Carrisa Moore : photo ASP Kirstin/Covered Images

Reef Hawaiian Pro

ASP 6-Star Prime WQS Men's Event
Alii Beach Haleiwa Oahu Hawaii
12 - 23 November 2008

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

New Generation Steals the Show at Reef Hawaiian Pro 

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 15 November, 2008 : - - Haleiwa, Hi - The teenage new wave of women’s professional surfing stole the show at the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa today. In their opening day of competition, the ladies enjoyed solid overhead waves and two rounds of competition as they whittled the 44-woman, 11-nation field down to 16 Quarterfinalists.

From the first heat, a wildcard battle among six young Hawaii surfers, it was clear that the new crop is determined to rise to the top at this year’s Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Wildcard winner Carissa Moore, 16, and winter roommates Laura Enever (Australia), 17, and Coco Ho (Hawaii), 17, administered the major damage against some of the top-seeded surfers and are all through to the Quarterfinals. Enever posted the highest scores of the day in Round 1: 9.37 and 9.33 for 18.7 total.

Heading into the Quarterfinals, seven of the 16 ladies remaining are 18 years of age or under: Bruna Schmitz (Brz, 18), Ho, Enever, Courtney Conlogue (CA, 16), Sally Fitzgibbons (Aus, 17), Moore, and Alana Blanchard (HI, 18). Defending Reef Hawaiian Pro and Vans Triple Crown champion Megan Abubo (Hawaii) was the biggest casualty of the day, eliminated in Round 2 by Ho and Enever.

Sally Ftizgibbons  photo ASP Cestari/Covered Images

"This is my first time competing in a Triple Crown event at Haleiwa," said Ho, who won the heat. "My ultimate goal this year was to get into this event with the four results I’ve got this year. I didn’t expect to come this far or have a chance at qualifying (for the ASP Women’s World Tour). I try not to think about qualifying, but it’s on my mind."

Coco hails from the North Shore’s most famous surfing family her father, Michael, is a former Pipeline Master and Triple Crown champion, and her uncle Derek was Hawaii’s first ASP World Champion, as well as a Pipe Master and Triple Crown champ. As for the pressure to uphold the famous Ho family name: "I’m trying to learn and live up their expectations and enjoy myself."

Carissa Moore is rapidly blazing a trail all her own. Over the past two years, she has inflicted major damage with every wildcard opportunity she has earned. Today was just another notch in her belt and she is through to the quarters.

"I love surfing Haleiwa, it’s my favorite wave on the North Shore," Moore said. "I’m just super stoked for the opportunity to get into this event. It would be cool one day (to win the Triple Crown) if it works out, but until then I’m just going to go with the flow and enjoy things."

Megan Abubo : photo ASP Cestari/Covered Images

Prior to the women’s competition, men’s Round 3 wrapped up and saw South African Jordy Smith, 20, take flight in an incredible performance that earned him 18.0 out of 20 points with waves scores of 9.50 and 8.50. A heavyweight on the elite ASP World Tour, Smith is a reliable standout in the Triple Crown, with the size and power of Hawaiian surf suiting him to a tee.

"It was classic Haleiwa today," Smith said. "I definitely like big waves and I love coming over here. I love the vibe. It’s pretty much where a guy goes from a boy a becomes a man and I’m in the transformation of that now." "Getting a wave like that pretty much takes the pressure off the heat," Smith said of his 9.50. "I was just lucky to find that wave early on in the heat."

Others to advance beyond men’s round three this-morning included Dayyan Neve (Aus), Adam Melling (Aus), Yuri Sodre (Brz), and Tim Reyes (CA). When men’s competition resumes, it will see the entrance of the top seeds of the tournament, including: 2007 world champion Mick Fanning, favored local Pancho Sullivan, defending men’s Vans Triple Crown champion Bede Durbidge (Aus), and defending Reef Hawaiian Pro champ Roy Powers (HI).

Two full days of competition remain at the Reef Hawaiian Pro. By the conclusion of today’s heats, a very wet front moved in from the north west and it is uncertain if competition will resume tomorrow morning. To examine surf updates for the coming days, visit official forecasters Wetsand.com .

