O'Neill Cold Water Classic
Presented by Jeep

Oakley Pro Jr ASP NA Champs

ASP WQS 4 Star Men's Event
ASP Grade 3 Pro Junior Men's Event
Steamer Lane Santa Cruz California
9 - 14 October 2007

TEN FACTS ABOUT THE 2007 O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC PRESENTED BY
JEEP®  AND OAKLEY PRO JUNIOR ASP NORTH AMERICA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 2 October, 2007 : - - Santa Cruz, Ca – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-star O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep® and Grade-3 Oakley Pro Junior ASP North America Championships, the final stop of the Macy’s CA Trifecta Surf Series, hit Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz, Calif., Oct. 9-14, 2007. There are many interesting facts about this historic contest, now in its 20th year, making it the longest running contest in Northern California.

1. The O’Neill Cold Water Classic is event number 39 out of 47 on the 2007 ASP WQS. The series helps determine which professional surfers will advance onto “The Dream Tour” (aka the Foster’s ASP World Tour) for 2008.

2. Standouts in the field of WQS competitors include: Roy Powers (Kauai, HAW), Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), Mike Todd (Laguna Beach, CA), Kekoa Bacalso (Oahu, HAW), Brett Simpson (Huntington Beach, CA), Nathaniel Curren (Oxnard, CA), Ian Walsh (Maui, HAW), Jesse Merle-Jones (Kauai, HAW), Shaun Ward (Huntington Beach, CA), Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA), Mike Lossness (San Clemente, CA) and Sunny Garcia (Oahu, HAW).

3. Steamer Lane has become known as one of the world’s greatest spectator venues for a surf contest because of its perfect natural architecture. With steep, vertical cliffs overlooking the fabled right point break, “The Lane” resembles an ancient Roman coliseum when thousands of onlookers line the cliff railing to watch top surfers compete. However, should conditions be unfavorable at the Lane, the contest is set up to go mobile to Waddell Creek, Big Basin, Calif.

4. The O’Neill Cold Water Classic and Oakley Pro Junior require 50 hours of competition (six full days). Local trials will kick off the event allowing four Santa Cruz area surfers into the main event of 160 WQS competitors. If conditions at the Lane permit, past champions will paddle out for a crowd-pleasing exhibition heat honoring the legacy of Cold Water Classic champions. Competitors will include: Roy Powers, Kieran Horn, Adam Replogle, Peter Mel, and more.

5. With a $75,000 prize purse for the WQS event, $15,000 for the Pro Junior, and the additional Macy’s California Trifecta bonus cash and prizes, more than $110,000 will be awarded at the event’s conclusion. The potential payout to the winner of the Men’s WQS is valued at $46,000 ($10,000 for WQS first and $10,000 + $26,000 Jeep Patriot value for Macy’s Trifecta first), which is $16,000 more than a first-place finish in a WCT event. The potential payout for the Oakley Pro Junior is $6,500 ($3,000 for Pro Junior first and $3,500 Macy’s Trifecta first).

6. The event marks the final WQS and Pro Junior contests on the U.S. mainland, and will serve as the ASP North America Championships for the Pro Juniors.

7. Past champions of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic include: Ritchie Collins (1987), Martin Potter (1989), Tom Curren (1990), Taylor Knox (1993), Peter Mel (1997), Joel Parkinson (2000), Roy Powers (2001), Adam Replogle (2002), Kieran Horn (2003), Bobby Martinez (2005) and Toby Martin (2006)

8. As the final stop of the Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep, the Cold Water Classic will award an all-new Jeep Patriot and $15,000 bonus cash purse to the top three finishers in the series ($10,00 + Jeep Patriot to first, $3,500 to second and $1,500 to third). The juniors will also receive a Trifecta bonus purse of $5,000 ($3,500 for first, $1,000 for second and $500 for third).

9. The Oakley Pro Junior ASP North American Championships is the final opportunity for the ASP North American junior competitors to advance to the Billabong Junior World Championships in Australia. Final point ratings at the Oakley Pro Junior will determine the seeding of the top four competitors into the world championships.

10. The event will be broadcast live to the world via the web. The webcast will include live action, live scores, expert commentary and even highlights. 
 
Special thanks to the Cold Water Classic sponsors: O’Neill, JEEP, Oakley, Red Bull, MACY’S, Coors, Plantronics, Surfer Magazine, Surfing Magazine, WaveWatch, and FUEL TV. For more information on the Macy's California Trifecta Surf Series visit catrifecta.com

About O'Neill
O’Neill, the original Californian surf, snow and lifestyle brand, was founded in 1952 when a young man named Jack O’Neill took his unstoppable passion for surfing and used it to beat Mother Nature at her own game. Pioneering the world’s first neoprene wetsuit, Jack had successfully found a way to extend his surf sessions in the bone-chilling breaks of Northern California. He opened up the garage doors to his first surf shop in Santa Cruz soon after.

While many things have changed since those humble beginnings, Jack’s initial vision of producing functional and innovative boardriding products continues to lie at the core of everything the company does. O’Neill’s set of core values – innovation in style and technology – has seen the brand devote itself wholeheartedly to the evolution of action sports. From the first ever neoprene wetsuit and surf leash, to the world’s first stitchless boardshorts and range of groundbreaking wearable electronics, O’Neill’s spirit of innovation will always drive the company forwards.

Today, O’Neill can be found the world over. In touch with its rich heritage and the universal stoke of boardriding culture, O’Neill will always be committed to progressing that evolution and growing its reputation as one of the world’s leading youth lifestyle brands.

About the Jeep Brand
The Jeep brand has expanded to seven models in the 2007 model year, the most available to retail consumers at one time in the brand’s 66-year history. With the introduction of the all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty mid-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV), Jeep offers customers the freshest, most capable and widest range of sport-utility vehicles under one brand in the industry. At the start of 2004, the brand’s trio of tough, capable, rugged SUVs included the venerable Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty (Cherokee outside North America) and the icon of the brand, the Jeep Wrangler. In 2005, the Jeep Commander was introduced. In 2006, the redesigned Jeep Wrangler was unveiled. Also debuting in calendar year 2006 were three more all-new Jeep vehicles: Jeep Patriot, Jeep Compass and the four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.

About PRIMEDIA'S Action Sports Group
Reaching more than two million enthusiasts, PRIMEDIA's ASG is the dominant force in the action sports and adventure sports arenas. In addition to SURFER, the ASG publishes leading lifestyle publications such as Surfing, Snowboarder, Skateboarder, Bike, Powder, Climbing and Canoe & Kayak. PRIMEDIA's ASG delivers a cutting-edge network of online properties, events and television programming. 

About Macy’s
Macy's, the largest retail brand of Federated Department Stores, Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at more than 800 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Offering distinctive assortments including exclusive fashion and home brands, Macy's stores are operated by seven regionally based retail divisions – Macy's East, Macy's Florida, Macy's Midwest, Macy's North, Macy's Northwest, Macy's South, and Macy's West – and an online store at macys.com.

Previous reports:
# 1 : O'Neill Cold Water Classic offers up more than $110,000
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

www.oneill.com
www.catrifecta.com
www.aspnorthamerica.org
www.actionsportsgroup.net

                                                                     
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