Posts Tagged "Kelly Slater"

SA Surfer Honoured At ASP World Champs Awards

Posted by surfer on Mar 2, 2010 in Industry News, South African surfers | 0 comments

South African women’s surfer Roseanne Hodge received the Most Improved Female Surfer award at the prestigious ASP World Champions’ Crowning event, where the best professional surfers in the world are honoured.

The 22-year old East London native has qualified for her fourth consecutive season on the ASP Women’s World Tour after finishing in the top ten (she’s ranked at No. 9) at the end of 2009. Hodge also got to rub shoulders with surfing’s elite.

Other honorees at the event, which took place at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia, last Thursday evening, were Gold Coast natives duo Mick Fanning (28) and Stephanie Gilmore (22) who were officially crowned ASP World Champion and ASP Women’s World Champion respectively.

Another Australian, 28-year old Joel Parkinson and Brazilian Silvana Lima (25), received the 2009 ASP World Runner-Up and ASP Women’s World Runner-Up respectively.

Former nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No 6, 38-year old Kelly Slater also attended the event and was on hand to give Fanning the ASP World Title trophy.

Billabong Pro Not Off To A Start

Posted by surfer on Jul 10, 2009 in Surfing Events | 0 comments

Renowned for its iconic waves, Jeffreys Bay is undisputedly considered to be the Mecca of South African surfing.

So it’s a bit ironic that small surf was the cause for a lay day being called at the Billabong Pro surfing championship. The event, the fifth of ten on the 2009 ASP World Tour, has been delayed until tomorrow morning – when conditions will be reassessed – due to this morning’s small two-to-three (one metre) waves.

According to Mike Parsons, Billabong Pro Contest Director, the swell models they’ve been tracking have moved a bit south, with improving swell models giving them an optimistic outlook that they’ll have bigger waves as early as tomorrow.

Yesterday, at the completion of the VonZipper Trials, local Devyn Matthews won his heat, earning himself a wildcard berth into the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay. Other South Africans who also received wildcards are Shaun Holmes and Ryan Payne.

Once the conditions improve, the first round match-ups look as follows:

Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Tim Boal (FRA), Michael Picon (FRA)

Heat 2: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Jay Thompson (AUS), Nathaniel Curran (USA)

Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS), Nic Muscroft (AUS)

Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), Phillip MacDonald (AUS)

Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Dean Morrison (AUS), Marlon Lipke (DEU)

Heat 6: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Chris Ward (USA), TBA

Heat 7: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Dustin Barca (HAW), TBA

Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), TBA

Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Tim Reyes (USA), TBA

Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA), Dayyan Neve (AUS), TBA

Heat 11: Damien Hobgood (USA), Heitor Alves (BRA), Greg Emslie (ZAF)

Heat 12: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Chris Davidson (AUS), David Weare (ZAF)

Heat 13: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Aritz Aranburu (EUK), Michel Bourez (PYF)

Heat 14: Taylor Knox (USA), Jihad Khodr (BRA), Roy Powers (HAW)

Heat 15: Mick Campbell (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT), Ben Dunn (AUS)

Heat 16: Kieren Perrow (AUS), Dane Reynolds (USA), Drew Courtney (AUS)

Smith Sails Into Third Round

Posted by surfer on Apr 15, 2009 in Surfing Events | 0 comments

South African surfer Jordy Smith continued his run in the Rip Curls Bells Beach Pro presented by Snickers in Victoria, Australia, yesterday when he defeated Damien Hobgood of the USA in waves described as “inconsistent but near perfect two metre[s]” to advance to the third round of this second stop on the 2009 ASP World Tour.

Despite seven lay days since his dominant performance in Round 1 and despite a minor back complaint, the 21-year old Durbanite managed to record scores of 7.50 and 5.50 to beat Hobgood.

“I think there were only three sets all heat and luckily I got two of them,” Smith said after only riding a total of three waves in the 30 minute heat. “I feel lucky to get through to the next round. When I woke up this morning it looked really good and I’m sure throughout the day the waves are just going to get better.”

In the third round, Smith will be pitted against giant-killer and wildcard, 19-year old Australian Owen Wright. Wright caused a huge upset when he beat nine-time ASP World Champion and defending Rip Curl Pro Champion, Kelly Slater. Wright handed the American surfing legend his second successive 17th place finish and increased the pressure on Slater’s bid for an unprecedented 10th world title.

Smith’s fellow Durbanite, David Weare – who is the only other South African still in the event after Greg Emslie from East London was eliminated in Round 1 – has yet to complete his Round 2 heat against Hawaiian Frederick Patacchia.

The Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford New Fiesta was completed on Sunday with Silvana Lima from Brazil claiming her maiden ASP Women’s World Tour crown by beating reigning two-times ASP Women’s World Champion, Australian Stephanie Gilmore, in the final.

South Africa’s Rosanne Hodge placed ninth in the event after she was ousted by Sofia Mulanovich from Peru in Round 3.

Well done, guys and gal!

Kelly Slater Reigns Supreme for Ninth Time

Posted by surfer on Oct 3, 2008 in Industry News, Surfing Events | 1 comment

American surfer Kelly Slater is fast becoming the Bruce Fordyce of the world championship surf circuit. Today, he clinched the ASP World Tour title for the ninth time when he won the Billabong Pro Mundaka in Spain.

The veteran, who at the age of 20 became the Association of Surfing Professionals’ youngest world champion as a tour rookie, is now also the oldest champion at the age of 36.

Although he has won 88 percent of his heats this season, Slater did not expect a full season.

“I went under the radar at Snapper Rocks (opening event in Australia),” he said. “There was so much focus on Dane (Reynolds) and Jordy (Smith), and Mick Fanning defending his world title, I was kind of sneaking around.

“I really wasn’t going to Bells (Beach), but when I won that, at that point I was thinking it was a great time to stop or just get everything in order and go for it.”

Slater’s nine world titles still put him miles ahead of Mark Richards, who is the runner-up with four.

Rumors abound that Slater’s longtime primary sponsor, Quiksilver, will offer him a $10 million bonus if he should manage another title win for the 10th time.  But although he said he would love being offered that amount to come back, it is not just about the money.

“I love surfing. I love what I do,” he said.

(Picture Source)