Sponsor Me Hawaii

ASP 1 Star Mens WQS event
Ala Moana, Oahu Hawaii
15 - 22 August 2009

Flynn Novak Posts Back-to-Back Wins at Sponsor Me Hawaii

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 August, 2009 : - - Honolulu -- Haleiwa's Flynn Novak went two-for-two at the Sponsor Me Hawaii today, winning his second consecutive professional surfing event here in as many summers. Novak, 26, clung to victory by the slimmest of margins after a rapid-fire exchange of high scoring rides between himself, runner-up Solomon Ortiz (Big Island), and third-placed Dustin Cuizon (Haleiwa), in great head-high waves.

Fourth place went to Roy Powers, the number one seed for the event who is currently ranked 36th on the top-tier ASP World Championship Tour. The Sponsor Me Hawaii is a $10,000 one-star World Qualifying Series (WQS) event that offers critical points towards qualification for the WCT and offers locals a shot at qualifying for the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing this winter. The event was made possible by the support of Quiksilver.

Falling just short of the finals today was 16-year-old Keanu Asing (Ewa Beach), who turned more than a few heads in his maiden WQS appearance. Asing ended his five round run in the semi-finals to place equal seventh overall, losing to Novak and Powers. En-route he posted the highest single wave score of the contest (9.75 out of a maximum 10 points in the quarter finals), and the highest heat score of the entire competition: 18 out of a possible 20 points in the round prior to the quarters.

On final statistics, Asing held four of the top 10 wave scores of the contest, and three of the top four heat scores of the event. You can sense from shore that this kid thrives on the opportunity to perform in competition, whether it be a local junior event or a world class tournament such as this one. In the end, only the ocean and Novak could keep him from reaching the final.

Novak earned $2,500 for his victory today. The lone goofy-footer in the 30-minute final, Flynn cashed in on any and all tube-riding opportunities that opened up, posting scores of 8.25 and 5.65 for a heat total of 13.9 points. Ortiz went home with $1,000 and 13.65 points. Cuizon, who posted the highest scoring ride of the final - a 9.25 for a blistering succession of backside snaps, earned $800 for his 13.15 points. Powers left with $700 and 9.75 points.

The Sponsor Me Hawaii is important beyond today's results, counting towards qualification for the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing this winter. Sixteen local Hawaii surfers will get a start, determined through a combination of top WQS surfers from Hawaii, and top performers from this event and the XCel Pro at Sunset Beach in November. Flynn is in good stead after his result today.

"I couldn't even believe I made the final," said a stunned Novak. "I can't believe this has happened. "I knew what it took (to win) from last year, but last year was more about surfing than tactics. I'm stoked to pull it off in hard conditions." While the waves were highly contestable throughout the event, strong off-shore gusts and occasional long lulls between waves heightened the importance of tactics and and a healthy wave count.

"I'm really happy that Sponsor Me and ASP Hawaii put this contest together," Flynn continued. "We need more of these. Hawaii has world class surf and a super deep talent pool - maybe deeper than anywhere else in the world. This was a good show, right? "Sponsor Me are on the forefront of something big. They're at the lead of what should be more major backers for events like these."

The event was broadcast live over the internet at surf.transworld.net, the leader for online surfing culture.

Sponsor Me is creating contest opportunities for rising action sports athletes. Their contests are supported by live webcasts via the Sponsor Me site and delivery to mobile devices. Sponsor Me competitions will be held regionally, judged by the pros, and the winners will go on to compete on a national level where fans will have the opportunity to vote online and via SMS.  For more information visit  sponsorme.tv

FINAL:
1st. Flynn Novak, 26 (Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii) $2,500, 250 ASP World Qualifying Series ratings points
2nd. Solomon Ortiz, 29 (Big Island, Hawaii) $1,000, 219 points
3rd. Dustin Cuizon, 24 (Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii) $800, 188 points
4th. Roy Powers (Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii) $700, 178 points

Semi Finals: 1st & 2nd to Final. 3rd=5th place; 4th=7th place
H1: R. Powers; F. Novak; R. Paulson; K. Asing
H2: D. Cuizon; S. Ortiz; J. Canteio; Kaipo Jaquias

