Thursday, 17 November, 2005
Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA
Photo courtesy of www.aspworldtour.com
Live on www.aspworldtour.com and www.roxy.com/roxypro
The Roxy Pro Hawaii is again on hold, but with half of the 12 day waiting period still remaining and a promising swell forecast for the remainder of the window, event officials are confident that the worlds top women surfers will enjoy first-rate conditions when the event does get underway. The Roxy Pro Hawaii is the first event of three comprising the womens Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.Underway at Alii Beach Park, Haleiwa today, however, is rounds two and three of the Op Pro Hawaii, the first event of the mens Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Competitors are currently contesting eight to 12 foot surf similar to that which they braved yesterday.
Of immense interest to fans yesterday was the performance given by young Jon Jon Florence, a 13-year-old Hawaiian whose entry into the event made him the youngest man to surf in the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series. Though he was eliminated in the second round, Florences big wave prowess did not go unnoticed. Dwarfed by the 15 foot faces, the young surfer charged the tricky conditions with confidence.
It is young Hawaiian Carissa Moore, however, who holds the record as the youngest competitor ever in Triple Crown history. Moore, a trialist hoping to earn entry into the main event of this year’s Roxy Pro Hawaii, was just 11 when she surfed in the 2003 Roxy Pro Hawaii in Haleiwa. She advanced through to the quarterfinals of that competition.
Moore narrowly missed earning a wildcard spot into the first event of the year, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast. She lost the trials final to 17-year-old Stephanie Gilmore, the Australian wildcard who went on to win the entire event. Moore was named Surfer Poll Breakthrough Surfer of the Year in 2004.
Also surfing in the Roxy Pro Hawaii trials will be 15-year-old Bethany Hamilton (HAW). Despite losing her arm in a 2003 shark attack, Hamilton has had five top three competition finishes in the last two and a half years.
Make sure to log on to www.aspworldtour.com and www.roxy.com/roxypro to stay up to date on the event status. Log on to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com to watch the Op Pro LIVE!