Quiksilver Pro Final Mens Highlights from McKinnon Media Productions on Vimeo.

SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Sunday, March 4, 2012) – The final day of the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover culminated today with perennial ASP World Title threat Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, and four-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, taking the respective wins in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at the primary venue of Snapper Rocks.
Burrow defeated dangerous South American Adriano De Souza (BRA), 25, in a Final that came down to the wire. De Souza caught a wave in the dying minutes and launched into a massive air-reverse, requiring a 7.87 out of a possible 10 to take the lead. The judges deliberated until after the siren sounded and when it was announced that De Souza came a mere 0.27 short, Burrow was chaired up the beach and declared the 2012 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast champion.
De Souza finished runner-up at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast for the second time, after coming 2nd to Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, in 2009. De Souza was easily one of the event’s top performers this season with gouging turns and inverted aerials taking him to a podium finish.
Burrow used a heat-high wave score of 9.43 to win with a total of 15.86 to de Souza’s 15.60 much to the delight of a raucous capacity Snapper Rocks crowd who adopted the West Australian as one of their own.
Burrow assumes the No.1 ranking as the World Tour heads to Bells Beach from April 3-14, while de Souza on No.2 is well placed to improve on last year’s finish of fifth on the world rankings.
Snapper Rocks has proved a happy hunting ground for Burrow, who has appeared in the past three finals, winning in 2010 and finishing second to Kelly Slater (USA) last year.
Burrow said victory was sweet after last year’s loss to Kelly Slater.
Earlier in the semi-finals, Burrow defeated South African Jordy Smith 15.56 to 14.20 while de Souza defeated crowd favourite Josh Kerr (AUS) 14.16 to 13.57 in the dying seconds.
Burrow was forced to work hard for the spoils with a tough road to the final including defeating opponents such as Dane Reynolds (USA), Julian Wilson (Aus), Adrian Buchan (Aus) and Smith.

SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Friday, March 2, 2012); SURFING siblings Owen and Tyler Wright (Lennox Head, NSW, Aus) are on course to surf their way into the history books as the first brother and sister to win am ASP World Title event at the Quiksilver and Roxy Pros at Snapper Rocks.

The pair have already created history as the first brother and sister to compete on the ASP world tour at the same time.

Last years runner-up Tyler advanced into the semifinals of the Roxy Pro with fellow Australians Stephanie Gilmore. Sally Fitzgibbons and Laura Enever after eliminating world champion Carissa Moore (Haw).

Wright’s combined total of 18.03 outpointed Moore’s 13.47 to advance the 17-year-old to the semi-finals, where she’ll surf off against compatriot Enever.

Twenty-two year-old Owen, progressed to the quarterfinals with an impressive 16.20 (out of a possible 20) in his do-or-die round-five heat against Tahiti surfer Michael Bourez, who scored 15.43.

It sets up a quarterfinal rematch with Brazil’s Adriano De Souza.

Poor wind conditions and non-existent surf have forced event organizers to call the third, consecutive lay day this morning.

World no.2 Joel Parkinson said the break has been great after such an intense start to the season.  The former two-time event champion will take on rival Jordy Smith (ZAF) in the quarter finals when competition resumes in the ASP men’s World Title event.

Event organizers will reconvene at 6:30am tomorrow to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.  Competition is expected to recommence this weekend.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
Mandy McKinnon: Email: mandy.mckinnon@bigpond.com
M. +61 (0) 417 079941

UPCOMING QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Adriano De Souza (BRA) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
QF 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
QF 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)

UPCOMING ROXY PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINALS MATCH-UPS:
SF 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Laura Enever (AUS)
SF 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)

For Immediate Release – Rip Curl and Mick Fanning Announce Renewed 5-Year Commitment

March 1, 2012: Rip Curl International is ecstatic to announce the re-signing of 2x ASP World Champion Mick Fanning to another 5 years. Per company policy, terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

Hailing from Australia’s Gold Coast, Fanning (30) has been a Rip Curl teamrider for over 14 years. From countless Search strikes to our ASP World Tour events, Mick has been an icon for the Brand, and he now enters the next 5 years with energy and enthusiasm for what the future holds.

