Parko is back

After getting a 10 on his first competition wave since his massive fin chop, Parko has blazed through the first contest of the Hawaiian season, the Reef Pro winning easily a few minutes ago.

The waves have been big, small, offshore and crumbly over the contest period. Steph Gilmore won the womens event a few days ago with WA's Felicity Parmenteer doing really well to reach the final rounds.

The legends heat was one of the best. Surfed on the best day in the biggest waves, Tom Curren won from Occy, Sunny Garcia and Tom Carroll. They will be surfing at each event. Can't wait for Pipe !

Taj loses at the Drug Aware Pro

TB has lost to Josh Kerr despite being in a strong position for most of the final. Taj locked in two eights and even Kerr thought he was done. With about five to go he took off on a wave and decided to put on a show for the crowd. Two big airs later and he had a 10. He backed it up with another air and Taj was left with three firsts and a second in his last four events.

FuelTV has been showing the event live for the last day or so which is good because the webcast has been crappy.

Men's finals @ Margaret River from erica hosseini on Vimeo.

MR Pro kicks on

Margaret River 6 Star Prime WQS from erica hosseini on Vimeo.

Size hasn't been an issue at the Margaret River Pro. Running it when I'm at work and probably the worst website ever for a WQS prime event has.

When you can finally find the results (try here as they aren't accessable from the MR Pro site) you'll find the men are almost finished round 3 (or the round of 48) and the women have complete two rounds. Taj Burrow has been on fire and has made the best of the conditions. His next heat has him against a Brazillian and some one from Uraguy. Yadin Nichol is the other West Aussie still in it but he has a horror heat with two WCT surfers Hawaiian Kekoa Bacalso and last year's surprise packet Aritz Aranburu.The big name to drop out is Parko who didn't make it out of his very low scoring first heat

Both Hopgoods are still in as is Mick Fanning, Ace Buchan and Bede Durbridge. If they get good waves heat five will be a killer - Ace v Mick v Damo.

Some strong heats in the womens event. WA's Felicity Palmateer is the only non-WCT surfer in her heat but Clare B has an easier time. Laura Macaulay is still in it in a winnable heat in decent waves. Heat four has a glamour girl (Blanchard), a world champ (Hedges) and the daughter of a world champ (Curren). This followed by the WCT rookie (Enever), the blogging model (Hosseni who is very honest that the 8 foot second day had her scared) and Owen's sister Tyler Wright.

Margaret River Pro

Call it whatever you want, it will always be the Masters. The Drug Aware Margaret River Pro, a 6 star WQS event, starts Monday after the trials this weekend.


Jake Patterson has fallen from his lofty WCT position in retirement. Not only does he have to enter his "home" event via the trials (which he won from WAs Dave Delroy-Carr) but they spelt his name wrong on the results page of their website.

With the upcoming move to a single ranking system and a short break between Snapper and Bells, this years Pro has some decent heats right from the first round. Just about every heat contains a former WCT surfer and round 1 (the round of 128) has two former world champs (Occy and Sunny). Sunny is up against Bra Boy and big wave charge Mark Mathew, which should make a good heat if there is some swell (the Naturaliste Buoy is over two metres and heading straight up).

This year's Pro is a bit of a family event. The Macauley family have only two entrants, Bronte and Laura, after Dad Dave got knocked out in the first round of the trials. The Gudazkus brothers are here as are brother and sister combos Owen and Tyler Wright (Owen won the Boost Surfsho comp today) and Mason and Coco Ho from Hawaii.

Others of interest in round 1 include Frenchman Patrick Bevan who threw a pile of spanners in the championship works last year in Europe as a wildcard., John John Florence who isn't little anymore and Nat Young, the American grommett not the former world champ.

The WCT surfers are seeded into round two (round of 96). Taj is in the first heat and on a red hot roll. Yadin Nichol takes on Dan Ross in heat four. WA's Ry Craike is in heat 10 with world champ Mick Fanning up against Josh Carr and German Marlon Lipke. Joel is in the last heat of the round against Chris Ward and Dayan Neve. Kai Otten will be one to look out for. The waves suit his style and he surfed well at Snapper. He is against 2008 WQS champ Nathaniel Curran, who must be disappointed with his WCT performance last year.

There's a few big names in the Women. Courtney Conlouge from the US is an amatuer world champ who impressed in big Huntington Beach during the last US Open. Alana Blanchard will be hoping for big waves to show her stuff after a poor 2010 was brightened by a QS win in Hawaii. Bethany Hamilton will return and Erica Hosseini, an American also does media and modelling work is blogging her way here. According to her feed she arrived a few day ago and has had two waves and as many coffees.

There will be a webcast and live scores are available on the event website.

Taj wins Burleigh Pro

Taj has beaten Josh Kerr and WCT rookies Owen Wright and Dusty Payne to win the Burleigh Pro.

Taj was a step above everyone else with a 9+ and a high 18 for 17.30 out of 20, bearly 2 points higher than Kerr in second. Taj has been surfing great all day and throughly deserved to win.

