|
Beakdown of boardbag charges by airline
www.surfline.com
Check also SEASONAL SURFBOARD EMBARGOS
 |
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AIRLINE |
PRICE |
NOTES |
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$65 |
One-way per board, maximum length 9ft - packed |
|
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$125 |
One-way per bag, ouch! |
|
|
Varies |
Variable Excess Baggage Charge + $22 "Bulky Item" charge. |
|
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Free |
As part of your two-bag limit, otherwise $80. Max. length is 6½ ft. |
|
|
$50/$75 |
63-80 in/81-115 in. One-way per bag. |
|
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$100/$150 |
Domestic/International. One-way per bag under 70 lbs. |
|
|
$50 |
6 ft maximum. |
|
|
No |
No surfboards allowed on British Airways flights. |
|
|
Varies |
Price varies with destination. One-way: Under 109" |
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|
EMBARGO IN EFFECT |
No
surfboards allowed on Continental flights to Latin America from June 4,
2009 through August 20, 2009. Embargo also in force during Christmas
and Easter. |
|
|
$75 |
One-way per board. Limit 2 boards per passenger. |
|
|
$175 Domestic/$300 International |
One-way per board. |
|
|
$100 |
One-way. Two boards max. per bag, Max height 11ft. |
|
|
$189 |
One way. One board per passenger. MUST make request 72 hours before flight via phone. |
|
|
Varies |
Price varies with weight. 1.5% multiplied by the excess baggage lbs. |
|
|
$50 |
One-way per bag. *No excess baggage (including surfboards) allowed on flights to the Santo Domingo or Santiago |
|
|
Varies |
No boards over 70lbs and/or 109". |
|
|
Free |
Cannot exceed 80" or 99 lb. |
|
|
Varies |
No boards longer than 78". |
|
|
Varies |
Price varies with destination. Bags are 50% of normal excess baggage charge |
|
|
$65 |
One-way per bag, Max 100" |
|
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$175 |
One-way per bag. Max 109" |
|
|
Free |
Free as part of your two bag limit. Otherwise $53 each way. |
|
|
Free |
As part of your two bag limit. Otherwise, $109 each way |
|
|
Free |
As part of your two bag limit, not exceeding 109", otherwise, $125 |
|
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$50/ $150 international |
Domestic/International. One-way per bag (2 boards per bag). No size restricitons. |
|
|
$100 |
Limit 2 boards per passenger. |
|
|
Varies |
Max 109". |
|
|
$175/$250 |
Under 109"/Over 109", One-way per bag, 2 boards per bag |
|
|
$50 |
One-way, no size restrictions. |
|
|
$100 |
One-way per board |
|
|
$42.50/$85 |
Under 109", $42.50 per board each way, Over 109", $85 per board each way |
|
|
Free |
Free, limit one per customer. | |
Find more info at:
www.surfers-against-airline-fees.com
http://www.rodndtube.com/surf/info/AirlineBoardCharges.shtml
http://www.globalsurfers.com/surfboard-airline-charge.cfm |
Joel Parkinson Claims Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in Solid Conditions at Kirra
KIRRA, Australia (Wednesday, March 11, 2009) – Joel
Parkinson (AUS), 27, has won the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by
LG Mobile, defeating fellow finalist Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, in
solid six-to-eight foot (3 metre) surf at Kirra.
After
a 12-year hiatus, today’s action brought the ASP World Tour back to
Kirra for the Finals of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast. Whilst it was
not classic Kirra, the challenging conditions at the historic
pointbreak offered churning barrels with massive scoring potential.
Parkinson,
winner of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in 2002, was fearless from the
outset in the hard-fought Final, collecting an excellent 8.83 out of a
possible 10 on his opening ride, breaking his board in the process.
“That
first wave was a good one but I came down funny on the floater and
buckled my board,” Parkinson said. “I came in and just got energized
when I heard the score and everyone on the beach really pumped me up.
The crowd is awesome. There are so many people. Down here you don’t
really see it, but from the water you can see the crowd on the hill and
all along Coolangatta and even down Kirra Point. I could hear them
roaring – it was amazing.”
The
hometown favorite would return to the lineup to collect a bevy of high
scores, including a 7.50 and an 8.17, before nailing his second perfect
10 of the day, pushing his heat total to an unsurpassable 18.84 out of
a possible 20.