“Maintaining my relationship with Rip Curl means a lot to me. We’ve been through so much together since I signed with them when I was just 16,” Fanning said.

“Working with Rip Curl has brought me some competitive success,” Fanning continued, “and I’m confident that with their support there will be more good times in the future.”

Neil Ridgway, Rip Curl Group Advertising and Marketing Chairman, shares the same excitement about the continued relationship, “Mick is our number one guy. He’s part of our crew and we love him. There was never any doubt we’d have another five years together. Stoked.”

Coming off a lingering neck injury, Fanning is rejuvenated and healthy as he enters the 2012 ASP World Tour season in pursuit of his 3rd ASP World Title.

Aside from competition, some new Rip Curl/MF (Mick Fanning) video projects and product collections are in the works that both parties are excited about.

“The most exciting thing about staying with Rip Curl is some of the projects we have planned together for the future,” Fanning stated. “Rip Curl have shared their vision with me and it’s something I want to be apart of.”

Quiksilver Pro Round 4 and 5 Highlights

GOLD COAST, Feb 28 – The world’s best surfers blasted through another marathon day at the Gold Coast’s Snapper Rocks as the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro presented by Land Rover completed 16 heats, determining the men’s Quarterfinalists and women’s Semifinalists before day’s end. The opening stop on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, The Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast has seen four, consecutive days of action with event organizers making the most of the swell on offer.

Home town favourite Joel Parkinson (AUS) has scored the first perfect 10 of the Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover to reach the quarter final of the ASP men’s world surfing championship event on the Gold Coast. Not even the lashing pain of a bluebottle sting could distract him as he grabbed the 10-point wave with five minutes remaining to leave fellow Queenslander Julian Wilson no hope of catching him.

Parkinson comes up against Jordy Smith (ZAF) in the quarter final in what could be a lively meeting – earlier in the day Smith relegated Parkinson to round five as the South African advanced with the win into the quarter finals. At their previous meeting at Snapper Rocks in 2011 the South African eliminated Parkinson from the event in round five.

The other quarterfinal heats pit Gold Coaster Josh Kerr against the red hot Kelly Slater, (USA). Owen Wright (Aus) against Brazil’s Adriano De Souza and Taj Burrow (Aus) against fellow Aussie Adrian Buchan (Aus).

Earlier in round four Australian Taj Burrow (17.34) confirmed his strong title aspirations with a convincing victory against Adrian Buchan (AUS – 12.33) and Julian Wilson (AUS – 9.33) to advance directly into the Quiksilver Pro quarterfinals in on-shore 3 – 4ft waves at Snapper Rocks today. Burrow was forced to change a broken board late in the heat, but already had the heat victory secure with wave scores of 9.27 and 8.07 locked in. Burrow’s trainer Johnny Gannon ran the replacement board up to the Snapper Rocks keyhole with just four minutes remaining.

Eleven-time world champion KELLY SLATER (USA) used his 14.00 heat tally to join Burrow in the quarterfinals with a round three win over HEITOR ALVES iBRA – 12.13) and MICHEL BOUREZ (PYF- 11.10). The 40 year-old Floridian overcame a shaky start and changed to a shorter board with more fins after his first wave in the round four heat of the ASP men’s World Tour event. Slater said he got caught off guard for the early morning heat and felt all three surfers in the heat were out of rhythm.

Brazil’s Adriano de Souza (15.37) also advanced to the quarterfinals relegating Wright (15.13) and Kerr (9.00) into the elimination round. De Souza said wave selection was key in the tricky conditions. All competitors who finished 2ndand 3rdwill surf in two-man elimination Round 5 heats for a spot in the quarterfinals, while all the winners advanced.

A call will be made at 7AM tomorrow morning as to whether competition will resume at Snapper Rocks.

UPCOMING QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
HEAT 1: Adriano De Souza (BRA) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
HEAT 2: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
HEAT 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
HEAT 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 5 RESULTS:
HEAT 1: Owen Wright (AUS) 16.20 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.43
HEAT 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 14.44 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 9.84
HEAT 3: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.00 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 10.06
HEAT 4: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.03 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.27

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 RESULTS:
HEAT 1: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 15.37, Owen Wright (AUS) 15.134, Josh Kerr (AUS) 9.00
HEAT 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.00, Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.13, Heitor Alves (BRA) 11.10
HEAT 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.44, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.30, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.04
HEAT 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.34, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.33, Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.33

Quiksilver Pro Round 3 Highlights from McKinnon Media Productions on Vimeo.

SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Monday, 27 February, 2012) – The Quiksilver Pro and Roxy Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, the opening stop on the 2012 Men’s and Women’s ASP World Championship Tours, ran for the third consecutive day at Snapper Rocks today, and the world’s best surfers collectively lifted the high-performance levels today in two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Snapper Rocks.

Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, 2012 ASP Top 34 sophomore, found form in his Round 3 heat against Adam Melling (AUS), 26, posting the highest heat total of the day, an 18.57 out of a possible 20. On his third different board in as many heats, it appears that the young natural-footer has dialed in his equipment moving forward.

“I lost in this round last year in a close one against Taj (Burrow) and went on to lose a bit early in the next few events so I was nervous before that one,” Wilson said. “I did want to make a statement. In my first two heats I wasn’t myself – it didn’t feel like it was coming together for me. Then in that heat I felt a lot better, felt solid on my board and good to get some high scores.”

Wilson will take on Adrian Buchan (AUS), 29, and Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, in Round 4 of competition.

Miguel Pupo (BRA), 20, caused the biggest upset of the event thus far by eliminating perennial event favourite and two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), 30. Pupo put pressure on Fanning early in the heat by posting a 7.60 (out of a possible 10), and the local Queenslander was unable to recover from a slow start.

“I just tried to find good waves because it’s pretty tough out there,” Pupo said. “I had to win that one, to be on tour you have to beat the big boys. Mick (Fanning) surfs so good. He’s got a couple of ASP World Titles and I knew that it would be a tough one. I tried my best.”

Pupo faces Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, and Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24, in Round 4 when competition resumes.

Owen Wright (AUS), 22, opened the day with an exciting match-up against compatriot Matt Wilkinson (AUS), 23. The pair of goofy-footers gave the crowd a sensational display of backhand surfing at Snapper Rocks, with Wright getting the better of the exchange by a mere 0.40.

“That was our first man-on-man heat on the world tour,” Wright said. “I was really nervous before the heat, but once I got out there I felt comfortable. I knew he was going to get an 8-point-ride, and I knew I could answer straight back. We went wave for wave, score for score, there was nothing much in that heat. We were paddling in and none of us knew who won and I was just happy that one of us was going through to the next round.”

Wright will battle Josh Kerr (AUS), 27, and Adriano de Souza (BRA), XX, when competition resumes

Kelly Slater (USA), 40, reigning 11-time ASP World Champion and defending Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast winner, once again put on a dominant performance at Snapper Rocks over Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), 30. Slater’s signature searing forehand carves saw him earn two scores in the excellent range to easily advance to Round 4.

“I could see that Freddy’s (Patacchia) game plan was to sit and wait for those open faced waves,” Slater said. “I just wanted to get moving. There are a few sneaky ones that don’t look good at the peak, but grow down the point. At the start I fell on a couple of good ones, and either one of those could have been a good score. Then I got into a couple of good ones and got some scores, and Freddy never really got into it. Everyone always makes a big deal about weather I’m going to keep going on. When I’m going to quit I’ll tell everybody, how about that?”

Slater will take on Michel Bourez (PYF), 26, and Heitor Alves (BRA), 29, in Round 4 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.

Adriano De Souza (BRA), 25, used his experience in his seventh appearance at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast to take the Round 3 win over ASP World Championship Tour rookie Kolohe Andino (USA), 17.

“It was a tough heat for sure,” De Souza said. “I respect Kolohe (Andino) a lot, he’s only 17-years-old, but he can do a lot of damage out there. I’m feeling good and trying to concentrate on myself, I came here 10 days early and really know the wave out there, and I think my experience from 7 years on tour helped me in that heat. I was trying defend my position in the top 5 and he’s trying to do well in his first event, it was a good heat.”