Second win in his last two comps (Pipe and Burleigh) for TB. Maybe this is a good omen for his WCT year and the Quiksilver Pro starting in a couple of weeks.

WQS Breaka Burleigh Pro is live

The real pros are due next round but there is plenty of good surfers still surfing. Current heat includes Occy and Nicky Wood.

Watch the webcast at http://www.breakaburleighsurfpro.com.au/live.php

ASP is over for 2009

With the end of the 2009 WCT the seeded surfers for next year have been released. Lots of the bottom rung of WCT surfers have disappeared after failing to back up on the 'QS and there are some exciting rippers taking up rookie spots next year. Owen Wright made the WCT and Andy Irons was given the ASP wildcard he was promised before taking a break in 2009.

Taj finished fifth ater his win at Pipe and a reasonable year. Four of the top five were Australian but the rest of the top ten were Yanks and Adriano DeSouza.

On the womens side Steph Gilmore ended up winning easy. WA's Clare Bevilacqa made it back to the 'CT with a strong WQS season. Jessie Miley-Dyer back up on the QS to keep her spot and will be joined by super-grom Carissa Moore and Tom's little girl, Lee-Ann Curren. Unfortunately Alana Blanchard is out.

Next year both a new seeding system and the number of surfers in each event will change after Tahiti. Eventually there will be a single rating system but that will be fully implemented in 2011. After Chopes the number of surfers will drop from 45 on the 'CT to 32 plus wildcards. Anyone on the WCT in that bottom 13 will be back on the WQS. From then on the events will have 36 surfers (top 32, 2 ASP wildcards and 2 event wildcards) basically cutting a day off the running time.

Mundaka has been cut with the licence moving from Billabong to Rip Curl but remaining in Europe.

The Mens and Womens WCT surfers are -

ASP Top 27 (ASP World Tour)
Mick Fanning (AUS)
Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Taj Burrow (AUS)
Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Kelly Slater (USA)
C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Bobby Martinez (USA)
Damien Hobgood (USA)
Dane Reynolds (USA)
Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Taylor Knox (USA)
Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Dean Morrison (AUS)
Kai Otton (AUS)
Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)
Mick Campbell (AUS)
Chris Davidson (AUS)
Michel Bourez (PYF)
Ben Dunn (AUS)
Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Tiago Pires (PRT)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Roy Powers (HAW)
Drew Courtney (AUS)

Top 15 (ASP WQS)
Dan Ross (AUS)
Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Jadson Andre (BRA)
Adam Melling (AUS)
Owen Wright (AUS)
Luke Munro (AUS)
Jay Thompson (AUS)
Nathan Yeomans (USA)
Dusty Payne (HAW)
Brett Simpson (USA)
Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Travis Logie (ZAF)
Marco Polo (BRA)
Blake Thornton (AUS)

ASP Wildcards:
Andy Irons (HAW)
Luke Stedman (AUS)
Neco Padaratz (BRA)

The national breakdown for the 2010 ASP World Tour is:

Australian: 46.7%
American: 22.2%
Hawaiian: 11.1%
Brazilian: 8.9%
South African: 4.4%
French: 2.2%
Tahitian: 2.2%
Portuguese: 2.2%

Top 10 (ASP Women’s World Tour)
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Silvana Lima (BRA)
Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
Coco Ho (HAW)
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
Paige Hareb (NZL)
Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)

Top 6 (ASP WQS)
Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
Nikita Robb (ZAF)

ASP Wildcard
Amee Donohoe (AUS)

The national breakdown for the 2010 ASP Women’s World Tour is:

Australian: 41.2%
Hawaiian: 17.7%
Brazilian: 11.8%
South African: 11.8%
Peruvian: 5.9%
New Zealand: 5.9%
French: 5.9%

WQS ends

With the O'Neill World Cup over the fat lady has sung on the men's WQS. The top 15 will now be on the WCT next year, at least for the first few events before the new ratings system kicks in.

The final 15 ASP WQS qualifiers are:
Ross, Daniel AUS
Gudauskas, Patrick USA
Andre, Jadson BRA
Melling, Adam AUS
Wright, Owen AUS
Munro, Luke AUS
Thompson, Jay AUS
Yeomans, Nathan USA
Payne, Dusty HAW
Simpson, Brett USA
Wilkinson, Matt AUS
Gudauskas, Tanner USA
Logie, Travis ZAF
Polo, Marco BRA
Thornton, Blake AUS

Jay Thompson may re-qualify with a good result at Pipe and then no. 16 will take his place. There are a couple of gumbies there who seem to do the tour yo-yo each year, being just good enough to re-qualify via the 'QS but struggling to make it out of a 'CT round one.

Interestingly the current bottom 15 of the WCT haven't bothered to cross qualify and will drop out after the last event.

Parko wins at Sunset

After a layday where it was too big for Sunset but too small for the Eddie, Parko has won the WQS O'Neill World Cup on the last day of the waiting period.

He beat world title nemesis Mick Fanning, old hand Sunny Garcia and Hawaiian Dusty Payne. With his good result in the first event a finals berth at Pipe could give him both his second Triple Crown and his first world title. The last news was that Pipe was full of sand and just a close out so it will be interesting to see if the recent swell has moved stuff around. The waiting period starts tomorrow night our time.

