Home	Add URL	Pics & Vids	Shopping

Boardfolio.com >> ASP World Tour News >> Irons In Form; Injuries Claim More Casualties

Quiksilver Pro Fiji (May 25 - June 6) www.quiksilver.com Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) www.aspworldtour.com World Championship Tour (WCT) Press Release Irons In Form; Injuries Claim More Casualties May 26, 2003 (Tavarua & Namotu Islands, Fiji) Reigning world champion Andy Irons (Kauai, Haw) today controlled his opening round clash in the Quiksilver Pro. The US$250,000 World Championship Tournament (WCT) resumed with remaining round one heats, before completing five heats of the second elimination round this afternoon. Clean 4-5 ft (1.5m) surf was on offer at Cloudbreak, with big walls for maneuvers and the occasional long tube ride. Cross-shore winds increased throughout the afternoon. Irons, who is equal first on the current ratings with six-time world champ Kelly Slater (FL, USA), dominated the day's opening heat against two-time world champ and Quiksilver Pro wildcard Tom Carroll (Syd, Aus) and Pat O'Connell (CA, USA). The Kauaian began with a gliding floater and series of backhand re-entries for an 8.5, and then bettered this with three tubes on his next wave for a 9.1 and combined total of 17.6 to set the day's pace. "I was really happy with how things went," began Irons. "There were a lot of fun waves at the beginning and I got a couple of scores, which paid off. It was amazing to be out there with Tom. He's one of my heroes and always has been. I've grown up watching all of his movies and just seeing him surf is amazing. To be out in the lineup with him in a heat was pretty cool. "Now I get a bit of time off to hang with the boys on the Island and have a good time," he added. "Tavarua is incredible and I love coming here. I'll just get psyched for the next round, and hopefully we'll get a bit more size." Defending Quiksilver Pro champion Mick Lowe (Windang, Aus) overcame world #2 Joel Parkinson (Gold Coast, Aus) and Trials wildcard Fred Patacchia (Haw) in his first showing of the 2003 tournament. The 26-year-old opened his account with one of the day's best scores of 9.17, and despite trailing toward the end due to a lack of good rides, was able to carve his way directly into round three following his final 7.47 scoring wave. "I was lucky enough to start off with a 9.17 early on," said Lowe. "Thankfully I had the inside position for the last wave which came through. "Anywhere else in the world this would be an incredible day to hold an event, he added. "You expect a lot coming to Fiji, but it was still perfect out there." Parkinson later met wildcard Carroll in round two's opening heat. Despite establishing an early lead, 41-year-old Carroll was soon reminded of the left hip injury he had been suffering before flying into Fiji. Turning off the bottom on his second ride, he felt the muscle below the hip joint pop. He tried to continue the heat and actually locked in his best ride for a 6.0 next wave, but was then forced to accept his injury would only worsen, and so returned to the marshalling boat for medical attention. "It's really unfortunate," said a disappointed Carroll afterwards. "It's part of the injury I was carrying, and I guess I applied a little more pressure than I did in my earlier heat. I went into a bottom turn and squatted hard, and the muscle, or something in my hip, didn't handle. I tried to ride another wave, but there was no way I could perform to where I want to. Injuries are part of being a professional sports person. You're constantly working with your body and that's your engine, so it's got to be really highly tuned. It's put under a lot of pressure, especially during the act of what you're doing. "I had high hopes of being here," he added. "But it just gave up on me then. I have a family at home and a brand new little girl, so it'll be good to take care of her now." Parkinson, who broke the fin off his surfboard at the start of the heat and was trailing before Carroll left the lineup, eventually found some scores to advance into round three. "It was a strange heat," acknowledged Parkinson. "I thought I broke my board landing a floater, but when I looked it was fine, so I caught another wave and it started sliding out, as I didn't have a back fin. I swapped boards, but then Tom hurt himself. He was winning, and I just figured he was changing his board until the jet ski drivers told me about his hip. I still needed a score though, so glad I got the win and am out of that round." Quiksilver Trials winner Troy Brooks (Gold Coast, Aus) continued his great fortune at Cloudbreak, defeating world #4 Taj Burrow (West Australia) and Taylor Knox (CA, USA) with a fantastic last 8.8 ride in the dying seconds of their round one clash. The World Qualifying Series (WQS) campaigner - who placed equal fifth in the 2000 Quiksilver Pro, again as a wildcard - sat for the majority of the heat before securing his round three berth. "I was pretty lucky," admitted Brooks. "I fell off on a couple earlier in the heat. I had one score, but needed an 8.6 on my last wave. Taj and I were sitting out the back jostling for position. The wave came through and I took off, realizing I needed to get barreled to make the heat. I pulled in and fought with it, and was lucky enough to come out and get the score I needed. "I love this wave," he added. "It's sort of tricky on your backhand, but it's fun too. You can do all sorts of turns and get barreled - it offers everything. I had the Trials yesterday, and the conditions were kind of similar, so I went out with the same game plan. I started further up the reef and got a good wave at the start. My first score was in the opening 30-seconds and my last in the final 30-seconds, so there was like 29-minutes in between when I didn't do too much (laughs)." Burrow later advanced over wildcard Fred Patacchia (Haw), while world #5 Mick Fanning collected a 9.6 en-route to victory over South African wildcard Travis Logie in their second round decider. "All the wildcards are tough," said Burrow. "I saw Fred ripping in all his freesurfs, so I knew it would be hard. I had a really close heat with 'Brooko' this morning and he got me in the last couple of seconds. I really wanted to get through that scary 33rd place round." Trent Munro (Scott's Head, Aus) locked in the day's best single and combined heat scores. Against fellow Australians Darren O'Rafferty (Port Macquarie) and Danny Wills (Byron Bay), the 24-year-old picked off a near-perfect 9.6 and then another 8.53 for a combined tally of 18.11. Still recovering from major knee reconstruction he underwent last year, Munro is aided by a sturdy knee brace while surfing. "This set came through and reeled off down the reef so perfectly," said Munro of his best wave. "It didn't section at all, so there was no room for mistakes and it was a high scoring ride. No barrel, but top-to-bottom turns all the way. "It seems to be getting better everyday," he added, of his knee. "I have a bit of trouble with it in colder water, as I'm wearing my brace over a wetsuit, but it seems to feeling much better and I'm hoping to be out of the brace soon." Damien Hobgood (FL, USA) comfortably advanced past Flavio Padaratz (Florianopolis, Brz) and Nathan Webster (Narrabeen, Aus) with a solid performance. Despite late charges from his opponents, the Floridian managed a couple of good forehand barrels for two strong scores of a 9.17 and then an 8.8 on his final ride for a combined total of 17.97-points. "I actually got a really good one and a score, so I knew I could wait for the better waves," explained Hobgood. "It just so happened every time I was paddling out a set was coming. It's really good to have a heat like that and I had a great time out there." Brazilian Guilherme Herdy controlled his heat with fellow countryman Victor Ribas and Shea Lopez (FL, USA) from the start. The goofyfooter - who secured his best result to date with a runner-up finish at the 2000 Quiksilver Pro in Fiji - actually missed last year's tournament due to a perforated eardrum. After paddling further down the shallow reef break this morning however, he was rewarded with the heat's best waves and moved directly into the third round. "I was sitting too far out the back, but then I moved to the inside section and caught two good sets," explained Herdy. "It's a good start to the contest and I hope to continue getting those kinds of waves. I love these conditions and hope we get some more swell. Last year was hard for me as I had an eardrum problem in Tahiti and missed that event and then Fiji, so I'm very happy to be here again." 1999 event and world champion Mark Occhilupo - who missed his first round heat - was narrowly eliminated this afternoon by fellow Australian Beau Emerton. Their round two match proved an inconsistent exchange, with the lead changing on the final two waves. Emerton, who replaced injured 2000 world champion Sunny Garcia (Haw), was ultimately given the judges nod of approval. "When I saw the draw and knew I had 'Occy'... he's such a tough competitor and he's won here before," said Emerton. "It was unfortunate for both of us though, as it could have been a really good heat. There just weren't any waves at all. We just happened to have one of those heats with lulls in it and I managed to scrap into a couple of average rides to get through. I had an amazing week in Tahiti, so I'm just looking at it heat by heat again, as you never know what can happen." The day's last heat between Dean Morrison (Gold Coast, Aus) and Tim Curran (CA, USA) also proved a close battle. While the Californian locked in the heat's best single score with a 9.1, the nail-biter ultimately went to the Australian courtesy of his 6.17 score toward the end. "That was my first surf out there as I missed my first heat," began Morrison, who figured the swell would not arrive until later this week. "I didn't really know where to sit and was lucky to get my last wave and a little tube and they (the judges) gave it to me, so I was stoked." WCT newcomer Danilo Costa (Brz), who last week earned a career high by reaching semifinals in Tahiti to place equal third, suffered the opposite fate here in Fiji. During his opening heat of the Quiksilver Pro yesterday, the Brazilian possibly broke a bone in his foot and has since be forced to withdraw from the tournament, allowing Shane Powell (Avoca, Aus) a 'walk-through' into round three. You can follow the event daily on http://www.quiksilver.com

