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Three SA surfers still in contention in Reef Hawaiian Pro in Hawaii |
| Reef Hawaiian Pro 6 Star Prime ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) event Alii Beach, Haleiwa, Oahu-Hawaii 12-24 November 2007 Three SA surfers still in contention in Reef Hawaiian Pro in Hawaii SA girls miss out on World Tour qualification via the WQS Jordy Smith finishes seventh in Xcel Pro at Sunset Beach Three South African surfers remain in contention for honours in the 6 Star Prime rated Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa in Hawaii, the penultimate event on the 2007 ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the first leg of the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Jordy Smith (Durban) and Foster’s ASP World Tour rookie Royden Bryson (East London) are seeded into the Round of 64 and have yet to compete in the R875 000 event which has been on hold waiting for optimum conditions since Thursday last week when the women’s event was completed. Of the other five SA competitors who entered and were accepted for the event, which is restricted to the top 136 ranked surfers off the previous year’s ratings, only Damien Fahrenfort (Cape Town) is still in the event. The lanky Capetonian has reached the round of 96. Daniel Redman (Umdloti) won his opening heat but was then bundled out of the event along with Gavin Roberts (Scottburgh) and Warwick Wright (Durban) in the Round of 144. And David Weare (Durban), who was rated 29th going into this event, just 1 000 points short of the current cutoff place for qualifying for the 2008 World Tour, will be disappointed by finishing fourth in his opening encounter at Haleiwa, a break where he has enjoyed considerable success in past campaigns. Weare will need to finish in the top four in the last event of the year, the 6 Star Prime rated O’Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach from November 25 – 6 December, to have a realistic chance of another year on the elite ‘Dream Tour’ where he spent his rookie year in 2006. The Reef Hawaiian Pro requires another two full days of competition to determine a winner and has just three days left in the holding period, which runs until Saturday 24 November. Surfline.com, the official surf and weather forecasters for the event, predict a succession of swells and an improvement in the windy conditions that have dogged the event for the final rounds. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SA girls miss out on World Tour qualification via the WQS The three South African girls who have campaigned on the 2007 women’s WQS, which ended with Haleiwa local Megan Abubo winning the Reef Hawaiian Pro in her home break on Thursday last week, have all missed the cut for qualification for the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour. Nikita Robb was the best of the SA contingent, ending 2007 ranked 19th in her first full year on the WQS. The 18 year-old East Londoner, who matriculated at the end of 2006, was rated as high as 7th after placing fifth in the Mr Price Pro in Durban in July and added another fifth place result in England a month later, but could not maintain her position in the stretch. Rosanne Hodge (East London) and Tammy-Lee Smith (Salt Rock) ended 24th and 32nd respectively in the WQS ratings where just the top six qualify. Hodge (East London), who is in her rookie year as SA’s sole representative on the elite tour, still has a chance to re-qualify if she can equal or better her best result so far this year in the remaining two World Tour events in Hawaii and force her way into the top 10 in the rankings. Currently rated World No. 14 and with a best result of fifth in Europe in September, Hodge needs to finish fifth or better in her sponsor’s event, the Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach, and the season ending Billabong Pro at Honolua Bay on Maui otherwise 2008 may see no SA presence at the highest level of women’s surfing for the first time since Heather Clark burst onto the scene in 2000 by winning the Triple Crown at her first attempt. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Jordy Smith finishes seventh in the Xcel Pro at Sunset Beach WQS ratings leader Jordy Smith continued his phenomenal run of contest performances in 2007 by reaching the semifinals of the 4 Star rated Xcel Pro at Sunset Beach in Hawaii 10 days ago, finishing seventh overall. While the 919 ratings points earned did not add to the record setting 14 425 points the 19 year-old Durbanite has accumulated from his best seven results this year, the US $1 700 for seventh spot lifted his 2007 earnings from prize-money alone to $75 755 (approx R530 000). Gavin Roberts was the next best of the SA trio in the event, reaching the last 32 before bowing out in equal 17th place overall. Dave Richards (Kommetjie) was ousted in the Round of 64 after recording one of the top five scores in the second round for an outstanding tube ride on a double-overhead wave at Sunset. /Ends Issued on behalf of: ASP Africa Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager Tel: 021 534 5738 Email: aspafrica@mweb.co.za Edited & Issued by: Life's a Beach Communications PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965 Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250 Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964 Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world's best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America. These regions manage all their respective domestic affairs under the guidance of ASP International, which is located on the Gold Coast of Australia. |
| Date: 21 Nov 07 |