Timmy Reyes : photo ASP/Covered Images

Honda U.S. Open of Surfing
Presented by O'Neill

ASP 6 Star WQS Mens Event
ASP 6 Star WQS  Womens Event

Lost Pro Junior (ASP grade 2 event - Men)
Target Pro Junior (ASP Pro Junior -Women)

Huntington Beach, California, USA
21 - 30 July 2006

Live Webcast  |  Scores/Results/Photos etc 

REYES, MACHADO, HOBGOOD AND MARTINEZ ADVANCE AT U.S. OPEN OF SURFING PRESENTED BY O’NEILL

Team O’Neill’s Bartels & Ballard Advance In Women’s Division 

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Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 28 July, 2006 : - - > HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -  Sunny Garcia (North  Shore, HI), former Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World  Champion and perennial Huntington Beach crowd favorite, was eliminated  from the Honda Men's U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O'Neill this  morning at the hands of South Africa's Royden Bryson and Gabe Kling (St.  Augustine, FL).

"Conditions were terrible for our heat," Kling said.  "It's still better than yesterday but the waves just didn't come in for us.  I was fortunate  enough to grab one right off the bat."  The shock elimination of what could potentially be Garcia's last professional contest, given impending legal battles, comes is a disappointment given the lack of waves and opportunity to score that came through during the heat.

"Sunny's been an idol to me and everyone for so long," Kling said.  "He's been ripping since before I was born.  It's pretty cool (to win), but in the big picture it was the waves that beat him, not me." 

Tim Reyes (Huntington Beach, CA), current no. nine on the Foster's ASP  Men's World Tour, continued his command of his home break and the local crowd erupted with his advancement to the Round of 24.

Royden Bryson : photo ASP/Covered Images

"It's crazy," Reyes said of the atmosphere on the beach.  "It can get a lot crazier than this and I think that it will be nuts tomorrow.  It's pretty weird though to have people asking you for autographs and what not - I'm just not used to it." Reyes has steadily built momentum on this season's Foster's ASP Men's World Tour; 2006 marks Reyes' second year with the ASP elite.

"I've changed a lot as a person since last year," Reyes said.  "I figured a lot more out about the waves and about myself.  I think that all comes with experience and you go through a lot of changes with the months and weeks that go by when you're traveling.  Every event is different but I'm 
just stoked to be here."

Battling it out in today's superheat was current WQS no. eight Josh Kerr (Gold Coast, AUS), former ASP world no. two Tim Curran (Oxnard, CA), 2005 Foster's ASP Men's World Tour Rookie of the Year Fred Patacchia (North Shore, HI) and elite-tour stalwart Paulo Moura (Florianopolis, BRA). Known for their aerial prowess, Curran and Kerr went tit-for-tat giving the crowd one of the best shows of the day.

"I watched Timmy throw an air on that first wave, and I thought 'Ok, I'm not going to let that happen and not do my own,'" Kerr said. Kerr countered Curran's efforts executing two massive aerials and a series of turns for the highest single wave score of the entire event, a 9.70 out of a possible 10.

Ben Dunn : photo ASP/Covered Images

"The conditions aren't that great but I just found one," Kerr said.  "I got really lucky and was able to pull off a few maneuvers that the judges liked.  I'm just taking it one heat at a time and I would love a finals berth this year.  I really want to solidify my results on the WQS and be on the World Tour next year."

Michael Campbell (Port Macquarie, AUS), a former ASP world no. two and one of two trialists left in the main event, is looking strong, locking in his sixth heat win this week. "I'm just sticking to my game plan which is to have fun," Campbell said. "I try not to put too much pressure on myself and I'm stoked to be back in Huntington."

Campbell and remaining trialist, 17-year-old Mason Ho (North Shore, HI), found themselves advancing past their higher-seeded competitors into tomorrow's Round of 24. "Mason's ripping and he's really impressed me all week," Campbell said of his fellow surviving trialist (who's 15 years his junior).  "It's really good to watch the young guys surf because it amps me up to get out there to surf well too.  We have different styles as he takes to the air and I am more of a rail guy, but it's been really good for me to watch. In my free surfs, I've been going out and trying airs as well."

Crowd-drawing surfers still boding well in the Honda Men's U.S. Open include former event winner Rob Machado (Cardiff, CA), former ASP World Champ CJ Hobgood (Satellite Beach, FL) and current ASP World Junior Champ Kekoa Bacalso (Haleiwa, HI).