"I
was thinking it has been a long time between drinks [ASP World Tour
event wins],” Parkinson said. “Until the hooter blew, I didn’t know
what emotion to feel. It’s the kind of thing where you’re surrounded by
a lot of people and it’s not until you pull yourself back and you’re
together with family and friends, that’s really when you feel all of
your emotions. Right now I’m on a high and I’m buzzing, it will be a
few hours to let it all sink in."
Parkinson now sits atop the ASP World Tour ratings, in excellent position for his 2009 campaign for the ASP World Title.
“There’s
still a long way to go and there are a lot of dangerous surfers out
there,” Parkinson said. “I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself.
It is a long year with a lot of stops [on the Dream Tour]. It is going
to be a great year.”
De
Souza, former ASP World Junior Champion and into his first Final ever
in an ASP World Tour event, was unable to find a rhythm against
Parkinson, only grabbing a 7.00 out of a possible 10 as a noteworthy
score.
“I
saw Kirra break a couple of years ago but I am too young to have seen
it break like it has in the past,” De Souza said. “These are the best
waves so far during my time in Australia. I am really glad with
everything. Second Place for me is an amazing result. I will just keep
trying to do the same thing at the next event."
Despite
not claiming the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, De Souza’s Runner-Up finish
today sees him rocket to No. 2 on the ASP World Tour ratings, putting
himself in excellent position for the season ahead.
"It
was my first Final ever so I’m happy and glad with my performance,” De
Souza said. “I will just try to keep focused and determined for the
rest of the year. It is amazing for me. It is a big thing that has
happened in my life this Final."
Mick
Fanning (AUS), 27, former ASP World Champion (2007) and two-time past
winner of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast (’05, ’07), surfed the heat of
the event this morning, narrowly going down to Parkinson, 19.93 to
17.66.
“Cyclone
Hamish turned it on for us,” Fanning said. “It’s one of those days
where you can have one of the best surfs of your life or one of the
worst surfs of your life. It wasn’t the best surf of my life, but it
was definitely up there.”
The
incredible conditions provided the ideal forum for the two locals to
raise the performance bar, and while the lead flip-flopped several
times throughout the Semifinal, it was Parkinson’s perfect 10 that
would nail the coffin shut.
“I
didn’t see Joel’s 9.90 but I saw his 10,” Fanning said. “When his head
popped out, I knew. I said to myself I would give that a 10.
Congratulations to him, he surfed an awesome heat.”
Taj
Burrow (AUS), 30, finished Equal 3rd at today’s Quiksilver Pro Gold
Coast, going down to eventual event Runner-Up De Souza in Semifinal 2.
“I
felt really lost at sea,” Burrow said. “It was a total lucky dip, then
the wind squall came through and it got even more wild and washed out.
Every time a wave came that looked any good, Adriano [de Souza] was
sitting next to me with priority. I was just really unlucky. Last time
I surfed here, I got a perfect 10 as a wildcard, so I have good
memories of Kirra. I would have loved a 10 at the end of that heat. I’m
just looking forward to the next event now.”
Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast will be available via www.quiksilverpro.com.au
The next stop on the 2009 ASP World Tour will be the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach from April 7 – 18, 2009.
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.83
2 – Adriano de Souza (BRA) 11.30
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 19.93 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.66
SF 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.84 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 5.34
CURRENT ASP WORLD TOUR TOP 5:
1. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 1200 points
2. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 1032 points
3. Taj Burrow (AUS) 876 points
3. Mick Fanning (AUS) 876 points
5. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 732 points
5. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 732 points
5. Adrian Buchan (AUS)732 points
5. Damien Hobgood (USA) 732 points |
|
Surfing's Greatest Rivalries by Transworld Surf
OCEANSIDE,
California (Saturday, December 13, 2008) - Every sport needs rivalries.
These mini-wars make watching football, baseball, soccer, and every
other sport we love that much more exciting. How boring would baseball
be if the Yankees didn’t hate the Red Sox? What if all the players on
the Lakers and the Bulls were bros? What if Muhammad Ali and Joe
Frazier just talked it out instead of bashing each...
See who topped the list at Transworld’s ’Surfing’s Greatest Rivalries’
For more on Kelly Slater, check out his ASP WORLD TOUR PROFILE
For more on Andy Irons, check out his ASP WORLD TOUR PROFILE
Billabong Pipeline Masters Is In The Water
BANZAI PIPELINE, Hawaii (Tuesday, December 9, 2008) – Round
1 of the Billabong Pipeline Masters will hit the water at 8am. Surf is
in the five to seven foot range and building. The ASP Dual Heat format
will be utilized meaning all of Round 1 and half of Round 2 will be
completed today.
