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Bobby Martinez Wins Billabong Pro at Teahupoo, Tahiti

Martinez Wins Billabong Pro

Bobby Martinez, 26, snatched his second Billabong Pro Tahiti victory from the Jaws of Teahupoo over ASP World Tour veteran Taj Burrow, 30, when he surfed a near perfect heat, posting an impressive 18.46 out of 20 heat total in the clean three-to-five foot (1.5 metre) surf at Chopes. The talented barrel-rider’s win launched him from 19th to seventh on the ASP Dream Tour after three stops completed on the 2009 calendar. Full Report

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Bobby Martinez (USA) 18.46
2 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.10

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.86 def. Michael Campbell (AUS) 10.00
SF 2: Bobby Martinez (USA) 17.17 def. Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 15.23

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.33 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 14.06
QF 2: Mick Campbell (AUS) 12.84 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 10.17
QF 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) 15.93 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.67
QF 4: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 11.66 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 10.66

REMAINING BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) 13.17 def. Andy Irons (HAW) 10.16
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.57 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 8.67
Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 12.56 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 9.16
Heat 8: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 9.43 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 9.40

CURRENT ASP WORLD TOUR TOP 10:
1 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 3000 points
2 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 2318 points
3 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 2208 points
4 – C.J. Hobgood (USA) 2196 points
5 – Adriano de Souza (BRA) 2174 points
6 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 2076 points
7 – Bobby Martinez (USA) 2025 points
8 – Tom Whitaker (AUS) 1932 points
9 – Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 1886 points
10 – Kieren Perrow (AUS) 1742 points
10 – Taylor Knox (USA) 1742 points
10 – Damien Hobgood (USA) 1742 points

Words & Pictures: www.aspworldtour.com

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Stephanie Gilmore wins Roxy Pro Goldcoast 2009

Well Gilmore Girls is one of the most anoying TV programmes I've ever seen...It erodes away at my sole!

Steph Gilmore on the other hand is...Well pretty much the opposite of that!

Go Steph...You got my vote...Your in my fantasy surfer team...For what it's worth

Final heat Stephanie Gilmore from Australia against Melanie Bartels from Hawaii. Steph with a solid 9.57pt and 6.5pt  to win the event.

Love ya Steph...Drop me an E-Mail I'll be over in November...Dan x

This blog post and more at: http://www.blog.swanseasurfing.com

The ASPSeriously sign up for Fantasy Surfer Now...You Could win the World Title!

Well I've heard about it but never checked it out before.                                   ASP

It seams like fantasysurfer.com is a good laugh and is a good way to follow the Dream Tour!

You get $50, 000, 000 to spend on eight surfers....Then you win points depending on how your surfers do and theres real prizes to be won!!!

Put some money on it with your mates if you like.....Anyone got any change?  http://www.fantasysurfer.com/  NB...This site in no way encourages gambling!!!

Note: You can't buy surfers during a contest

This blog post and more at: http://www.blog.swanseasurfing.com

Quicksliver & Roxy Pro Gold Coast Australia is about to go live!

It's about to kick off at Duranbah and Snapper Rocks! Event number 1 of the ASP 2009 season  

With Slater looking for his 10th world title the other guys are gonna be chomping at the bit to knock the king of his thrown!

Steph Gilmore will be defending her world title too.  Honestly the standard of womens surfing just goes up and up all the time... Stephs got my vote!

Check out this vid to see what might be in store....Mmm

You can watch all the action live at: http://www.aspworldtour.com/2009/

This blog post and more at: www.blog.swanseasurfing.com

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Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew Steps Down from ASP

  After 10 years of service as President of ASP International, Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew (AUS), 54, will be stepping down from the post, effective at the end of March 2009.

“After deep consideration, I have decided not to seek a fifth term as ASP President,” Bartholomew said.
“I depart from ASP with nothing but positive feelings. After 36 years in the engine room of the sport, the timing of this decision is of the utmost importance to me. I feel the time is right. I leave at the height of my effectiveness perhaps I could say the height of my popularity in the surfing world.”

Watch the interview video here
Bartholomew has been a central figure in professional surfing for over three decades. As a young Australian, the stylish natural-footer stormed onto the international scene in the 1970’s, dominating lineups and planting the seeds for what would one day become professional surfing. Read More

Words and pictures courtesy of http://www.aspworldtour.com

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Andy Irons is Due to take the 2009 season off the Asp worldtour

Andy Irons had announced that he will not be taking part in this years ASP World tour events.  The news comes a year since Andy's brother Bruce pulled out of the tour.
 Andy has already been granted a wild card entry for the 2010 tour so we havn't seen the last of him.

 It's reported that his plan is to go away and work on his surfing and just kind of relax then hopefully come back stronger than ever in 2010. 

