Vans Pier Classic
Presented by Jack's Surfboards

Ezekiel Pro Junior
Presented by Jack's Surfboards

Men's 2 Star WQS Event #6
Grade 2 Men's ASP Junior Event
The Pier, Huntington Beach
26 - 30 March 2008

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

Top Seeds Flare in Excellent Surf for Round 4 of Vans Pier Classic

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 29 March, 2008 : - - Huntington Beach, Ca – The third annual Vans Pier Classic presented by Jack’s Surfboards saw great conditions today with clean two-to-four foot (1 metre) peaks gracing the event site at Huntington Beach Pier.

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 2-Star event saw the top seeds hit the water for Round 4 today, delighting the hundreds in attendance with some of the most dynamic surfing of the event.

Today’s completion of Round 4 narrowed the men’s division down to the final 32 surfers before the ASP Grade-2 Ezekiel Pro Junior presented by Jack’s Surfboards completed the opening round of competition as well as a portion of Round 2.

Shaun Ward (Huntington Beach, CA) utilized local knowledge and his progressive surfing approach to confidently claimed victory during his Round 4 bout. Ward led his heat from start to finish, posting one of the best combination score of the day, a 16.75 out of possible 20.00 points.

“I knew it was going to be a good heat because all of those guys surf so good, and Micah (Byrne) is defending champ, so he was the favorite going into the heat,” Ward said. “It was a really stacked heat, and I knew I just had to surf really good to get through. I’m happy to make it through to the next round.”

Casey Brown (Kona, HI) caused a major upset in knocking defending champion Micah Byrne (Huntington Beach, CA) out of the event with the highest single wave score of the day, a 9.50 out of possible 10.00 points, moving him from last place into second in the dying moments to finish closely behind heat winner Shaun Ward.

“Huntington is the best I’ve surfed it, and Shaun (Ward) dropped an 8.5 right away, so I just waited for a good one, and got what I needed,” Brown said. “I got another good score to back it up, so I’m stoked, and I’m looking forward to the next heat”

Dane, Tanner, and Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA) were all in there standard dominating form, as each of the prodigious surfers advanced into round 5 with ease. Tanner Gudauskas, competing in both the Vans Pier Classic and the Ezekiel Pro Junior, stamped the day’s highest total heat score, a 17.75 out of a possible 20.00 points during his junior heat, which followed up a heat win in the men’s division.

“It’s good Huntington for sure right now, and I was just watching my brother Dane (Gudauskas) surf in the heat before, and I thought, I’d better step it up,” Gudauskas said. “I got lucky in the beginning and got a good one, and knew it was going to be a good heat.”

Pat Gudauskas, who is currently the ASP WQS points leader, blasted a 9.25 out of possible 10.00 points in the opening moments of his Round 4 heat, displaying a maturity and confidence that has seen him go straight to the top of the ASP WQS ratings.

“It’s been hard to find those rights that connected, but that one had a little pier bowl, and me and Brandon (Guilmette) were battling for it, and I was just lucky enough to get on it.” Gudauskas said. Aside from Tanner Gudauskas’ stellar Ezekiel Pro Junior performance, there were plenty of notable performances displayed by the young guns.

Kyle Mcgeary, (Huntington Beach, CA) who moved from the bottom of the ranks into first place with an air reverse, followed up with a second air on a single wave was the other stand out surfer of the Ezekiel Pro Junior today. This score earned the local surfer the points needed to claim a first place finish in his heat.

“I just got that little wave in between sets, and I’m stoked I got it. I didn’t get anything until that one wave, and I just got lucky,” Mcgeary said.

The Van’s Pier Classic and the Ezekiel Pro Junior, both presented by Jack’s Surfboards, will continue tomorrow with another action packed day of competition. For all of the live action tune in online at vans.com/vans/events/pierclassic08. For more information, log onto aspworldtour.com or aspnorthamerica.org.

RESULTS: Vans Pier Classic pres. by Jack’s Surfboards (ASP WQS 2-Star)