Forty
of the 64 surfers competing in the 2008 Billabong Pipeline Masters are
full-time ASP World Tour competitors. The rest of the field is
comprised of five replacement surfers, three event-nominated wildcards,
14 Pipeline specialists, one Tahitian invitee and one Vans Triple Crown
contender.
Replacement
surfers, wildcards and the lowest seeded surfers on the ASP World Tour
will surf first in Round 1 with the middle and higher rated surfers
seeded into Rounds 2 and 3 respectively.
ASP
World Tour surfer Ben Bourgeious (USA) pulled out of the event citing
injury today and has been replaced by Reef McIntosh (HAW). As
previously reported, Neco Padaratz (BRA) and Jordy Smith (ZAF) are also
out with injuries and Travis Logie (ZAF) declined his spot for personal
reasons.
As
the final competition on the 11-stop 2008 ASP World Tour, the Billabong
Pipeline Masters is the last chance surfers have to cement their spot
on the 2009 tour. Only 27 of the Top 45 surfers on the ASP World Tour
requalify at year’s end with the remaining 18 competitors earning spots
via finishing Top 15 on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) or
receiving one of three ASP wildcard spots.
The
scenarios for the 2008 ASP World Tour ratings possibilities can be
found here:
http://www.aspworldtour.com/2008/pdf/2008_aspwt_possibilities.pdf.
COCO HO FIASCO: Finals Is No Place For Teamwork
On
a day when the youngest-ever Vans Triple Crown of Surfing winner is
crowned, it would seem 16-year-old Carissa Moore would be at the center
of the contest buzz. Yet it’s fourth-place finisher Coco Ho’s
questionable tactics in the conclusion of yesterday’s Reef Hawaiian Pro
that’s drawing the most attention.
In
the last minute of the Final, Layne found herself needing a bit more
than a six to advance, and as a set wave approached, Coco—who was in
last, with no possibility of taking the win—deliberately took off in
front of Layne, destroying any chances of her receiving a decent score
on the wave. Essentially, Coco was perceived to be blocking Layne in an
attempt to secure her friend Carissa’s win.
After
the heat, Layne was visibly disappointed, but seemed to take it in
stride, saying, “It was pretty good Hawaiian teamwork… That’s what
happens here in Hawai’i.” But in the competitors’ area, where some of
ASP Top 17 surfers and others from ASP WQS looked on, the reactions
were impassioned
The
ASP is taking the offense seriously and has just released an official
statement, saying: “The ASP is actively investigating the possible
violation of its competition rules which may have occurred in the Final
between Coco Ho and Layne Beachley on Thursday, November 20, 2008 at
the ASP WQS 6-Star Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa. The ASP takes the
enforcement of its competition and sportsmanship rules very seriously.
The ASP Rules and Discipline Judge Robert Gerard will be interviewing
the involved athletes and witnesses, and reviewing videotape of the
incident on Saturday morning. As always, Robert will not be issuing a
decision once all variables have been analyzed and is confident that a
fair outcome will be delivered.”
Kelly Slater Wins 9th ASP World Tour Title
MUNDAKA, Spain (Friday, October 3, 2008)
– Kelly Slater, 36, has won a record ninth ASP World Title after
advancing out of Round 3 of the Billabong Pro Mundaka – the ninth event
of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour. Slater came into the event needing an
equal ninth finish to clinch the title, he secured that by beating
local wildcard Eneko Acero (EUK) in four foot waves at Mundaka this
morning.
“It’s
going to take a little while to sink in,” Slater said when mobbed at
the water’s edge. “I’m probably going to have to call home and talk to
family for it to really hit me.”
Slater’s
2008 crowning comes 16 years after securing his first ASP World Title
at age 20. He is the oldest and youngest surfer in ASP history to win a
world title. The now nine-time ASP World Champion joined the tour in
1991 and won his first ASP World Title in 1992.
When
asked if he had ever dreamed about achieving such a feat when he came
onto the scene 17 years ago, Slater was close to speechless.
“I never even thought about it,” Slater said. “It never even popped into my head. It’s crazy.”
Despite
entering his 14th year on tour already the owner of most every accolade
in professional surfing, 2008 has been a banner year for Slater. With
five wins in the first seven events of the year, a second place finish
at the last event in France and a Round 4 berth at the Billabong Pro
Mundaka later today, Slater is on track to post his most successful
season to date. Slater’s winning average in 2008 is 89 percent at
present.
