| Damien Hobgood wins the Telstra Drug Aware Pro |
| Sunday, 10 April 2011 11:08 |
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Damien Hobgood and Courtney Conlogue won the Telstra Drug Aware Pro, at Margaret River, in Western Australia. Hobgood defeated local star Yadin Nicol, 26, to take out the ASP Prime rated event while Conlogue topped fellow Californian Sage Erickson to win the women’s ASP 6-Star contest. Hobgood navigated throughout a drastic variety of conditions at the Telstra Drug Aware Pro, with surf ranging from bombing 10 – 15 foot (4 to 5 metre) to three foot (1 metre) waves for the final day. The Floridian talent got the best of Nicol in a slow Final by jumping out to an early lead to clinch his first ASP event win since the Billabong Teahupoo in 2007. "It wasn't really much of a final - I'm sure Yadin is bummed, it would have been great to battle it out,” Hobgood said. “I saw that it was getting smaller and just wanted to go out and get some scores under my belt - I stuck to my game plan and it worked." "I've been coming to Margaret River since I was 13-years-old,” Continued Hobgood. “It's right up there with home and the North Shore for my favorite places. Thank you to the West Australian government, it's so awesome that you get behind surfing like this, back home surfing is so small.” Conlogue, who finished runner-up at the women’s Legendary Pacific Coast Pro earlier this year, improved on her performance in Western Australia to top Erickson by a score of 12.70 to 10.93 to take the No. 1 position on the ASP Women’s World Ranking. "It's been fantastic here and I'm so stoked to win and especially share the winner's podium with Damien Hobgood - really special day for me," Conlogue said. Conlogue, who is currently competing in her rookie year on the ASP Women’s World Tour, will look to carry the momentum from the Telstra Drug Aware Pro victory down to Victoria, where she is slated to compete at Stop No.2 on the ASP Women’s World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. |
