Hawaii Beat
Shane Dorian beat out his good friend, Sunny Garcia, in an all-Hawaii showdown for the men's championship of the Rip Curl Pro surfing meet at Bells Beach, Australia, yesterday. Dorian beats Garcia
for Rip Curl surf titleDorian, who was beaten in last year's final by Australian Mark Occhilupo, claimed the 1999 title with a comeback effort that shot him past Garcia by a margin of 1.10 points. Dorian finished with 24.75, Garcia with 23.65.
In the semifinals, Dorian defeated Todd Prestage and Garcia eliminated Occhilupo.
Dorian pocketed the grand prize of $16,000 and climbed to second place in the G-Shock ASP world rankings behind Aussie Beau Emorton. Garcia won $8,000 and the No. 4 spot in the world.
Hawaii's Megan Abubo finished the SunSmart Classic women's competition with a share of third place after bowing in the semifinals to Layne Beachley, who went on to take the title with a victory over fellow Aussie Sandie Dryden.
Abubo is No. 6 in the world women's rankings.
Acia-Hayashi team leads
Defending champions Rodney Acia and Kevin Hayashi took a two-stroke lead 0over Mark Morrison and Scott Gileta into today's final round of the 36-hole Big Island Candies Scotch Four Tournament at the Hapuna Golf Course on the Big Island.
Acia and Hayashi shot a 65. The Morrison-Gileta tandem had a 67 and the third-place team of Joe Root and Dennis Rose was another shot back.
Kotaka, Chinen excel
George Kotaka won a kumite gold medal and Barbara Chinen brought home a kumite bronze medal while representing Hawaii and the U.S. in the recent Pan American Karate Championships at Havana, Cuba.
Kotaka and Chinen, both 21, qualified for the Pan American Games, to be held in July at Winnipeg, Canada.
HPU sweeps UH-Hilo
Jennifer Monzon pitched a five-hitter in the first game and Susie Schoales flipped a for-hitter in the nightcap as Hawaii Pacific defeated Hawaii-Hilo, 2-0 and 1-0, in a softball doubleheader yesterday on the Vulcans' diamond.
Felissa Pascua's two-run homer in the second inning gave Monzon the first-game nod over UH-Hilo's Lori Vasquez, who also allowed just five hits.
Jarnett Lono scored the only run in the second game on Star Perry's sacrifice fly in the fourth.
The Sea Warriors are 26-2-1,the Vulcans 19-15 this season.