“I
felt a lot more at ease this year,” Slater said. “It’s probably my
personal life. That’s the biggest change in my life. I’m happy and
settled and I’ve got the support there that just feels amazing. Nothing
else has really changed, I’ve worked with my boards a little bit here
and there and I’ve always worked on my mind and my emotions, but
something just really clicked into place this year.”
After
winning his first ASP World Tour title in 1992 and claiming five titles
in a row from 1994 to 1998, Slater went into semi-retirement at age 26
citing burnout and lack of motivation. He returned to the tour
full-time in 2003, lost a heart-wrenching title race to Andy Irons
(HAW) that same year, and wasn’t able to reclaim the crown until 2005.
Slater cruised to title No. 8 in 2006, finished World No. 3 in 2007 and
is once again World No. 1 after winning his ninth ASP World Title
today.
“In
1996 I had a good year – I won 7 out of 13,” Slater said. “In 1996 I
won five events of 12 – but both years I was counting ninths at the end
of the year. This year I’ve won five events of eight, I’m sitting on a
second and I still have a throwaway to spare. The depth of success I’ve
had this season is the deepest of my career.”
With
such a monumental lead so early in the season, it was less a matter of
if Slater would win the title, and more a matter of when.
“I
think there were key heats this year, a few I had with Taj, Parko and
even Bobby in Fiji, where I got waves under the other surfers’ priority
and won important heats, that it really sunk in that it was going to
happen,” Slater said. “It was probably JBay where it really sunk in.”
Slater
was quick to acknowledge 2007 ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) and
the support he’s given him both professionally and personally today.
“When
Mick won last year I was obviously really stoked for him.” Slater said.
“I think I knew from the first contest last year that Mick was going to
win. He was really focused and he didn’t have anything standing in his
way mentally or emotionally. He was the one person who sent me text
when I was looking at leaving that said, ‘We need you to stay on tour.
Don’t worry, you’ll find that personal stuff. It will happen,’ and now
it has. Even though he is the toughest competitor on tour he’s always
been a good friend and I have a lot of respect for Mick.”
Because
Slater lost interest after winning five titles in a row from ’94 to
’98, and then toyed with retirement again after winning No. 7 and No. 8
right after each other, it would seem like winning back to back titles
might have lost its appeal for the world’s most decorated surfer.
“No,
winning them back to back is still pretty sweet,” Slater said with a
smile. “If I can go back to back starting now that would be pretty
sweet. It is really nice to come back and win it after you lost it the
year before though. I’m sure if Mick were to come back and win one, or
Andy were to come back and win one – C.J., any of those guys, they
would definitely say how sweet it is to win it again.”
For Kelly Slater’s complete biography and career details visit www.aspworldtour.com/kellyslater.
Adrian Buchan Beats Kelly Slater to be Crowned Quiksilver Pro France Champion
Hossegor, France (Wednesday, September 24, 2008)
– Adrian Buchan (AUS) has beaten eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly
Slater (USA) to win his first ever ASP World Tour event – the
Quiksilver Pro France – in Hossegor, France today.
Buchan
beat Slater 15.73 to 15.16 in a tight heat held at Les Bourdaines this
afternoon. The final berth was the first of Buchan’s ASP World Tour
career. Prior to winning the Quiksilver Pro France, Buchan he had never
advanced from the quarterfinal round.
“I
can’t believe it, to have Kelly in the final and to beat him, I am
speechless,” Buchan said. “He is my hero. I have watched him win five
events this year – he has just been phenomenal. He sets the bar so high
for all of us guys, I am really thankful that surfing has got such a
great custodian."
Had
Buchan lost the heat, Slater would have clinched his ninth ASP World
Title. Buchan led the heat for most of the 35-minute affair with Slater
needing a very attainable 7.51 to change the situation. The eight-time
ASP World Champion caught a wave with seconds to go but came up short.
“I
tried not to think about it paddling out for the final,” Buchan said.
“I had visions of him winning the title but I just tried to focus on
myself and what I had to do out there – get two really good waves.
Luckily Kelly did not get that one at the end."
Buchan,
who has been on tour for three years, spent the first half of his
rookie year injured. He earned an injury wildcard to compete on the
tour in 2007 and finished the year rated 19th. He jumps to world No. 9
with this result.
“I
have been injured so obviously doing well and to have a win today makes
it all sweet,” Buchan said. “My goal this year was to finish in the top
10 so we’ll see, we might have to take a look at reassessing that."
