C J Hobgood wins Mundaka

This was an awesome heat, it had everything happening:

* American vs Australian
* Goofy vs Natural
* Clean waves offering both tubes and wall
* Occy watching the heat with Damien Hobgood
* Both surfers super hungry for a win.
* And it all came down to the closing seconds of the heat!

Final Scores:
C J Hobgood - 18.50
Joel Parkinson - 15.83

CONGRATS CJ!

Kelly Slater Claims 9th World Title in Mundaka

Well it is official, Kelly has won his 9th World title. Perhaps because we all knew it would happen today, maybe because it is his 9th title, who knows, but this win as monumental as it is, seemed a little lack luster.
That said, Kelly has done something amazing, he has surfed the best competitive year of surfing on record and done it at a time when he should be on his way out of the top seeded surfers. Kelly has proven that age doesn't play a factor when you have the drive, focus and raw ambition to win. congrats Kelly! You are the king!
I wonder if Kelly will go for the 10th next year?

Slater set to claim 9th world title in Mundaka

ASP World Tour ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) was 7.31 points away from clinching his ninth ASP World Title when he was beaten by Australia's Adrian Buchan in their French final bout yesterday. Slater now has to secure an equal 9th finish at next week's Billabong Pro Mundaka to clinch crown No.9.

“I was one wave away [from the title],” Slater said. “One wave away is a lot closer than two heats but we'll see how we go.”

Slater won his last world title in Mundaka and will do so again this year should he advance out of Round 3. If he doesn't, and reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) or World No. 2 Taj Burrow win the event, the race will continue to Brazil. Slater will match-up with wildcards in the early rounds.

“In Mundaka for some reason I haven't had trouble in those wildcard heats but in Brazil I have before,” Slater said. “Taj and Mick haven't won this year but they've both won in Brazil and they've gotten seconds and thirds in Mundaka, so those are good contests for those guys. But worse case scenario for me, it will be narrowed down to one guy at the next event.”

Bobby Martinez (USA) has won the event for the last two years – the only two times he's competed in Mundaka. Martinez finished equal 5th in France and now sits 7th on the ratings.

“It's so tough because I just got lucky with waves and my luck is bound to run out sometime so it could be this year,” Martinez said. “Mundaka has been a cool place to me the last couple of years and it will always be cool no matter what happens but I've never done good in France and then I've done good in Spain so I'm just hoping it's not the other way around this year since I just did alright in France.”

The Billabong Pro Mundaka waiting period stretches from next Monday, September 30 to Sunday, October 12.

Top 10 ASP World Tour Ratings going into the Billabong Pro Mundaka:
1. Kelly Slater (USA) - 7852 points
2. Taj Burrow (AUS) - 6002 points
3. Bede Durbidge (AUS) – 5668 points
4. Adriano De Souza (BRA) – 5426 points
5. Joel Parkinson (AUS) - 5373 points
6. Mick Fanning (AUS) - 5310 points
7. Bobby Martinez (USA) - 5092 points
8. CJ Hobgood (USA) - 4880 points
9. Adrian Buchan (AUS) - 4719 points
10. Jeremy Flores (FRA) - 4407 points

The Quiksilver Pro France

THE WAVE: The main contest break of La Nord in Hossegor has been known to toss up a 10-to 12-foot face or two when autumn swells arrive. Extremely tidal, the soft sand beaches of the region offer the world's best the perfect canvass for progressive surfing and reckless abandon.

PERKS: Topless tanning, mile after mile of potentially firing beachbreaks, and locals doing their utmost to get you drunk.

PERILS: Chocolate-filled croissants, crepes mixed with oodles of red wine do not a thin man make, and you try to concentrate on your heat when you have to walk through a beach full of stunning topless babes on your way to the water. It's a trip and fall over on the fins disaster in the making.

APRES SURF: The Rock Food and Dick's Sand Bar are two of Hossegor's most happening hotspots. They virtually roll out the red carpet and treat the surfers like royalty when they come to town. That and also the fact that Spain is a short one-hour ride away can lay claim to an eve or two of good times.

WCT HISTORY: Quiksilver was granted a French ASP World Tour event license in 2001 and the rest is history. Hossegor has wailed during the autumn waiting period annually since its inception.

NOTABLE: The Irons brothers met in their first-ever man-on-man final in France in 2004. still hurting after losing his heat against little brother Bruce the event prior, Andy was more than amped to beat his brother and win the event. He repeated the win in '05 for good measure.