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 RESULTS:

HEAT 1: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.90 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.50

HEAT 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.50 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 14.90

HEAT 3: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 14.07 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.74

HEAT 4: Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.36 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.83

HEAT 5: Heitor Alves (BRA) 15.07 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.84

HEAT 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.36 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 12.40

HEAT 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.50 def. Yadin Nicol (AUS) 12.27

HEAT 8: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.67 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. 11.17

HEAT 9: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.83 def. Raoni Monterio (BRA) 12.20

HEAT 10: Julian Wilson (AUS) 18.57 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 15.63

HEAT 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.03 def. John John Florence (HAW) 13.60

HEAT 12: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.20 def. Travis Logie (AUS) 13.16

UPCOMING QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS:

HEAT 1: Owen Wright (AUS), Josh Kerr (AUS), Adriano De Souza (BRA)

HEAT 2: Michel Bourez (PYF), Heitor Alves (BRA), Kelly Slater (USA)

HEAT 3: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Jordy Smith (ZAF)

HEAT 4: Julian Wilson (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS) Taj Burrow (AUS)

Quiksilver Pro Day 2 Round 2 Highlights from McKinnon Media Productions on Vimeo.

SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Sunday, 26 February, 2012) – The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, the opening stop on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, was back on today with the elimination Round 2 completed in clean three-to-four foot (1 metre) conditions at Snapper Rocks.

Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24, came flying out of the gates in his this afternoon, scoring an 8.33 (out of a possible 10) and a 9.10 on his opening two waves. Smith surfed smooth and fast to eliminate veteran powerbroker Taylor Knox (USA), 40.

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, 2011 ASP World Runner-Up, was back to winning form today after a shock Round 1 loss at his home break yesterday. Parkinson eliminated trials’ winner and runner-up to the 2011 ASP World Junior Title Garrett Parkes (AUS), 20, in a one-sided affair.

Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, and Dane Reynolds (USA), 26, had the Sunday Snapper crowd on their feet in their epic Round 2 clash this morning. Both surfers unleashed big aerials and monster carves, but it was Burrow who was able to find the lengthier waves and link his turns together to advance to Round 3.

Yadin Nicol (AUS), 26, 2012 ASP Top 34 rookie, won his first ASP World Championship Tour heat at the Quiksilver Pro today over highly-touted fellow rookie Gabriel Medina (BRA), 18. Nicol qualified for the elite ASP World Championship Tour during last year’s mid-year rotation (as did Medina), but was forced to give up his spot due to an ankle injury

Jeremy Flores (FRA), 23, snuck through a tight heat against Jadson Andre (BRA), 21. Flores and Andre both pulled into multiple tubes but failed to find exits, until Flores threaded a classic behind-the-rock barrel to score an 8.17 (out of a possible 10) and take the win.

Kolohe Andino (USA), 17, battled fellow Californian Brett Simpson (USA), 27, in the final heat of the day, with young Andino taking a first win in his highly-anticipated ASP World Championship Tour debut. Andino showed rookie nerves, falling and catching the wrong waves at the start, but managed to pull it together and lock in some impressive scores in the back half of the heat.

Event organisers will reconvene at 6:30am to access conditions for a possible 7:30am start.

For more information, log onto aspworldtour.com

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 RESULTS:

HEAT 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.36 def. Garrett Parkes (AUS) 6.43

HEAT 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 18.10 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 16.06

HEAT 3: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 13.13 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.53

HEAT 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.06 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 13.73

HEAT 5: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.43 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 12.33

HEAT 6: Travis Logie (ZAF) 15.30 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 13.03

HEAT 7: Josh Kerr (AUS) 17.60 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 10.53

HEAT 8: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 15.86 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 10.33

HEAT 9: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.67 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 12.07

HEAT 10: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 14.00 def. CJ Hobgood (USA) 13.84

HEAT 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.53 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 10.73

HEAT 12: Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.33 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 13.87

UPCOMING QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:

HEAT 1: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)

HEAT 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)

HEAT 3: Adriano De Souza (BRA) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)

HEAT 4: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS)

HEAT 5: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)

HEAT 6: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)

HEAT 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Yadin Nicol (AUS)

HEAT 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)

HEAT 9: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Raoni Monterio (BRA)

HEAT 10: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)

HEAT 11: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)

HEAT 12: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (AUS)

Quiksilver Pro Day 1 Round 1 Highlights from McKinnon Media Productions on Vimeo.

SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Saturday, 25 February, 2012): World No.2 Joel Parkinson (Aus), wildcard Dane Reynolds (USA) and Brazilian wonderboy Gabriel Medina are facing Round Two elimination, but the Kelly Slater (USA) super-show continued on the opening day of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover.Snapper Rocks turned on a dredging 3-4ft swell on the outgoing tide when the men hit the water following Round One of the Roxy Pro and they didn’t disappoint with a spectacular show.

Slater (USA), 40, the 11-times ASP Men’s World Champion left little doubt a 12th World Title was easily achievable with a barrel-riding master class to lock in the day’s highest score of 18.80 for an easy win against Moskova Trials winner Australian Garrett Parkes (12.73) and highly-touted US rookie Kolohe Andino (10.60).

Slater locked in two nuggets scoring 8.93 and 9.87 to bring the big Snapper Rocks crowd alive. The recently turned 40 year-old said his nine-point ride lined up perfectly.

Adam Melling (AUS) was the giant killer on the first day relegating World No.2 Joel Parkinson (AUS) and dangerous wildcard Dane Reynolds (AUS) to a Round Two elimination heat.

In a tight and high quality heat, Melling (15.70), edged out Parkinson (15.43) and Reynolds (14.87), but the Lennox Head surfer admitted to some nerves after letting Parkinson take a potentially heat-winning wave in the dying stages.

Parkinson will meet Parkes in their elimination heat and Reynolds with take on Taj Burrow (WA) in his round two match-ups.

Burrow was relegated to round two by an inform Fred Pattachia (Haw) who used better positioning in the tricky line-up to advance with ease into round three. Pattachia who entered the event as a replacement surfer for fellow Hawaiina Dusty Payne said it was a bittersweet situation.
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> Rookie young gun Gabriel Medina (BRA), 19, is also the facing the prospect of an elimination heat after losing to fellow countryman and Tour veteran Raoni Manteiro, 29. Manteiro prevailed with a score of 11.63 ahead of Australian rookie Yadin Nicol (10.37) and Medina (9.60).

Manteiro, who made his debut on the Tour in 2004, was happy to get one over his young rival.

World No.5 Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, opened the Quiksilver Pro with a tidy victory scoring 13.83 to defeat Taylor Knox (10.66) and Pipe Masters champion Kieren Perrow (7.00).

Event organisers will reconvene at 6:30am to access conditions for a possible 7:30am start with another promising swell forecast for Day Two.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

Friday 24 February 2012

Billabong Pro J-Bay

6-Star rated ASP event

Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay, South Africa

Second week July, 2012

Change of status for Billabong Pro J-Bay provides huge opportunities for South African surfers

Today’s announcement that the Billabong Pro J-Bay will change its status for 2012 from an ASP World Tour event to a 6-Star rated tournament, the highest ranking in the ASP Star category, provides scores of South Africa’s top surfers with the opportunity to compete at the iconic surf break of Supertubes in Jeffreys Bay for the first time since 1998 and to earn heaps of ASP ranking points and prize-money in their home waters.

In its official statement today, Billabong said: “The change in event status follows a broader review in which we are seeking to identify cost savings throughout the business. By retaining an event at Jeffreys Bay, it now provides two qualifying events back to back in the South African region. The move to an ASP 6-Star also opens the event up to South Africa’s aspiring pro surfers for the first time in nearly 15 years and ensures continuity of the event for the local businesses in Jeffreys Bay.”

While the ASP is understandably disappointed that the 2012 ASP World Tour will now be decided over 10 instead of 11 events, they are supportive of Billabong’s decision.

“We agreed as a Board that whilst very regrettable, the commercial realities are such that a pragmatic approach by ASP at this time seemed sensible,” Richard Grellman, ASP Executive Chairman, said. “Billabong have been long-time supporters of professional surfing and still sponsor three of the ten World Championship Tour events and we look forward to our deep relationship with them continuing.”

