TEAHUPOO, Tahiti (Thursday, May 8, 2008) Today is the first of an 11-day waiting period for the Billabong Pro Tahiti but the ASP Top 45 and event wildcards will not paddle out for their Round 1 heats today. Contest Director Luke Egan eyed conditions all morning before opting to call things off for the day.
"We had a good look at it and we are opting not to run today, Egan said. I watched it for an hour last night and if it looked like that this morning then I was definitely going to run. Time is on our side with the waiting period so we are going to utilize it fully."
Conditions are forecasted to stay small over the next few days which is good news for at least one surfer defending champion Damien Hobgood (USA). Hobgood suffered an injury freesurfing at Teahupoo a few weeks ago and is still nursing a sore shoulder. The more time he has to heal increases the likelihood he will be able to compete.
Remarkably, its been years since each and every member of the Top 45 have been slated to surf an event injury, personal lives and travel issues often intervene. At this juncture, all elite tour surfers are seeded into the draw. Among them, after spending much of the past two years on the injury list himself, is Timmy Reyes (USA).
"Im definitely back at 100%, Reyes said. I just found my good surfing rhythm within Australia. I felt like I was surfing pretty good over there, I just had a couple of tough breaks but that is what happens when you surf against the worlds top surfers. Im just stoked to be back to 100%, if not better, and I cant wait for the contest to start. Im stoked to be here."
Reyes will meet 2007 ASP Rookie of the Year Jeremy Flores (FRA) and South Africas Travis Logie in Heat 4 of Round 1.
The surfers and event staff enjoyed a traditional Tahitian welcome complete with belly dancing and fire twirling last night. Todays activities will likely include kayaking, fishing, hiking and napping.
Another call on competition status will be made tomorrow, Friday, May 9, at 7am.
The Billabong Pro Tahiti will be webcast LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com.
Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Dean Morrison (AUS), Luke Munro (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 2: Kai Otton (AUS), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA), Roy Powers (HAW), Royden Bryson (ZAF)
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Tim Reyes (USA), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW), Ben Dunn (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Damien Hobgood (USA), Aritz Aranburu (EUK)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Dayyan Neve (AUS), Chris Ward (USA)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS), Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Jamie OBrien (HAW)
Heat 10: Taj Burrow (AUS), Tom Whitaker (AUS), Bruno Santos (BRA)
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Mikael Picon (FRA)
Heat 12: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Jay Thompson (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 13: Taylor Knox (USA), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 14: Luke Stedman (AUS), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA), Michael Campbell (AUS)
Heat 15: Dane Reynolds (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Ben Bourgeois (USA)
Heat 16: Neco Padaratz (BRA), Bruce Irons (HAW), Daniel Wills (AUS)
1 comment:
Just great info wanted to post
Official Rental Car Company of Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, Advantage Rent A Car Waives Young Driver Fees
Advantage Rent A Car has been chosen as the Official Rental Car Company for the 26th Annual Vans Triple Crown of Surfing November 12 through December 20, 2008, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
“Because the Triple Crown of Surfing event takes place over the course of several weeks, we know participants and spectators alike are looking for a great value on their rental car,” says Denny Hecker, Chairman of Advantage Rent A Car. “Not only have we established a preferred rate for renters attending this event, but we have made it affordable for renters under the age of 25 to rent from Advantage as well.”
By renting from Advantage, customers in Hawaii will save up to 50% off competitor rental car rates for the same new car and catch a couple waives. Advantage is waiving its young driver fee for operators under 25 years old ($25 value per day) and the additional driver fee ($10 value per day).
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, in its 26th season, is the world’s premier and longest running pro surfing series of three highly-rated professional surfing tournaments for more than 260 of the world’s top-ranked men and women surfers. The first event, the Reef Hawaiian Pro, gets underway at Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park on November 12 through 23. From there it moves to Sunset Beach for the Roxy Pro November 24 to December 6, and then goes outer-island to Maui for the Billabong Pro December 8 to 20, the final women’s event for 2008. The Series offers $815,000 in prize money.
To make a rental car reservation for this event and for full terms and conditions of the promotion, visit www.advantage.com/surfing, or call 800-777-5500 and mention PIPLINE for the rate code.
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