Round 4: 64 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Austin Ware (USA) 15.50, Cory Arrambide (USA) 11.55, Richie Collins (USA) 10.75, Peter Mel (USA) 7.85
Heat 2: Kyle Knox (USA) 10.25, Leif Engstrom (USA) 8.60, Shane Murray (USA) 7.00, Devon Tresher (USA) 5.80
Heat 3: Matt King (USA) 12.35, Roger Eales (USA) 10.90, Ted Navarro (USA) 10.35, Jesse Merle-Jones (HAW) 10.05
Heat 4: Dane Gudauskas (USA) 15.00, Chris Drummy (USA) 10.75, Tyler Anderson (USA) 10.00, Justin Swartz (USA) 4.95
Heat 5: Kyle Ramey (HAW) 15.35, Kyle Garson (USA) 11.15, Matt Keenan (USA) 9.00, Fredirico Pilurzu (CRI) 7.15
Heat 6: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 15.25, Cody Thompson (USA) 12.25, David Giddings (USA) 10.45, Blake Howard (USA)
Heat 7: Brad Ettinger (USA) 15.75, Danny Fuller (HAW) 11.85, Noi Kaulukukui (USA) 10.75, Ryan Briggs (USA) 8.65
Heat 8: Heath Walker (AUS) 16.00, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 15.75, Andrew Doheny (USA) 9.15, Brandon Guilmette (USA)
Heat 9: Bruno Rodriguez (USA) 14.00, Macy Mullen (HAW) 9.05, John John Florence (HAW) 7.90, Kelsey Strickland (USA)
Heat 10: Shaun Ward (USA) 16.75, Casey Brown (HAW) 16.50, Micah Byrne (USA) 14.55, Travis Mellem (USA) 8.90
Heat 11: Nathan Yeomans (USA) 15.00, Blake Jones (USA) 8.75, Tommy O’Brien (USA) 8.75, Kai Barger (HAW) 6.60
Heat 12: Brent Reilly (USA) 10.75, Dylan Graves (PRI) 10.10, Bud Freitas (USA) 9.35, Sean Tubbs (USA) 6.05
Heat 13: Brighton Brandenburger (USA) 14.35, Kieran Horn (USA) 13.65, Adam Wickwire (USA) 12.50, Sterling Spencer 
Heat 14: Jason Collins (USA) 14.00, Matt Mohagen (USA) 13.15, Anthony Petruso (USA) 12.10, Nat Young (USA) 7.10
Heat 15: Eric Geiselman (USA) 9.60, Ian Rotgans (USA) 8.75, Kahea Heart (HAW) 8.00, Killian Garland (USA) 6.60
Heat 16: Jason Miller (USA) 16.50, Sunny Garcia (HAW) 14.75, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 9.50, Brian Toth (PRI) 6.00

RESULTS: Ezekiel Pro Junior (ASP Grade-2 Pro Junior)

Round 1: 64 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Kekoa Cazimero (HAW) 12.60, Riah Arthur (USA) 12.50, Jared Thorne (USA) 10.10, Michael Peyton (USA) 7.25
Heat 2: Leif Engstrom (USA) 12.00, Ryan Burch (USA) 10.50, Thomas Clarke (USA) 9.55, Sam McGee (USA) 4.40
Heat 3: Kyle Mcgeary (USA) 15.25, Taylor Thorne (USA) 13.75, Victor Done (USA) 10.15 Matt Pagan (USA) 6.50
Heat 4: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 17.75, Quinn McCrystal (USA) 11.25, Ford Archibald (USA) 9.40
Heat 5: Brighton Brandenburg (USA) 11.25, Eric Snortum (USA) 10.50, Keetin Devine (USA) 7.85, Caleb Johnston (USA)
Heat 6: Wilson Chase (USA) 14.50, Matt Chellemi (USA) 9.25, Wesley Toth (PRI) 7.00, Matt Gallagher (USA) 5.75
Heat 7: Chase Bradley (USA) 11.75, Reagan Spencer (USA) 10.05, Jordan Gaudet (USA) 7.25
Heat 8: Adam Lambert (USA) 11.75, Kelsey Strickland (USA) 11.00, Fisher Heverly (USA) 9.50, Michael Howard (USA)

Round 2: 48 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Kekoa Cazimero (HAW) 13.75, Bruno Rodrigues (USA) 11.10, Ryan Burch (USA) 9.30, Kyle Ramey (HAW) 8.25
Heat 2: Ryan Arthur (USA) 8.25, Leif Engstrom (USA) 12.60, Luke Davis (USA) 9.90, Colin Schildhauer (USA) 7.35

About Vans
Vans supports and promotes surfing through a full line of surf footwear and apparel, events such as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing™ and through sponsorship of many of the world’s top surfers such as Joel Tudor, Timmy Reyes, Karina Petroni and Nathan Fletcher.

About Jack's Surfboards
Jack's Surfboards reached a milestone in 2007 celebrating it's 50th year in business. Since 1957, Jack's has built a reputation as an icon in surf retail. It has been the place to go for surf fans around the world to find the newest surf products and clothing labels. Offering a huge selection of surfboards, wetsuits, skateboards, snowboards, apparel and accessories, Jack's is Orange County's premier surf shop.

For more information on Vans and the Vans Pier Classic, visit www.vans.com.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Vans Pier Classic & Ezekiel Pro Jr. launch California leg
# 2 : 3rd Annual Vans Pier Classic takes over Huntington Pier
# 3 : Vans Pier Classic opens with great conditions at HB Pier
# 4 : Internationals take top honors at Vans Pier Classic Day 2 

www.vans.com
www.aspworldtour.com
www.aspnorthamerica.org
www.vanssurf.com/pierclassic/

More USA/Cen Amer. surfing news available here
Check the latest West Coast Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! B2B News ASBE-Surf   |  Receive News-Alerts

Vans Media
Chris Overholser
Chris_Overholser@vfc.com

ASP International Media Manager
Dave Prodan
dave@aspworldtour.com

WQS Contests - Surfersvillage