Quarter Finals: 1st & 2nd to semis. 3rd=9th, 4th=13th place
H1: R. Paulson; F. Novak; K. Cazimero; S. Moody
H2: K. Asing; R. Powers; M. Rothman; L. Rios
H3: Kaipo Jaquias; S.Ortiz; P. Sullivan; D. Silva
H4: J. Centeio; D. Cuizon; C. Carroll; Kaimana Jaquias

Round of 32: 1st & 2nd advance. 3rd =17th; 25th=81st
H1: K Cazimero; L. Rios; E. Lau; D. Jones
H2: F. Novak; M. Rothman; M. Bruneau; A. Smith
H3: K. Asing; R. Paulson; A. Layer; K. Alexander
H4: R. Powers; S. Moody; Ha'a Aikau; D. Gonsalves
H5: S. Ortiz; C. Carroll; E. Sitt; J. Doudt
H6: K. Jaquias; D. Cuizon; N. Rex; O. Eleogram
H7: J. Centeio; P. Sullivan; E. Tyndzik; K. Ramey
H8: R. Powers; D. Silva; K. Nozaki; K. Miranda

Check the Full Results

WQS Ratings after the 1 Star Sponsor Me Pro

1	Ross,Daniel	AUS	14975
2	Andre,Jadson	BRA	13350
3	Wright,Owen	AUS	12838
4	Melling,Adam	AUS	12301
5	Simpson,Brett	USA	11863
6	Gudauskas,Patrick	USA	11763
7	Wilkinson,Matt	AUS	11500
8	Thornton,Blake	AUS	10826
9	Gudauskas,Tanner	USA	10700
10	Payne,Dusty	HAW	10675
10	Duru,Joan	FRA	10675
12	Logie,Travis	ZAF	10263
13	Ware,Austin	USA	10075
14	Yeomans,Nathan	USA	9925
15	Munro,Luke	AUS	9665
16	Hall,Glenn	IRL	9450
17	Sedley,Leigh	AUS	9338
18	Dantas,Wiggolly	BRA	9313
19	Nicol,Yadin	AUS	9238
20	Atkinson,Dion	AUS	9076
21	Dornelles,Rodrigo	BRA	9014
22	Polo,Marco	BRA	8888
23	Thompson,Jay	AUS	8876
24	Neves,Leonardo	BRA	8863
25	Zubizarreta,Gony	ESP	8826
26	Cloitre,Romain	FRA	8763
27	Gonzalez,Jonathan	CNY	8725
28	Courtney,Drew	AUS	8638
29	Howse,Jarrad	AUS	8625
30	Gossmann,Shaun	AUS	8538
31	Cardoso,Willian	BRA	8314
32	Ohno,Masatoshi	JPN	8264
33	Da Silva,Jean	BRA	8250
34	Jackson,Brandon	ZAF	8238
35	Aranburu,Aritz	EUK	8063
36	Giorgi,Marco	URY	8038
37	Sodre,Yuri	BRA	8025
38	Bryson,Royden	ZAF	7951
39	Riou,Alain	PYF	7851
40	Pupo,Miguel	BRA	7763
41	Hedge,Nathan	AUS	7744
42	Paulino,Pablo	BRA	7713
43	Toth,Brian	PRI	7639
44	Collazo,Hodei	EUK	7551
45	Moura,Paulo	BRA	7539
46	Robertson,Adam	AUS	7414
47	Wright,Warwick	ZAF	7069
48	Muscroft,Nic	AUS	7001
48	Palmboom,Rudy	ZAF	7001
50	Lopez,Cory	USA	6970

Check the Full Ratings

Previous reports:
# 1 : Sponsor Me announces 1 Star ASP WQS Hawaii Pro-Am
# 2 : Sponsor Me Hawaii launching ASP 1 Star WQS for Bowls
# 3 : Sponsor Me Hawaii 1 Star WQS gets underway at Bowls

www.sponsorme.tv

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Jodi Wilmott

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