Adriano de Souza : photo ASP/Covered Images

Competition heated up this afternoon as today's field of 24 was further narrowed down in the Honda Women's U.S. Open of Surfing presented by 
O'Neill.

Julia Christian (Carlsbad, CA), current ASP Women's World Tour campaigner and defending U.S. Open champion, continued her heat-winning roll today as she powered through to the Round of 12.  Although appearing to advance through heats with ease, Christian is not taking her upcoming draws lightly.

"The competitive level is right up there (with the ASP Women's World Tour) as all the top girls are here and there're some really stacked heats," Christian said.  "I'm feeling really confident though and my equipment is working well so we'll see how it goes." The first heat of the Women's Round of 12 ended today's U.S. Open action with Melanie Bartels (Waianae, HI) advancing in the first position to the quarterfinals.

"I'm just taking it heat by heat, but so far things are going well," Bartels said. "It's my main goal this year to re-qualify for the elite ASP Women's World Tour.  I took some time off last year and picked certain events. I got my head together, regrouped and got the desire to compete again. I think I have a good chance this year."

Gabe Kling : photo ASP/Covered Images

Bartels's time during the interim from the elite tour has allowed her to re-evaluate her approach and the confidence and results speak for themselves.

"It just made me look at it from behind the scenes a bit more," Bartels said of her year off the ASP's elite tour.  "When I was on the World Tour I was always thinking about how I was going to do, what my sponsors want and what my family would think if I lost.  I thought about everything but myself.  Now I'm surfing for myself and I'm having a lot of fun competing again.  I'm looking forward to winning this event and the next two events that we have."

The second heat of the Boost Mobile Pro Trials saw Asher Nolan (Atlantic Beach, FL) and local boy Brett Simpson (Huntington Beach, CA) advancing over Hawaiian powerhouse Makua Rothman (North Shore, HI) and 13-year-old phenom Kalohe Andino (San Clemente, CA). Nolan and Simpson will meet up with Shane Beschen (San Clemente, CA) and Dane Reynolds (Ventura, CA) tomorrow afternoon to battle it out for the last wildcard spot in September's Boost Mobile Pro of Surf, a Foster's ASP World Tour event.

Action will hit the water tomorrow where the men will be narrowed down to the final 12 and we will crown champions in the Target Women's Pro Junior and the Honda Women's U.S. Open of Surf presented by O'Neill.

Victor Ribas : photo ASP/Covered Images

  

Live scores will be available on www.aspnorthamerica.org  and www.usopenofsurfing.com.

RESULTS DAY FOUR:

MEN'S HONDA U.S. OPEN OF SURFING PRES. BY O'NEILL - ASP $125,000 WQS SIX-STAR

Round 4 (Heats 1 - 12)
Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA) 15.27, Mason Ho (HAW) 10.83, Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 10.43, Simao Romao (BRA) 9.13
Heat 2: Royden Bryson (ZAF) 11.83, Gabe Kling (USA) 9.30, Sunny Garcia (HAW) 6.84, Jihad Khodr (BRA_ 3.83
Heat 3: Joel Centeio (HAW) 14.17, Tanio Barreto (BRA) 10.77, Corey Ziems (AUS) 9.96, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 8.90
Heat 4: Victor Ribas (BRA) 16.50, Ben Dunn (AUS) 15.34, Mike Todd (USA) 13.40, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.34
Heat 5: Justin Mujica (PRT) 13.67, Maz Quinn (NZL) 12.60, Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.60, Bruno Santos (BRA) 2.00
Heat 6: Ben Bourgeois (USA) 15.00, Ricky Basnett (ZAF) 11.80, Mikael Picon (FRA) 10.90, Pablo Gutierrez (ESP) 10.16
Heat 7: Michael Campbell (AUS) 15.50, Roy Powers (HAW) 12.00, Patrick Beven (FRA) 11.23, Russell Winter (GBR) 7.20
Heat 8: Rob Machado (USA) 15.50, Jeremy Flores (REU) 14.00, Jake Paterson (AUS) 12.44, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 9.23
Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) 16.87, Tim Curran (USA) 15.00, Frederick Patacchia (HAW) 14.14, Paulo Moura (BRA) 8.26
Heat 10: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 13.50, Mike Losness (USA) 12.00, Heitor Alves (BRA) 11.33, Leigh Sedley (AUS) 9.06
Heat 11: CJ Hobgood (USA) 15.00, Federico Pilurzu (ITA) 14.70, Drew Courtney (AUS) 13.96, Dustin Cuizon (HAW) 11.10
Heat 12: Tim Reyes (USA) 14.50, Luke Munro (AUS) 12.67, Marcondes Rocha (BRA) 10.83, Jean da Silva (BRA) 7.17