 He had this to say to surfline.com  "Last year was a really long year for me, physically and mentally. I’ve been doing the tour for 12 years and I came really close to just burning out completely last year. The ASP has been cool about me taking some time off, and I think they understand where I am at right now. They know I need a break, and the fact that they have been able to guarantee me a wildcard for 2010 takes a lot of pressure off me to just work on myself and my surfing in ’09".

We hope he enjoys his time away from the pressure of the tour. We look forward to seeing him back killing it again next season! 

For the full story check out surfline.com

For more stories like this check out Swansea surf blog at: www.blog.swanseasurfing.com

Slater ready to ring the bell at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach

Slater ready to ring the bell at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.

Rip Curl Pro

ASP World Tour event # 2
Bells Beach, Victoriam, Australia
18 - 29 MArch 2008

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc

Slater Ready to Ring the Bell at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach - francais ci-dessous

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 17 March, 2008 : - - Coolangatta, Australia – The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, the second of 11 stops on the 2008 ASP World Tour, will commence tomorrow, March 18, 2008. Kelly Slater (USA), the most decorated surfer in history, will be there.
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Despite winning the first event of the year, Slater was uncertain as to whether or not he would attend the Rip Curl Pro. After 14 years on tour, the 8X ASP World Champion has been adamant that he will compete selectively in 2008 in order to pursue other interests.

Slater officially withdrew from the event late last week but had a change of heart after seeing the swell forecast for the March 14-29 waiting period. He arrived in Australia today. “A combination of things influenced my decision to come to Bells,” Slater said. “I had called ASP Tour Manager Renato Hickel to ask to be officially taken out of the event and that is when he asked me if I had seen the swell forecast.”
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Current forecasts indicate that a new swell could see the event start early in the waiting period and that Easter Friday is poised to produce six to eight foot (two metre plus) waves akin to the classic Bells Beach conditions Slater won the 2006 Rip Curl Pro in.

“I was also checking out some media online and I came across some video interviews that the Geelong Advertiser had done with the locals about whether or not I would come,” Slater said. “There were some pretty strong responses about wanting to see me there. So that, the swell and some changes in my personal life and suddenly it was perfect timing for me to get away. All the signs pointed this direction so it seemed like the thing to do.”
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It seemed like the thing to do in 2006 too. Slater was in an identical predicament in the 2006 lead up to the event as he was prior to this one – a win in the season-opener, a world No. 1 rating to start the year and serious indecision about whether to attend the event or not. Slater won the Rip Curl Pro and his eighth ASP title that year.

“The decision to come was a little more clear this year,” Slater said. “In 2006 I decided to come at the last minute to get my mind off some personal things and to get a little more focused. This year, the similarities to 2006 are the excitement of a looming swell and a great week of surfing I want to be a part of.”

Slater will face Brazil’s Adriano de Souza and wildcard and former ASP World Tour surfer Troy Brooks in Heat 10.
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A large swell is expected to impact the Victorian coastline on Friday, providing sizeable waves for the Rip Curl Pro.
Check in is at 7am on Tuesday morning, with a 7.30am call on competition.

For more information and to watch the LIVE webcast visit www.aspworldtour.com.
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Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA), Luke Munro (AUS), Royden Bryson (ZAF)
Heat 2: Dean Morrison (AUS), Dayyan Neve (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Bruce Irons (HAW), Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 4: Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Neco Padaratz (BRA), Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Chris Ward (USA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Tim Reyes (USA), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Ben Dunn (AUS), Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Stuart Kennedy (AUS)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Nathan Hedge (AUS)
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA), Adriano de Souza (BRA), Troy Brooks (AUS)
Heat 11: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Dane Reynolds (USA), Daniel Wills (AUS)
Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS), Jay Thompson (AUS), Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 13: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Ben Bourgeois (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 14: Taylor Knox (USA), Michael Campbell (AUS), Mikael Picon (FRA)
Heat 15: Damien Hobgood (USA), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 16: Luke Stedman (AUS), Roy Powers (HAW), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)

Kelly Slater wins gold coast quicksilver pro!

Kelly Slater Back to World No. 1 with Quiksilver Pro Win Over Fanning

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 4 March, 2008 : - - Coolangatta -- Eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) is once again World No. 1 after beating Reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) at his home break of Snapper Rocks.

For the full round up check out:
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Slater defeated Fanning 17.94 to 15.23 to claim his second Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast title and position himself atop the ratings for the first time since claiming his last ASP World Crown in 2006.

“It’s really satisfying,” Slater said. “I didn’t feel like I really got into motion last year. Obviously Trestles was good with a win, but the end of the year was pretty lackluster for me. Even getting into the Quarters today I was thinking, ‘This is the best result I’ve had in six months’ It just felt great.”

For the full round up check out:
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Slater and Fanning have now met in ASP competition nine times; Slater leads the exchange 5 to 4. Notably, previous to his win today, Slater had not beat Fanning since 2003. Both surfers have now won the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast twice – Fanning in 2005 and 2007 and Slater in 2006 and 2008.

