Bonga Perkins : photo ASP Rowland/Covered Images

Bug's Eye View

Congrats to Bonga and Onward to Hawaii

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 November, 2008 : - - Coolangatta -- A most deserved triumph for the great Bonga Perkins earlier this week at San Onofre. The second of the Oxbow World Longboard Tour events went off without a hitch, culminating in Bonga claiming his second ASP World Longboard Title in the closest title race in any discipline in living memory.

This was a fantastic event, it had everything, and with title aspirations fluctuating, there was no shortage of drama either. At the end of the day, Bonga ascended to the crown by 12 points, 2076 against 2064 for ASP World No. 2 Antoine Delpero.

The young Frenchman was a picture of consistency, qualifying for the Final in both Oxbow World Longboard Tour events, losing to Aussie Harley Ingleby in France and Bonga in California. That is so close, however I have kind of been waiting for a points configuration that showcased ASP thinking when we adjusted tour event points from 1000 for the win to 1200 several years back.

Built into the system are layers of bonus points, based on a simple sliding, whereby there is a slightly bigger gap between each progressive placing. In a very close points race it meant that there was an incremental difference, favouring the win, between a 1st & 3rd and a pair of 2nds. Bonga had to win to secure the title however he always held destiny in the palm of his own hand. So hey, it works, maybe there is method in the madness.

Bonga was magnificient, however he did not have it all his own way, flying very close to the sun in Roud 3 where he slithered past Brad Vetter in a super high scoring affair, 17.50-17.15. After that number one shave he went to work, eliminating Jared Neal and Timothy Creignout before winning a blockbuster against fellow Hawaiian Ned Snow.

Even though Ned would have dearly loved to win the contest himself, he certainly did Bonga a couple huge favours by taking out firstly a resurgent former ASP World Longboard Champ in Josh Constable then tour leader Harley Ingleby. Snow came through a very tough part of the draw, having to deal with Eduardo Bage in the Quarters en route to his Semi with Bonga.

Antoine Delpero has certainly come of age as a leading contender. He too emerged triumphant from a solid quadrant of the draw. In Round 4, he won a close duel with rising star Bryce Young before accounting for Josh Baxter in another high performance showdown. Delpero peaked in the Semi, posting the highest combined total of the day, a 17.65, to take out the evergeen Brazilian Alex Salazar, who is still blazing in his late 40’s.

Being aware of Delpero’s Semi performance, and having the gnawing memory of so many near misses going on, Bonga lifted for the final, racking up his peak performance in a 16.95 innings to get a monkey off his back that has sat there for a dozen years.

As a personal tribute, I consider Bonga Perkins to be one of the world’s greatest watermen. To watch him surf solid Pipe and Backdoor or even playing around at Chun’s is a sight to behold. And in groundbreaking fashion, it was Bonga who really broke down the barriers to stand-up paddle surfing at Haleiwa, even on reasonably hefty days.

I remember being mesmerized by his silky skills, Bonga majestically gliding in behind the button at Haleiwa then performing these big swooping arcs on a 12’ board, it really was mind-blowing. And I’m sure he celebrated in fine style after the win. Congratulations Bonga, and once again king of his realm.

Word has it that a nice swell is marching towards the north and west shores of Oahu. This augers well for the kick-off event in the ’09 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, the Reef Hawaiian Pro, featuring an ASP WQS 6-Star Prime Men’s event and an ASP WQS 6-Star Women’s event. The biggest names in the sport are vying for a combination of Triple Crown awards, prestigous event victory spoils and serious qualifying points.

There are so many stories within the story. The tour swings into the concluding stages in the birth place of surfing, Hawaii, and each event, each heat, is weighed with phenomenal drama, massive adrenalin and do or die performances.

Let’s get rockin with the Vans Triple Crown, will next dissect all the outrageous variables that come intop play. Well, not all, that just would not be possible, but the challenges the North Shore throws at these surfers is beyond comprehension.

Good luck to all, Bugs Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew ASP Intl President.

www.aspworldtour.com

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