Search Boardfolio.com Surfing Resources Surfing Culture Surfing Posters & Prints Surfing & Beach Calendars Surfing Books Shortboard Videos & DVD Longboard Videos & DVD Boardfolio Poster Store Drive Thru Australia - DVD Poor Specimen Productions presents Drive Thru Australia on DVD. 3 Surfers, 14 days, Australia. Starring Benji Weatherley, Donavon Frankenreiter, Rob Machado, Dean Morrison, Steve Irwin, Margo, Dylan Longbottom, Koby Abberton and Blow Up Kalani Robb. Round three! First they surfed down the coast of California. Then they took Japan by land, air and sea. Now the crew is taking OZ by storm. Donavon, Benji Weatherley, Rob Machado and the winter of 2003. A blowup doll, a couple RVs, a small crew and the long road down under. The Drive Thru Australia. Surfing down the east coast of OZ for 2 weeks, the crew meets up with Dean Morrison, Margo, and friends, score the best waves seen yet on any Drive Thru trip and even find time to chill with the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. On the road...AGAIN!   Support Your Surf Community Free Ad Space on Boardfolio.com

To add your surf link to Boardfolio.com, drop us a line at boarders@boardfolio.com or click here. If you are interested in a bold listing for your website, click here. Trademark Notice: Websites listed on this page are for informational purposes only. Products or name brands mentioned in this website may be trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective holders and are respectfully acknowledged.