Australian Adam Melling, from Lennox Head NSW, has won the US$250,000 VANS World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach, Hawaii - exactly what he needed to retain a position on the ASP World Tour for 2013. Melling, 27, won US$40,000 and moved to equal second on the VANS Triple Crown series ratings.
North Shore's John John Florence, the defending champion of the VANS World Cup of Surfing and the VANS Triple Crown series title, posted the highest heat score of the event at Sunset Beach today - 17.8 points out of 20. This is the third of four days of competition and Florence heads into tomorrow's World Cup final rounds as the man to beat.
The 28th annual Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau official opening ceremony and blessing will take place tomorrow, November 29, 3pm, at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu. The ceremony will feature this year's 28 Invitees, including newly elected riders John John Florence (Hawaii), Ian Walsh (Maui), and Alex Gray (California), as well as former "Eddie" champions Kelly Slater (Florida), Greg Long (California), and Ross Clarke-Jones (Australia). The surfers will be joined by members of the Aikau family, including Eddie's younger brother and Invitee Clyde Aikau.
The Vans World Cup of Surfing - the second jewel of the 30th anniversary Vans Triple Crown of Surfing hydrated by vitaminwater - hit the waves at Sunset Beach today in a new double-overhead swell. At this size, Sunset can be even more challenging than on the giant, life-threatening days, and a 30-minute heat can dissolve faster than salt in water.
Twenty-one intrepid big wave paddle-in surfers from around the world have been invited to take on the menacing wave giant known as Jaws for the inaugural RED BULL JAWS, Paddle at Pe'ahi. With no assistance from motorized personal watercraft to catch these monstrous waves, the athletes competing in RED BULL JAWS will drop-in on one ideal day during the period of December 7, 2012, to March 15, 2013.
The VANS World Cup of Surfing is officially underway at Sunset Beach today, with waves in the 5-7 foot range. The second jewel of the $1M VANS Triple Crown of Surfing hydrated by vitaminwater, the VANS World Cup will require four full days of competition between now and December 6.
Kelia Moniz (HAW) has won the SWATCH Girls Pro China 2012 hosted by Wanning over Chelsea Williams (AUS), claiming her maiden ASP Women's World Longboard Title. The pair repeated history by meeting in the Final as they did at last year's SWATCH Girls Pro China, where Williams won, but today it was Moniz who took top honours.
Kauai's Sebastian Zietz, 24, has posted the first major win of his five-year pro surfing career at the REEF Hawaiian Pro today to qualify for the 2013 elite ASP World Tour. Accounting for talent like John John Florence (HAW), Sunny Garcia (HAW), Julian Wilson (AUS) and Alejo Muniz (BRZ) along the way, Zietz earned $40,000 in prize money and now leads the 30th anniversary Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series ratings.
The SWATCH Girls Pro China 2012 hosted by Wanning got off to a flying start at Riyuewan Bay today, with Rounds 1 and most of Round 2 completed in small 1 - 2 foot (0.5 - 1 meter) long left handed waves. The competitors were forced to put it all on the line to win their heats as this is the event that will decide the 2012 ASP Women's World Longboard Champion.
This week's champion of the REEF Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa - the first jewel of the VANS Triple Crown of Surfing - will not only pocket $40,000 for the win, but will also get a head start toward the record $100,000 bonus that awaits this year's VANS Triple Crown champion. The $100K haul is on the table this winter in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the series.
