Category: ASP (WSL) Surfing News 2005-2015

Rip Curl Pro pres. by Snickers

Stop No. 2 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour

Rip Curl Women’s Pro pres. by Ford Fiesta

Stop No. 2 of 8 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour

Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia

March 18 – 29, 2008

Stephanie Gilmore Wins 2008 Rip Curl Women’s Pro pres. by Ford Fiesta

Pictured: Reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) came from behind with five minutes remaining to defeat current World No. 1 Sofia Mulanovich and claim her second consecutive Rip Curl Women’s Pro title.

BELLS BEACH, Australia (Monday, Mar. 24, 2008) – Reigning ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) has defeated 2004 ASP Women’s World Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) to claim the 2008 Rip Curl Women’s Pro presented by Ford Fiesta in classic four-to-six foot (2 metre) surf at Bells Beach today.… Read the rest

Teahupoo Bares its Teeth as ASP Top 45 Prepare for Billabong Pro Tahiti

Pictured: Damien Hobgood takes a spill at Teahupoo in 2007.

COOLANGATTA, Australia (Thursday, Apr. 23, 2008)–The next stop on the 2008 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Tahiti pres. by Air Tahiti Nui, could commence sans its defending champion Damien Hobgood (USA).Hobgood, who was free-surfing at the upcoming contest venue of Teahupoo on Monday, April 14, 2008, hesitated on an eight foot set wave, got caught on the lip and was subsequently piledriven onto the razor-sharp reef. He fractured his shoulder in three places, suffered a gash to the head and shredded his back on the coral.

“I knew I was going over,” Hobgood said. “I got pushed straight onto the reef. I knew I had hit hard and hit my head. I was trying to stay conscious and not fight it but also not blackout.”… Read the rest

ASP World Masters Championships

Barra de Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro

June 30 – July 6, 2008

Pictured: Brazil will host the 2008 ASP World Masters Championships

COOLANGATTA, Australia (Wednesday, May 7, 2008) – For the first time in five years, the ASP World Masters Championships will assemble some of the most legendary names in professional surfing to Rio de Janeiro’s Barra de Tijuca from June 30 through July 6, 2008 to crown the 2008 ASP World Masters and ASP World Grand Masters Champions.

The Rio Masters will feature two divisions in the ASP Masters (surfers aged over 35) and the ASP Grand Masters (surfers aged over 47). The top 14 in each division are invited directly off of ASP career ratings (points being accrued by winning ASP World Titles, Top 5 World rankings, Top 10 World rankings and time spent on the ASP World Tour).“To… Read the rest

Globe Pro Fiji

Stop No. 4 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour

Cloudbreak/Restaurants, Tavarua/Namotu, Fiji

May 24–June 6, 2008

Patacchia Shows Irons Early Exit from the Globe Pro Fiji
[img align=center]http://images.mailermailer.com/image/6691782u/3625/pattachia3744fiji08kirstin_l.jpg[/img]
Photo: Fred Patacchia en route to Round 4 at Cloudbreak.

TAVARUA, Fiji (Tuesday, May 27, 2008) – Three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons (HAW) was the first big seed to fall in the fourth event of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour. The current World No. 4 was eliminated by fellow Hawaiian Fred Patacchia in Round 3 of the Globe Pro Fiji today.“It’s always a confidence boost to take out one of the Top 5 guys,” Patacchia said. “Andy is a three-time world champion and one of the greatest contest surfers in the world. I’m hoping that since I did take him out, I go at least as far as he would have gone; it’s always a bummer to get taken out by a guy who loses in the next round.”… Read the rest

Billabong Pro Tahiti pres. by Air Tahiti Nui

Stop No. 3 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour

Teahupoo, Taiarapu, Tahiti

May 8-18, 2008

[img]http://www.aspworldtour.com/photos/tah08/santos1316tahiti08kirstin_l.jpg[/img]
Photo: Bruno Santos takes a victory lap through the channel after winning the Billabong Pro Tahiti.

TEAHUPOO, Tahiti (Thursday, May 15, 2008) – Brazilian wildcard Bruno Santos has defeated local wildcard Manoa Drollet (PYF) to win the Billabong Pro Tahiti and become the first Brazilian to win an ASP World Tour event in five years.“I’m really happy, my dreams just came true,” Santos said. “Today is not the perfect day to surf the final, but I don’t care I’m still happy. It’s still the best day of my life.”

Santos, who earned his spot in the Billabong Pro Tahiti with a runner-up finish in the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials held prior to the main event, got the better of local Teahupoo specialist Drollet in their low scoring affair.… Read the rest