| Excellent surfing conditions at Lower Trestles' Boost Mobile Pro |
| Tuesday, 09 September 2008 09:07 |
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The world’s best surfers were treated to perfect conditions at the Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley today. All of Round 1 and the first two heats of Round 2 were run in consistent three to five foot waves at Lower Trestles. Having the opportunity to score another surf in today’s excellent conditions was not lost on ASP World No. 3 Bede Durbidge (AUS) and World No.4 Taj Burrow (AUS). Both surfers came up short in Round 1, but bounced back in Round 2 beating former ASP World Tour competitors Shane Beschen (USA) and Rob Machado (USA) respectively to avoid an untimely exit from the event. “When I get to Trestles the wave is so much fun that I always get too excited, I don’t know what to do with that perfect wall and I usually blow it,” Burrow said. “I get a bit too over amped. I want to surf it the way I would free surf it. I just want to stay consistent and make some heats.” Burrow was beaten by injury replacement surfer Sunny Garcia (HAW) in Round 1, but redeemed himself by posting the second highest heat total of the day – 18.50 – when he eliminated Beschen in Round 2. “Winning in 2006 was definitely a career highlight and it gave me so much confidence for the rest of the tour,” Durbdige said. “Coming back, I have so many good memories and I just love the wave. It’s so rippable.” Slater is shooting for his third ASP World Tour win at Trestles having entered the event the defending champion and first winning it in 2005. He posted two excellent scoring rides in Round 1 – a 9.60 and 9.00 – to amass an 18.60 out of 20.00 point heat total – the highest of the day. “There’s really not too much uphill from there,” Slater said. “I had a good heat. I was in sync. My board felt really good and I couldn’t have asked for more. It’s always good to start off with a good heat because it gets your confidence up and you feel better on your feet. I didn’t feel totally good on my feet when the heat started, but then I just got patient and made sure I waited for the second and third wave of the set. They tended to have a little bit better shape down the line.” Reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) beat Tom Whitaker (AUS) and Machado to book his spot straight into Round 3 today. Currently rated World No. 5, Fanning was pleased to put a solid 17.90 heat total on the board after bowing out of the event uncharacteristically early with an equal 17th last year. “When you come off of a break it feels good to get a win because you don’t really know where you’re sitting,” Fanning said. “It’s good to go out there and go through the motions and get the ball rolling.” Sunny Garcia (HAW) earned his berth into the event after Danny Wills (AUS) withdrew for medical reasons and the first, second and third ASP injury replacement surfers declined the spot. Garcia is currently competing on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) hoping to regain a berth on the ASP World Tour, but was happy to take a break from that series to surf the Boost Mobile Pro. Garcia beat Burrow and local surfer Chris Ward (USA) in Round 1 and now finds himself in Round 3. “It all kind of worked out for me,” Garcia said. “I was surfing in France and not really getting results and my knees were bothering me, so I wanted to come home and train. I talked to Damien at Boost and he said that he thought they had a spot for me in the event. It worked out good. I came home early and did some training in and I get to surf perfect Trestles with only a couple of guys out, so I couldn’t ask for more.” Another call on competition status will be made tomorrow morning at 7, but all indications point to an 8am start with Heat 3 of Round 2 featuring three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons (HAW) up against event wildcard Yadin Nicol (AUS). The Boost Mobile Pro will be webcast LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and www.boostmobilepro.com Round 2 Boost Mobile Pro pres. by Hurley Results: Round 1 Boost Mobile Pro pres. by Hurley Results: Upcoming Boost Mobile Pro pres. by Hurley Round 2 Heats:
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