For the full round up check out:
www.surfersvillage.com
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words and pictures: Surfersvillage.com

Sofia Mulanovich Wins the Roxy Pro!

Sofia Mulanovich Wins the Roxy Pro on FCS

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 4 March, 2008 : - - Coolangatta -- Sofia Mulanovich carved her way to victory at the Roxy Pro riding FCS FG3 inside foil fins. The entire F series line features an inside foil for added lift and hold and an accelerated leading-edge radius with half a degree of extra toe in for tighter turns in the pocket. Sofia put these fins to good use on Saturday in the testing conditions at Snapper Rocks.

For the full round up check out:
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Sofia used her knowledge of her equipment to give her the right performance for the conditions. “Yeah those fins are magic! I love them; I think it made the difference in my surfing” said Sofia.

As a combination of wind and ground swell moved down the sand bank, it created growing walls with all kinds of sections. The face of the waves would go from steep to flat and back to steep again as the swell refracted down the sand bar. Sofia was able to carry her speed over long sections and through very tight powerful punctuating maneuvers to a decisive victory over an in form Sam Cornish in the final.

For the full round up check out:
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“It's great to see Sofia win at Snapper. She was absolutely ripping! Sofia is such a positive person and works so hard on her equipment and performance because she absolutely love's surfing” said FCS’s Tyler Callaway “This win gives her a great start for the year and a second world title campaign. We are all just so stoked for her” Callaway continued.

For the full round up check out:
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www.aspworldtour.com
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words and pictures: www.surfersvillage.com

Asp Tour news during Gold Coast pro

Sofia Sofia! Former ASP Women’s World Champion (2004) Sofia Mulanovich (PER) bested Samantha Cornish (AUS) to take down the Roxy Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG and gain the ratings lead on the ASP Women’s World Tour. The Roxy Pro saw some heavy upsets including the downings of reigning ASP Women’s World Champ Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) and former seven-time ASP Women’s World Champ Layne Beachley (AUS) early in the event. Just a few weeks until Bells, but the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour is officially off and running and expect big things from the girls this season. Get the Full Report... A.I.’s No. 1 Fan Former three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons (HAW), who is into Round 4 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by LG, took some time out to visit with his No. 1 fan the other day. Josh Manning, who lives across the street from Snapper Rocks, came down super early to catch his hero in action. Irons had just defeated Tahitian wildcard Tamaroa McComb (PYF) before running into Josh. The Hawaiian has since gone on to defeat Ben Bourgeois (USA) in Round 3 and is looking sharper and sharper with each heat win. More on Andy Irons... ASP Top 45 Smashing it at Snapper The opening event of the 2008 ASP World Tour season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by LG, is in full swing with the first two heats of Round 4 of competition being completed by day’s end. Crowds numbered in the high hundreds over the weekend while the ASP Top 45 did battle in the rippable righthanders of Snapper Rocks. Big upsets and big performances have been the call thus far for the Quiky Pro, but don’t miss a minute of LIVE action as we whittle the wheat from the chafe and crown a champion. Watch it LIVE... ASP WQS Situation Room - Monday, March 3, 2008 Wrapping things up on the Gold Coast this week for the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro pres. by LG, and the girls have set their ratings heading into the next ASP WQS event, the ASP WQS 4-Star Arrive Alive Pro on the Central Coast of New South Wales. We’ll see what happens in the men’s event, but two Brazilians have just taken out the Billabong Pro Junior at Pichilemu in Chile which puts them in good contention for qualifying by year’s end, and the Billabong Pro Junior at Sebastian Inlet, Florida has been postponed another week because of a poor swell forecast. After this week, the Grind really gets into gear so prep yourselves. Get on the Hunt... Small Waves Force Billabong Pro Junior to Change Dates While the Atlantic Ocean is doing its best impression of a lake these days, it’s doing nothing to help the state of junior surfing in North America. The ASP Grade-2 Billabong Pro Junior, which was scheduled to take place this past weekend, has been moved to next weekend (Mar. 8-9) in hopes of attracting a little bit of swell. While the state of Florida is no stranger to dismal conditions, this recent run of flatness has been particularly hard-hitting. Let’s hope the juniors on the ASP North America series get to flex their fangs next weekend. Watch it LIVE Upcoming Events Event Event Type Date Location Link Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by LG ASP World Tour Feb. 23 – Mar. 5, 2008 Gold Coast, AUS More Info Arrive Alive Central Coast Pro ASP WQS 4-Star Men Mar. 11 - 16, 2008 Soldiers Beach, AUS More Info Arrive Alive Central Coast Pro ASP WQS 4-Star Women Mar. 11 - 15, 2008 Soldiers Beach, AUS More Info Billabong Pro Junior ASP Grade-1 M/W Mar. 6-8, 2008 Taranaki, New Zealandtd> More Info Billabong Pro Junior ASP Grade-2 M/ Grade-1 W Mar. 8-9, 2008 Sebastian Inlet, Florida USA More Info