PAST CHAMPS:
2007: Mick Fanning ''AUS''
2006: Joel Parkinson ''AUS''
2005: Andy Irons ''HAW''
2004: Andy Irons ''HAW''
2003: Andy Irons ''AUS''
2002: Neco Padaratz ''BRA''
2001: Cancelled due to 9/11 Tragedy

The Boost Mobile Pro Final Taj Burrows vs Kelly Slater

Hell I dont know what to say, this was probably the greatest heat I have ever seen.
Taj threw down a 9.0 and a 9.63 within the first 10 minutes of the 35min final at trestles today, scores like that are 99% of the time deal closers in heats.


Kelly was so deep in combo land that it was almost time to tune out and go to sleep! But it's Kelly Slater, probably the only surf in the top 44 to love combo land! Kelly snapped into a medium sized wave went berserk and threw down a 9.7.


Kelly still needed a 8.93 to take the heat, he then threw down an 8.3 punched the water when the score was announced. Looked like Taj took a deep breath at this point. Then with a minute to go, Kelly took off under Taj's priority and slammed down a 9.2 went switch foot and threw out a huge claim even before the score was announced. Kelly went into the beach to get mobbed by the crowd and carried up the beach. Taj scratched for anything to try and top a 9.0 but the ocean didn't offer up anything in time.
Basically Kelly only needs to make it through 2 or 3 heats in any of the remaining event on the tour this year to be able to officially take an unprecedented 9th world title.
If their is a devil, then Kelly is intimate with him!


End result Taj 18.63 vs Kelly 18.97

Kelly Slater vs Sunny Garcia round 3 at Trestles

What an awesome heat, there was so much buzz about this heat you would think it was the final! It was awesome to see the man Garcia back in a WCT event, looking super fit and focused. Garcia is currently in a great position on the WQS to re qualify for the world cup tour in 09`.
Kelly opened up the exchange with a great inside wave, the wave was pretty average, but Kelly is Kelly right? He looked super planted on that tiny little board he was riding, which though it looked like a 5`8" was actually a 6` pin tail. Throwing the tail out super committed, super critical, the wave went all the way threw and Kelly pulled down a 7 point ride.


Sunny replied with a short ride, but that signature, Sunny power hack to post a 6 point ride.
There were a few throw away rides then Kelly slammed out a 9.33, taking a sweet set wave all the way through, doing so many turns and riding it so far in that he stood there for a minute thinking about whether to paddle out or do a run around.
Sunny came back with possible the best left of the event, throwing down pure power turns right in the pocket again and again to score an 8.0 and pull himself out of combo land.
Sunny and Kelly looked more like 2 mates having a free surf then a world title contender and a legend trying to re qualify!
Awesome surfing from 2 of the sports most well known and admired ambassadors.

In the end Kelly moved onto round 4 and one step closer to clinching that 9th world title, love him or hate him, that is freaking awesome!

Trestles turns it on for the Boost Mobile Pro!

The Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley scored perfect 3-5 foot waves for the duration of round one and the first two heats of round two. Lower Trestles in Southern California hosted the worlds top 46 surfers for the seventh stop on the World Championship Tour of Surfing. The perfect A-frame peak produced world class waves and long rip-able walls for the best in the business to let loose and show case their ability. With such perfect and playful conditions the Boost Mobile Pro, turned into the Boost Air Show with the majority of surfers turning their focus on high risk high reward, fin busting moves. Defending Champion Kelly Slater continued his untouchable surfing, posting the highest heat score of the day (18.60).


The rest of round two and the first few heats of round three should hit the water by 8am tomorrow, (local California, Pacific Standard Time PST) with predicted swell to continue to build until Wednesday and hang around for the rest of the week.

Contest is ON for Tuesday 9/9/08 at 8am, California time.

UPCOMING ROUND 2 HEATS for Tuesday 9/8:
Heat 3: Andy Irons (HAW), Yadin Nichol (AUS)
Heat 4: CJ Hobgood (USA), Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 5: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 6: Aritz Aranburu (EUK)
Heat 7: Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 8: Heitor Alves (BRA)



ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.67, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.04, Travis Logie (ZAF) 11.70
Heat 2: Bobby Martinez (USA) 13.50, Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.24, Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 3.03
Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.90, Taylor Knox (USA) 14.66, Jihad Khodr (BRA) 8.00
Heat 4: Daniel Ross (AUS) 12.67, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 10.74, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.70
Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW) 8.57, Roy Powers (HAW) 14.33, Ricky Basnett (ZAF) 7.73
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.84, Ben Dunn (AUS) 11.43, Brett Simpson (USA) 16.23
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.47, Tim Reyes (USA) 11.17, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 15.17
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.60, Dayyan Neve (AUS) 13.47, Shane Beschen (USA) 12.00
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.90, Tom Whitaker (AUS) 7.90, Rob Machado (USA) 11.17
Heat 10: Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.67, Chris Ward (USA) 10.56, Sunny Garcia (HAW) 14.50
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.50, Dane Reynolds (USA) 14.47, Heitor Alves (BRA) 9.50
Heat 12: Bruce Irons (HAW) 6.50, Mikael Picon (FRA) 11.60, Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 10.90
Heat 13: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.27, Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.67, Ben Bourgeois (USA) 14.10
Heat 14: Luke Stedman (AUS) 13.73, Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 12.30, Luke Munro (AUS) 10.93
Heat 15: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.00, Jay Thompson (AUS) 12.20, Royden Bryson (ZAF) 15.43
Heat 16: Dean Morrison (AUS) 14.0, Mick Campbell (AUS) 9.67, Neco Padaratz (BRA) 8.0


ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 18.50, Shane Beschen (USA) 9.0
Heat 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.33, Rob Machado (USA) 12.50

ASP World Tour Ratings

	1	Kelly Slater (USA)	1	1	17	1	1	17						5620
	2	Joel Parkinson (AUS)	5	5	3	5	3	9						4548
	3	Bede Durbidge (AUS)	3	2	17	5	5	9						4382
	4	Taj Burrow (AUS)	9	3	17	3	3	5						4370
	5	Mick Fanning (AUS)	2	5	33	5	2	9						4353
	6	Adriano de Souza (BRA)	9	9	5	3	5	17						3950
	7	Andy Irons (HAW)	5	5	5	17	5	9						3938
	8	C.J. Hobgood (USA)	17	17	3	2	5	17						3870
	9	Bobby Martinez (USA)	17	3	17	5	9	9						3628
	10	Bruce Irons (HAW)	17	33	5	33	9	1						3392
	11	Kai Otton (AUS)	9	9	9	33	9	5						3357
	12	Adrian Buchan (AUS)	5	17	5	9	17	17						3294
	13	Jeremy Flores (FRA)	3	9	33	17	9	17						3121
	14	Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)	inj	17	33	9	9	2						3092
	15	Luke Stedman (AUS)	17	9	9	9	17	17						3030
	15	Dayyan Neve (AUS)	17	9	17	9	17	9						3030
	17	Tim Reyes (USA)	9	17	9	9	33	17						2845
	18	Dean Morrison (AUS)	5	33	9	33	17	9						2792
	19	Chris Ward (USA)	-	33	9	9	17	3						2711
	20	Tom Whitaker (AUS)	17	17	9	33	9	17						2655
	20	Roy Powers (HAW)	17	9	33	17	9	17						2655
	22	Ben Dunn (AUS)	9	17	33	17	33	5						2602
	23	Kieren Perrow (AUS)	17	17	33	17	17	5						2597
	24	Jordy Smith (ZAF)	9	33	17	17	9	33						2470
	24	Mikael Picon (FRA)	17	33	9	17	33	9						2470
	26	Dane Reynolds (USA)	17	5	9	inj	33	33						2417
	27	Tiago Pires (PRT)	33	33	17	17	33	3						2371
	28	Damien Hobgood (USA)	33	9	inj	9	33	17						2285
	29	Taylor Knox (USA)	9	17	17	33	17	33						2280
	30	Jay Thompson (AUS)	17	17	17	17	17	33						2275
	31	Neco Padaratz (BRA)	17	9	33	33	33	17						2095
	32	Mick Campbell (AUS)	33	33	17	17	17	17						2090
	32	Daniel Wills (AUS)	33	17	17	33	17	17						2090
	32	Royden Bryson (ZAF)	33	33	17	17	17	17						2090
	32	Luke Munro (AUS)	17	17	17	inj	17	33						2090
	32	Ben Bourgeois (USA)	17	33	17	33	17	17						2090
	32	Heitor Alves (BRA)	17	33	17	17	17	33						2090
	38	Leonardo Neves (BRA)	9	33	33	33	17	33						1910
	39	Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)	33	17	33	17	33	17						1905
	40	Pancho Sullivan (HAW)	33	17	17	9	-	33						1870
	41	Travis Logie (ZAF)	33	33	33	17	17	33						1720