Jordy Smith : photo ASP Cestari/Covered Images

The $815,000 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing consists of the Reef Hawaiian Pro, Haleiwa, Nov. 12-23 (6* WQS, men and women), the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, Sunset Beach, Nov.24-Dec.6 (6*WQS men), The Roxy Pro, Sunset Beach, Nov.24-Dec.6 (WCT women), the Billabong Pipeline Masters (men), Pipeline, Dec. 8-20 (WCT); and the Billabong Pro Maui (women), Honolua Bay, Maui, Dec. 8-20 (WCT).

In addition to $815,000 in prize money, which includes a $10,000 bonus for both the men's and women's Vans Triple Crown champions, the men's champion will also receive a custom Nixon watch. The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is made possible by support of the following partners..

Check the Live Action

REEF HAWAIIAN PRO DAY 3 RESULTS:

Men Round 3: (listed 1st through 4th)
H11: Tim Reyes (CA), Dustin Cuizon (HI), Heitor Alves (Brz), Matt Wilkinson (Aus)
H12: Yuri Sodre (Brz), Charlie Carroll (HI), Leigh Sedley (Aus), Ruben Gonzalez (Prt)
H13: Adam Melling (Aus), Rudy Palmboom (ZAF), Jean da Silva (Brz), Austin Ware (CA)
H14: Dayyan Neve (Aus), Kevin Sullivan (HI), Phillip MacDonald (Aus), Eric Rebiere (Fra)
H15: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Wiggoly Dantas (Brz), Hugo Savalli (Reu), Pablo Paulino (Brz)
H16: Alan Riou (Tah), Hank Gaskell (HI), Shaun Gossmann (Aus), Ben Dunn (Aus)

Women Round 1: (listed 1st through 6th)
H1: Claire Bevilacqua (Aus), Claudia Goncalves (Brz), Erica Hosseini, Adrianna Mendivil (HI), Caroline Sarran, Kim Mayer
H2: Laura Enever (Aus), Coco Ho (HI), Ornella Pelizzari (Arg), Amandine Sanchez (Fra), Pauline Ado (Fra), Paige Alms
H3: Sarah Beardmore (Aus), Kyla Langen (CA), Tammy Lee Smith (ZAF), Malia Manuel (HI), Airini Mason (NZ), Nikita Robb
H4: Carissa Moore (HI), Lee Ann Curren (Fra), Bethany Hamilton (HI), Suelen Naraisa (Brz), Mizuki Hagiwara, Francisca Santos

Round 2: (listed 1st through 4th)
H1: Stephanie Gilmore (Aus), Bruna Schmitz (Brz), Paige Hareb (NZ), Erica Hosseini (US)
H2: Claire Bevilacqua (Aus), Melanie Bartels (HI), Jessi Miley-Dyer (Aus), Claudia Goncalves (BRz)
H3: Coco Ho (HI), Laura Enever (Aus), Megan Abubo (HI), Amee Donohoe (Aus)
H4: Samantha Cornish (Aus), Courtney Conlogue (CA), Nicola Atherton (Aus), Ornella Pellizzari (Arg)
H5: Sally Fitzgibbons (Aus), Layne Beachley (Aus), Laurina McGrath (Aus), Tammy Lee Smith (ZAF)
H6: Kyla Langen (CA), Rebecca Woods (Aus), Sarah Beardmore (Aus), Karina Petroni (FL)
H7: Carissa Moore (HI), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), Lee Ann Curren (Fra), Jacqueline Silva (Brz)
H8: Alana Blanchard (HI), Silvana Lima (Brz), Bethany Hamilton (HI), Serena Brooke (Aus)

Event Sponsors: REEF, O'NEILL, ROXY, BILLABONG
Official Energy Drink: Rock Star
Official Airline: Hawaiian Airlines
Official Lodging: Turtle Bay Resort
Official Timing: Nixon
Official Media: Surfing Magazine
Official Car Rental: Advantage
Webcast Powered By: Wetsand.com
TV Partners: Fuel TV & Rush HD
Media Support: The Honolulu Advertiser
Connectivity Powered by: RoadRunner
Auto Support: JN Chevrolet
Official Water: Hawaiian Springs Water

Previous reports:
# 1 : Reef Hawaiian Pro set to light up Hawaii's Winter season
# 2 : Swell on the way as Reef Hawaiian Pro kicks of Vans T.C.
# 3 : Reef Hawaiian Pro kick-off party set to light up Red Lion U
# 4 : Haleiwa shines for opening day of the Reef Hawaiian Pro 
# 5 : Reef Hawaiian Pro sees Haleiwa look like clean Lowers 

www.reef.com
www.aspworldtour.com
www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

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