Daniel Jones : photo ASP?Coverd Images

O'Neill World Cup of Surfing

ASP 6 Star WQS Mens Event
Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
24 November - 6 December 2006

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

PRESTIGIOUS O'NEILL WORLD CUP OF SURFING UNDERWAY

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 November, 2006 : - - Sunset Beach, Hawaii - -The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing kicked off its second stage at Sunset Beach today with the opening rounds of the prestigious O'Neill World Cup of Surfing. Rich in surfing history, this 32-year-old event boasts a winners list of the sport's true greats that began before many of today's starters were even born.

Seven of the 22 surfers to have won this event since its 1975 beginning went on to become world champions. The remainder have featured highly on the international ranks and amassed many titles along the way. Over time, the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing has come to be considered as a predictor of champions and, for this reason, is one of the most esteemed titles on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour today.

One hundred and forty-four surfers gathered at Sunset Beach today, representing a total of 14 nations. Among the growing sea of new pro surfing faces are a smattering of surf stars who come close to spanning the life of the event. Conditions were good for the opening day, with Sunset offering waves in the range of eight- to 15-feet faces.

Rhys Bombacci : photo ASP/Covered Images

Former world champion Derek Ho, who first became a Triple Crown of Surfing Champion in 1984, is still making the grade going on his third decade with the Series. Ho, 42, advanced through two rounds today, eliminating several of the sport's newest stars: World Qualifying Series (WQS) #7-ranked Ben Dunn (Australia), Alain Riou (Reunion Island), and Hawaii's Ola Eleogram and Kalani Chapman.

Also taking to the lineup today, with mixed results, were former World Cup champions Fabio Gouveia (Brazil, 1991), John Gomes (Hawaii, 1993), and Myles Padaca (Hawaii, 2001). Gouveia and Gomes both surfed well but lacked strength in their second scores and were eliminated. (Each surfer's top two rides make up their total score.)

Still to surf, having been seeded into later rounds, are Sunny Garcia (Hawaii, 1994 World Cup champion), Joel Parkinson (Australia, 2002), defending Vans Triple Crown champion Andy Irons (Hawaii, 2004 World Cup winner), and two-time champion here Jake Paterson (Australia, 2003 & 2005).

The top scores from today's surfing were posted in round two and were earned by Kieren Perrow (Australia) - 17.66 points out of a possible 20, and 27-year-old Kauai surfer Jesse Merle-Jones - 16.66 points. Perrow is a former Top-44 ranked surfer while Merle-Jones is a part-time WQS competitor. Like many of the round's high-scorers, Perrow and Merle-Jones survived steep, critical take-offs on the looming Sunset Peak before going on to carve a string of solid turns across the broad expanse of wave that this venue is famous for.

Tanner Gadauskas : photo ASP/Covered Images

"Everyone wants to have a big win in Hawaii," said Merle-Jones after his second round heat. "It will change your career... something you'll be remembered by forever. "When you surf Sunset, you're at the mercy of the ocean. But really good waves came to me and I was thankful that happened.

"At any place, any venue, you can have your day. But at home you definitely feel a lot more comfortable. Just being at home, I really want to do well here. That's the goal. These events are really tough and all the best surfers in the world do them. Anyone trying to get a result has their work cut out for them, for sure."

Joining the men's $125,000 O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, the $67,500 women's Roxy Pro - stop two on the women's Vans Triple Crown of Surfing - will also be held here at Sunset. A women's World Championship Tour (WCT) event, the Roxy Pro will have a major impact on this year's world title race. Surf-pending, the Roxy Pro could get underway tomorrow.

Spectators : photo ASP/Covered Images

The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is made possible through the support of Op, O’Neill, Rip Curl, Roxy, Billabong, Surfing Magazine, Oahu’s Turtle Bay Resort, Hawaiian Airlines, G-Shock, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, FUEL TV, and Road Runner High Speed Online. To learn more about the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, please visit www.triplecrownofsurfing.com.

Check out the Results/Photos/Videos etc
 
Previous reports:
# 1 : O'Neill World Cup of Surfing Kick-off party November 24
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

www.oneill.com
www.aspworldtour.com
http://www.triplecrownofsurfing.com/oneill/index.html

About Vans
Vans, Inc., a subsidiary of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), is a leading lifestyle brand for the youth market. Vans® collections, which include active and performance footwear, apparel and accessories, snowboard boots and bindings and the Pro-tec® line of protective gear, are sold in the United States through 150 company owned stores and factory outlets as well as independent retailers. Internationally, Vans sells its goods in approximately 50 countries through a network of distributors, sales agents and foreign offices. Vans supports and promotes the action sports lifestyle through such events as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing™, the Vans Warped Tour™, and the Vans Cup at Tahoe™.

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