The waves were big and pretty clean at Sunset, with tubes and huge hacks off the top scoring well. The sort of day you think you could almost handle it ..... until a clean up set comes through !!!

Rumour is that a massive swell will hit tomorrow and the Eddie might go !!!!

Hawaiian contest finally back on

AThe first contest of the Triple Crown has finally re-started after a three lay days for no swell. Today was in the couple of feet range and with a strong sideshore wind. The brown water made it look a bit like winter in Bunbury, just with some walls and power.

The event is still in the round of 96, with the WCT surfers coming in during the next round. Parko is entered to try and defend his Triple Crown title from last year. He has a difficult heat up against Pancho Sullivan and Tanner Gudaskis, who needs a good result to make next years WCT. Mick Fanning has pulled out to concentrate on Pipe.

The Irons brothers are through as is Sunny Garcia who won his heat with the highest combined total of the round.

Everyone will be hoping for some swell, especially the women whose WCT event is on hold pending good surf.

News, heats on demand and the webcast can be accessed from the Triple Crown website.

Hawaiian contest season has started

The first event of the Triple Crown had its first lay day due to small surf. Day one was in waist height dribble, not very Hawaiian but very WQS.

US Open of Surfing

The US Open of Surfing has been going for the last few days. It is probably the biggest WQS event as it includes men, womens, juniors, trials and longboards as well as BMX, skateboarding and a surfboard expo.

There is a WPS All Stars tow in expression session, which is scheduled for the middle of the night here. The surfers were selected by Hurley and voted by the public. The All Stars are -
Kelly Slater
Mick Fanning
CJ Hobgood
Andy Irons
Bruce Irons
Dane Reynolds
Rob Machado
Taj Burrow
Jordy Smith
Yadin Nicol

Good to see two WA boys in the lineup.

The main event is down to the round of 16. With a mid-season break for the WCT more than a couple real pros have entered this event. Some because they were there for the all stars event and others because they may need to re-qualify via the 'QS. Nine 'CT surfers are still in the event with the rest being basically seven of the top 10 or so from the other tour. Five Aussies remain including Mick Fanning, who will go up against fellow Gold-Coaster Julian Wilson. Slater is against Nic Muscroft with Hurley legend Rob Machado facing Tahitian Michel Bourez. All these are heats worthy of a WCT event.

In the womens Steph Gilmore was knocked out in the quarters by a unknown Hawaiian. Despite there being an Australian in each quarter final, only Laura Enever made it to the semis where she will meet Gilmore's Hawaiian.

The live web-stream is showing highlights on a loop and will stream the event if your still up. Otherwise there are plenty of video highlights.

J-Bay On

The Billabong Pro has started in clean but small waves. It is offshore and quick but with the odd barrel and big whacking sections. If we rocked up to these conditions you'd be frothing but for the Pros you'd probably question if they would have run today if the waiting period wasn't disappearing so quick.

Round 1 is elimination. No surprises so far and no real outstanding heats.

The Roxy is also running. WA's Georgina Young was knocked out and the only remaining Aussie Chelsea Williams beat the current world champ. She comes up against the other Australian in heat 5. The video from yesterday showed the usual small but clean French summer conditions, ideal for longboarding.

Another Layday at J Bay

Waves are even smaller but they forecast is for a new swell tomorrow. They will need to start running heats tomorrow just to get through in the waiting period.

The Roxy Jam has just started for today. No webcast but you can follow live scores and results if that floats your boat.

Owen Wright wins in a killer

19 year old Australian Owen Wright has beaten US surfer Pat Gudauskas in an extremely high scoring final. Although Wright only won by 0.30 Pat needed a 9.23 to win despite scoring his second perfect 10 of the contest.

Wright has a 9.83 on his third wave and 9.4 whilst Pat G an 8.93 and then pulled out a 10.

Huge snaps and airs were the name of the game from the semis with Pat G pulling off two rodeo clowns, believed to be the first ever in an ASP contest.

Expect to see both on the WCT next year.

Its worth while checking out the video highlights on the contest site.

Looking for a Surf Fix

Not much chance of a wave so if your looking for something to get your surf juices flowing perhaps watching the WQS contest from the Maldives will do it. Quarters start later this arvo with streaming highlights before hand.

There are three Aussies, two Yanks, a couple of Brazilians and a Frenchman left. Quarter final three looks a ripper with Owen Wright, fresh from his junior tour win in the classic waves of Triggs Point against another Aussie and WCT tour vet Dan Ross.

The waves at Pasta Point have been small all week but still running along the reef. Would seem to suit Wright's aerial attack but Ross will have contest experience on his side.

Pat Gudauskas should advance in the first semi and there is a rumour that he may score an injury wildcard in the Brazil WCT coming up in a few weeks. The last semi between Austin Ware and Australian Leigh Sedley could also be a ripper. Both have solid 'QS form over the last year or so.

The webcast is at http://live.coastalwatch.com/sl_default.aspx?eid=15790 . Its not at the WCT standard and is a little bit choppy but its better than nothing.