Slater
dug deep in an effort to win his sixth event of the season, willing a
last minute wave to pop up in the dying seconds. Despite needing a
relatively small score, he was unable to pull out the last-minute
comeback he’s renowned for.
“It’s
cool that it came down to a wave in the end, at least it made it
interesting,” Slater said. “Truth is though, Ace was more in sync with
it. He got those open face ones and did the turns. I had one wave I
surfed pretty good on that I knew was going to get me back in it. Then
I just needed a chance in the end but there wasn’t quite enough time –
I should have pushed for a 40-minute final.”
Slater
only earned a 2.23 on the wave he caught with three seconds left. He
will now have to wait until the next event in Mundaka to have another
chance to clinch.
“I
didn’t think I had the chance to win with that last ride,” Slater said.
“I would have been bummed if they gave me the score on it. Maybe people
didn’t see it, but my foot came off, I didn’t make that 360 very clean
and I didn’t really get above the lip on that air. Maybe if there would
have been a punt section where I could have done a big air I could have
possibly gotten the score, but I knew that score wasn’t going to be
close. It’s frustrating though, to be so close – literally one score
away from winning the title. I guess at this point I’m two heat wins
from winning the title.”
If
Kelly finishes 9th or better in Mundaka he will win the world title. If
he bows out with a 17th or 33rd and Mick Fanning (AUS) or Taj Burrow
(AUS) win the event, the race continues until Brazil.
Slater
beat Adriano de Souza (BRA) in the semifinals today. De Souza and
Slater have now met eight times, with Slater getting the best of the
Brazilian each time. De Souza moves to World No. 4 with the result.
“It
is great to surf against Kelly,” de Souza said. “He pushes my level
further and forces you to put so much energy into the heat. I learned
so much from this heat and I hope that next time I can get past that
one. I am really proud. I came to Europe to get some really good
results and I did already so I am really happy. Making the semis is a
really good result for me so I hope I can keep it up and stay in the
Top 10 –that is my main focus this year.”
Buchan beat Damien Hobgood (USA) in the semifinals en route to his maiden victory.
"I
never really had a stellar heat the whole contest, so that was kind of
a bummer but I’m really stoked with this result and hopefully I can
build some momentum,” Hobgood said. “This is the result I needed to get
my year started. It is a good start to the end of the year for me."
Hobgood
moved from 31st to 26th on the ASP World Tour ratings with the result.
Only the Top 27 ASP World Tour surfers at year’s end automatically
requalify for the following year.
The ASP Top 45 will now head to Mundaka in the Basque Country of Spain for the ninth stop of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour.
For more details visit: www.aspworldtour.com and www.quiksilverlive.com.
Final Quiksilver Pro France Results:
Final: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.74 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 15.16
Semifinal Quiksilver Pro France Results:
Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.90 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.97
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.17 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 8.83
Quarterfinal Quiksilver Pro France Results:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.93 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 12.40
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.50 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 12.33
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 17.00 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 13.34
Heat 4: Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.34 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.00
Round 4 Quiksilver Pro France Results:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 9.50 def. Dayyan Neve (AUS) 9.33
Heat 2: Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.66 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 12.00
Heat 3: Mick Campbell (AUS) 14.00 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 11.17
Heat 4: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.27 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 14.77
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) 16.50 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.33
Heat 6: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.50 def. Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 10.66
Heat 7: Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.50 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.57
Heat 8: Damien Hobgood (USA) 8.67 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.50
Top 10 ASP World Tour Ratings after the Quiksilver Pro France:
1. Kelly Slater (USA) - 7852 points
2. Taj Burrow (AUS) - 6002 points
3. Bede Durbidge (AUS) – 5668 points
4. Adriano De Souza (BRA) – 5426 points
5. Joel Parkinson (AUS) - 5373 points
6. Mick Fanning (AUS) - 5310 points
7. Bobby Martinez (USA) - 5092 points
8. CJ Hobgood (USA) - 4880 points
9. Adrian Buchan (AUS) - 4719 points
10. Jeremy Flores (FRA) - 4407 points
Slater Wins Hard-Fought Battle Over Burrow for Boost Mobile Pro Title
SAN CLEMENTE, California (Thursday, September 11, 2008) - Kelly
Slater (USA), 36, defeated Taj Burrow (AUS), 30, 18.97 to 18.63 to win
an unprecedented third Boost Mobile Pro title at Lower Trestles today,
and a staggering fifth win on the 2008 ASP World Tour.
