratings by Taj Burrow. Kelly Slater and Andy Irons are back in positions six and seven, respectively.
Next stop on the tour is the Rip Curl Pro Chile, June 20 to July 1, 2007.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Billabong Pro Tahiti, Damien Hobgood

For the first time ever, an extension to an ASP International event waiting period has been granted. Waves today are only about half a metre or so, and with a swell forecast for Wednesday, it looks as if the seven remaining heats of the Billabong Pro Tahiti will be postponed until then.

Labels: 2007, ASP, ASP World Tour, Billabong Pro Tahiti

Round 1 of the Billabong Pro Tahiti has kicked off at Teahupoo Reef, in one to one half metre barrels. The action ignited from heat one with defending champion Bobby Martinez (USA) wiping out the opposition, 2001 Billabong Pro Tahiti winner Cory Lopez (USA) and Australian Trent Munro.

Watch the action live thanks to some great streaming video.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Billabong Pro Tahiti, championship, surfing

In an epic Bells Beach final for the 2007 Rip Curl Pro, Taj Burrow (AUS) snatched victory from Andy Irons (HAW) with just 90 seconds left on the clock, producing one of the surfing displays of the tournament. The result takes him to joint number one in the world rankings with fellow Australian and long time friend, Mick Fanning.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Australia, Bells Beach, surfing, Taj Burrow

ASP Women?s World Tour Rookie Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) is on top of the world after winning the Rip Curl Women's Pro and her first victory as an elite tour surfer at Bells Beach today.
She was in red hot form, trouncing the defending Rip Curl Pro and 2004 World Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) in the final, which has catapulted her to equal World No. 1 with 2005 World Champion Chelsea Hedges (AUS).
Steph trailed Sofia for the first half of the final, but left the Peruvian needing a perfect 10.00 after posting the highest wave score of the entire event, a 9.33, with six minutes to go.






















Mulanovich, moves from equal 17th to World No. 3 with her second place finish. Gilmore, who won two ASP Women?s World Tour events as a wildcard before qualifying for the 2007 elite tour, is determined to earn a world title in her first year on the tour.






The ladies now have some free time and do not surf another ASP Women?s World Tour event until August when they head for Brazil. Meanwhile, the Men's Rip Curl Pro continues at Bells.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Bells Beach, Rip Curl Women's Pro, Stephanie Gilmore

The Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, Australia starts the waiting period tomorrow, Tuesday, April 3 and stretches until April 13, 2007. This will be stop 2 on the Foster's ASP Men's world tour and also stop 2 of the ASP Women's World Tour, the Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach, which will run in tandem with it.

Men's ASP World Champion, Kelly Slater (USA) has not won an elite tour event since winning the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach last year. Slater beat former Rip Curl Pro champion Joel Parkinson (AUS) in the 2006 event final to tie Tom Curren (USA) for the most elite tour events won by single surfer; both Curren and Slater have 33 event titles to their credit.

This year is the 35th anniversary of the Rip Curl Pro and Tom Curren and a number of other great surfers will be there for the anniversary celebrations, so Kelly Slater reckons that clocking up a 34th event title at Bells this year and beating Tom would be something really special.

Labels: ASP World Tour, Australia, Bells Beach, Kelly Slater, surfing, Tom Curren

It seems that at Snapper Rocks, Australia, the home advantage is a powerful factor; just like the women's ASP event, the first event of the 2007 men's ASP World Tour has gone to a local surfing hero. Mick Fanning (AUS) won the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Samsung at his home break of Snapper Rocks for the second time in three years.

Beating fellow local and unsponsored surfer Bede Durbidge (AUS) in barrelling 1.5 to 2 metre (5 to 6 foot ) waves, Fanning slotted himself into a series of deep barrels and executed some of his patented searing turns to emerge from the water victorious much to the delight of the 10,000 plus strong crowd.

Many of the top names were slow to show their form and rookies and wild cards played havoc in the Snapper Rocks surf, leaving many champion surfers in the lower half of the rankings table. Men's rankings after one event are:

1 Mick Fanning(AUS) 1200 points
2 Bede Durbidge(AUS) 1032 points
3 Kelly Slater(USA) 876 points
3 Taj Burrow(AUS) 876 points
5 Joel Parkinson(AUS) 732 points
5 Michael Campbell(AUS) 732 points

The Foster's ASP World Tour will now head south to the colder waters of Bells Beach for the Rip Curl Pro, which will kick off April 3, 2007.

Labels: 2007, ASP World Tour, Australia, Durbidge, Fanning, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, result, Snapper Rocks, winner