Beyond Boarders

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

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

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

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