WOMEN'S HONDA U.S. OPEN OF SURFING PRES. BY O'NEILL - ASP $30,000 WQS SIX-STAR

Round 3 (Heats 1- 6)
Heat 1: Lauren Sweeney (USA) 15.00, Sheridan Shields (AUS) 12.67, Anastasia Ashley (HAW) 9.80, Laurina McGrath (AUS) 9.50
Heat 2: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 14.26, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 13.64, Claire Bevilacqua (AUS) 13.60, Suelen Naraisa (BRA) 6.20
Heat 3: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 12.67, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 9.17, Leilani Gryde (HAW) 7.97, Nicola Atherton (AUS) 6.57
Heat 4: Julia Christian (USA) 14.50, Rochelle Ballard (HAW) 11.84, Lindsey Baldwin (USA), Tammy Lee Smith (ZAF) 1.54
Heat 5: Caroline Sarran (FRA) 14.06, Heather Clark (ZAF) 12.43, Kealla Kennelly (HAW) 12.16, Megan Abubo (HAW)
Heat 6: Amee Donohoe (AUS) 12.50, Jessi Miley-Dyer (Aus)12.12, Holly Beck (USA) 11.57, Kim Mayer(USA) 7.30  

Round 4 (Heat 1)
Heat 1: Melanie Bartels (HAW) 14.00, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 10.60, Lauren Sweeney (USA) 7.90

BOOST MOBILE PRO TRIALS -
Heat 2: Brett Simpson (USA) 14.10, Asher Nolan (USA) 10.80, Makua Rothman (HAW) 10.73, Kalohe Andino (USA) 9.53

SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY, JULY 29, 2006

Women's U.S. Open Round 4 (Heats 2 - 4)      7:30 am to 8:45 am
Men's U.S. Open Round 5 (Heats 1- 6) 8:45 am to 11:45 am
Women's U.S. Open Quarterfinals (Heats 1 - 4)    11:15 am to 12:55 pm
Women's U.S. Open Semifinals (Heats 1 - 2)     12:55 pm to 1:45 pm
Target Pro Junior Final      1:45 pm to 2:15 pm
Women's U.S. Open Final 2:15 pm to 2:45 pm

www.aspnorthamerica.org
www.usopenofsurfing.com 
www.bankofthewestbeachgames.com

About ASP:
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America. These regions manage all their respective domestic affairs under the guidance of ASP International, which is located on the Gold Coast of Australia. ASP International and ASP North America are committed to the progression of surfing and are dedicated to continuing excellent relationships with their surfers, event operators, sponsors and media. For more information log onto www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org.

About Bank of the West Beach Games/Honda US Open of Surfing:
The "2006 Bank of the West Beach Games featuring the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill" attracts more than 600 international competitors and features surfing, skateboarding, BMX, FMX and volleyball in world-class venues along with an interactive lifestyle festival spread over 12 acres. All events are open to the public, free of charge. Surfing competition begins on Friday, July 21 and runs through Sunday, July 30. Festival activities, BMX and skate competitions begin on Thursday, July 27 with FMX starting on Friday, July 28. Consumer information is available at www.usopenofsurfing.com and www.bankofthewestbeachgames.com.

www.aspnorthamerica.org
www.usopenofsurfing.com 
www.bankofthewestbeachgames.com

Previous reports:
# 1 : Honda U.S. Open of Surfing to host acclaimed surfers
# 2 : Honda US Open of Surfing presented by O'neill begins 
# 3 : US Open blasts off with int'l stars in the Lost Pro Junior
# 4 : US Open: Lost Pro Junior charges on & action heats up 

# 5 : Best of the Best decided at Day 3 of US Open of Surfing
# 6 : WQS kicks off in great conditions at Day 1 of US Open..
# 7 : Experience prevails at US Open, Garcia/Lopez winners
# 8 : Action heats up, Martinez & Garcia advance at US Open 
# 9 : Timmy Reyes translates World Tour form into US Open

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Dave@aspworldtour.com

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