Burrow
blitzed early and with a 9.00 and 9.63 in his scoreline before the
halfway mark, had Slater looking for a combination of excellent scoring
waves to contend. In sheer Slater fashion, the eight-time ASP World
Champion fought his way back to claim victory – his fifth of the season.
“I
was literally out there just trying to save face, I thought Taj had me
– he was on fire,” Slater said. “I was just trying to get out of combo
and put on a good show for everybody. I got a 9.7 on a smaller wave
that had a clean face and let me get a lot of speed and some big carves
and that let me get back in.”
Even
with the 9.7, Slater was still searching for an 8.93. Burrow gave
Slater a very average looking wave with less than two minutes to go – a
mistake that cost him the win and a healthy prize purse. Hurley, the
presenting sponsor of the event, threw an additional US$45,000 on top
of the standard US$30,000 first place prize purse – the winner of the
Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley took home US$75,000 today.
“Taj
had priority and he let that wave go because it was the first wave and
he probably thought it was going to be bumpy but it let me do a lot on
it,” Slater said. “It was a really good wave, but it was the first wave
of the set.”
To
add insult to Burrow’s injury, the final was five minutes longer than
the standard ASP final which is usually 35-minutes in duration. Slater
talked Burrow and the contest director into lengthening the heat before
they paddled out and that was the difference today.
“We
went over and talked to Snips (contest director Mike Parsons) before
the heat,” Slater said. “Taj wanted to do a 35-minute heat and I
said,‘Why don’t we do a 40 minute final, we’ve got all the time in the
world this afternoon.’ If we had done a 35-minute heat I would have
lost.”
Burrow wore his disappointment at today’s loss on his sleeve.
“I
felt like I won,” Burrow said. “I don’t think that wave had the scoring
potential. I just had a feeling that they were going to give it to him.
He had a lot of energy about him. He’s Kelly and he finished it. He got
to the end and I knew it was going to be a good score. I don’t know
what else I could have done. I picked the best waves and surfed them
really well so it’s frustrating. He was really hungry and ended up
clinching it.”
Burrow jumped from ASP World No. 4 to World No. 2 with the result but it was of little consolation.
“I
don’t really care about the ratings because I know Kelly is so far
ahead that it’s almost impossible to catch him,” Burrow said. “I just
wanted to win the event and I thought I did and now I didn’t, so I’m
frustrated.”
Slater
has to win the event at the next tour stop in France to seal the deal
on title No. 9 there. And even if he does win, should Burrow finish 3rd
or ASP World No. 3 Bede Durbidge (AUS), 25, or ASP World No. 5 Mick
Fanning (AUS), 27, make the final, the race will continue until the
following stop in Mundaka, Spain. ASP World No. 4 Joel Parkinson (AUS),
27, only stays in World Title contention if Slater finishes second or
lower in France. Had Burrow won today, Slater would not have been
mathematically capable of clinching the title at the next event.
Slater
beat 2006 Boost Mobile Pro Champion Bede Durbidge (AUS), 25, in the
semifinal round. The heat was a flashback to the 2006 Lower Trestles
final the two shared – but with a different outcome.
“I
had the opportunity to make the final on the last wave and my front
foot slipped and I got caught behind the section,” Durbidge said. “We
didn’t get the best waves in that heat and there weren’t many
opportunities. The heat came down to the wire and I tried my hardest
and that’s all you can do.”
Durbidge maintains his ASP World No. 3 rating with the result.
“I definitely had a good event,” Durbidge said. "I felt really good. I have a good board and I’ll take that to Europe and try to keep the ball rolling.”
Burrow
had to get past France’s Jeremy Flores, 20, to make today’s Final. Like
nearly all of the heats held today, the competition was close.
“I
think these are the conditions that Taj (Burrow) surfs the best in –the
little rights with the onshore winds,” Flores said. “I tried my best
and it’s okay. I gave him a go. I came here with no goal at all. I came
here to get just a few waves as a warm up for France and it ended up
good.”
Flores,
who was ASP Rookie of the Year in 2007, made it to the Semifinals of
the Boost Mobile Pro last year too. He is back in the Top 10 after
today’s equal third finish.
“I think I had harder heats this year,” Flores said. “So I’m happier with the result this year compared to last year.”
California’s
Bobby Martinez, 26, and Dane Reynolds, 23, made the quarterfinals, as
did Fanning and Brazilian rookie Heitor Alves, 26.
The next stop on the 2008 ASP World Tour will start on September 19 in Hossegor, France.
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