Second leg of surfing's Triple Crown under way Sunset is the site for the World Cup
By Greg Ambrose
Star-BulletinWith the first leg of competition completed, this G-Shock Triple Crown of Surfing is starting out as the year of Hawaiian aloha. Local surfers made it to the final heat of all three OP Pro divisions at Haleiwa, but the victors were Brazilian Tita Tavares, Australian Nathan Hedge and transplanted Australian Tony Ray of Santa Cruz, Calif.
For the next 11 days, a flotilla of international professional surfers will hold Sunset Beach hostage as they compete in three separate events that comprise the second gem of the Triple Crown.
A new sponsor, wetsuit manufacturer Rip Curl of Australia, has bumped up the World Cup to a four-star World Qualifying Series event with $80,000 in prize money.
It's the last WQS contest of the season, and the top 16 WQS finishers will earn a berth on next year's elite World Championship Tour. Big Island surfer Conan Hayes needs a terrific finish in the Rip Curl World Cup to keep his spot on the WCT.
A good World Cup placing also would assure Honolulu rookie Shawn Sutton another season on the WCT. Although Oahu pro John Shimooka broke his right ankle practicing at Backdoor Pipeline and will miss the Triple Crown events, he already has qualified for next year's WCT.
The women's season will end with the $12,500 four-star Roxy Pro WQS and the $25,000 Roxy Pro WCT finale, both at Sunset Beach. Kauai's Keala Kennelly has no hope of making it into the WCT even with a double victory. But Megan Abubo of Waialua would be richly rewarded for good results.
"I need to get fifth in the Roxy contest to make it onto the WCT, and then go all out to win the Triple Crown," Abubo said.
Hawaii's Rochelle Ballard is No. 1 in the WQS ratings and could make Abubo's task easier by requalifying for the WCT through the Roxy Pro, thus freeing up a slot for Abubo.
The facts
What Rip Curl World Cup of Surfing by Zeal Optics, and Roxy Women's Pro.