The 6-Star Billabong Pro J-Bay will be run in the second week of July, immediately after the Prime rated event in Ballito, and offers a prize-purse of US $155 000 (approx. R1.2 million) with the winner pocketing close to R200 000 and a significant 3 500 rankings points.

The proximity of the two events will attract the world’s best surfers to South African shores in July and the opportunity to ride the legendary waves at Supertubes along with just a couple of other competitors in the line-up will be a major drawcard.

A change in the qualifying criteria for the 2013 ASP World Tour, which now restricts the top surfers to only including three World Tour results amongst their eight counting scores in the ASP World Rankings, means that everyone needs to compete in Prime and Star rated events to ensure that they are in contention to qualify for next year’s top flight.

While a couple of the world’s superstars may elect to miss the South African leg, South Africa’s own Jordy Smith will be determined to complete a hat trick of victories in the event and Billabong team riders Joel Parkinson and Taj Burrow, both previous J-Bay champions, will be keen to rack up another victory there

Add the exciting and exceptionally talented crop of rising stars like two-time ASP World Tour event winner Gabriel Medina (BRA), recently crowned ASP Rookie of the Year Julian Wilson (AUS), Hawaiian tube-riding phenom John John Florence and teenage Californian standout Kolohe Andino and the hordes of spectators who descend on Jeffreys Bay every year will still be treated to a festival of world-class surfing performances.

However the major advantage that the change of status provides for South African surfing comes in the increase in numbers of local participants. A 6-Star rated event can have a larger field than the 36 the ASP World Tour format allows, enabling literally dozens of local surfers to compete against the world’s top exponents in the country’s best waves.

This provides aspiring South African stars such as Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) and Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), both already standouts at Supertubes, with the opportunity to impress while earning points and prize-money in familiar surroundings. Meanwhile scores of South Africa’s budding contest surfers and the many local surfers based in Jeffreys Bay will be able to compete against, and meet and mingle with, their heroes while being exposed to the latest manoeuvres and cutting edge equipment.

The world renowned waves of Supertubes and the attendance of the world’s most exciting surf stars will continue to draw the attention of the world’s media to Jeffreys Bay and the increased number of competitors, and their entourages, will ensure that accommodation and businesses in the town will be operating at full capacity during the contest period.

All in all, the 2012 Billabong Pro J-Bay promises to be an event to remember.

Quiksilver Pro Day1 – Moskova Trials Highlights from McKinnon Media Productions on Vimeo.

Snapper Rocks, Gold Coast (Friday, February 24th) Garrett Parkes (Byron Bay, NSW) has won the final Quiksilver Pro event wildcard and will now face up against 11 time world and defending event champion, Kelly Slater (USA) after taking out the Moskova Trials today in stormy 2-3ft waves at Snapper Rocks on Australia’s Gold Coast.

20 year-old Parkes narrowly defeated Christobal De Col (Per) with a total tally of 12.75 (out of a possible twenty).

Parkes now faces the daunting task of taking on surfing’s greatest ever competitor in Slater as well as highly touted Californian world tour rookie, Kolohe Andino (USA) in one of the toughest heats of round 1.

However Parkes said he hadn’t yet dwelt on the monumental task ahead but was looking forward to the challenge.

A more experienced Parkes will be out to improve upon his 2010 defeat by Taj Burrow (Aus) at the Quiksilver Pro.

In the Moskova Women’s Trials current ASP Australasian junior champion Philippa Anderson (Merewether, NSW) will get to see her dream come true when she goes up against world and defending event champion Carissa Moore in round 1 of the Roxy Pro.

The 20 year-old proved successful in her third attempt at qualifying for the Roxy Pro – a career highlight for the Merewether surfer who dominated the final to finish with heat total of 15.75 out of twenty. Al three of her opponents were left requiring a two wave combination score on the final siren.

Organisers are optimistic of commencing competition in the season-opening ASP World Title events tomorrow with a favourable swell outlook at Snapper Rocks.

Scotty Rask

Long time Newport Beach surfer and standout, Scotty Rask has passed away after a battle with cancer.
Scotty was only 38 years old.
Scotty was a fixture out in the water, and was a River Jetty local for many years.
More details to come when available.