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Monday, April 24, 2000

By Pierre Tostee, Special to the Star-Bulletin
Hawaii's Sunny Garcia rips in his fourth-round heat at the Rip Curl Pro.

Energetic Garcia
charges 6-foot sets
at Rip Curl Pro

Hawaii surfer advances at the
Australian event; Abubo
wins women's title

Star-Bulletin wire services

BELLS BEACH, Victoria, Australia -- Current ratings leader Sunny Garcia of Hawaii continued his domination of recent professional surfing events today with a convincing win of his fourth round heat in the Rip Curl Pro.

Garcia is experiencing the biggest competitive roll of his surfing career, having just taken out the first World Championship Tour event of the year at the Billabong Pro, Queensland, Australia, and the ASP specialty Da Hui "Shoot-Out" on the North Shore in which he collected $50,000, as well as his fourth Triple Crown of Surfing title in Hawaii last December. His focus is on the elusive world title though, and while a long way off, today's win helped the cause.

In unexpected, solid 6-foot conditions up against America's Cory Lopez, Garcia posted the first 9.0-point ride of the event, beating Lopez 24.75 points to 18.15. Garcia credited his explosive performance to the newly introduced jet-ski assistance program and his preference for the windy conditions at Bells Beach.

"I enjoy surfing sloppy waves." Garcia said. "I think this kind of wave suits my style. I've lost about 20 pounds and I feel like I have more energy and am not so slow and lazy, so I feel better and I look better.

"The new rule with the jet-ski, you can take full advantage. Instead of paddling for more than half the heat, you can get out and catch more waves without using so much energy. Save that energy for surfing. It'll come down to the better surfing, instead of who can paddle faster.

Australia's world No. 2 Taj Burrow was also in sensational form, posting the highest total heat score of the event and equaling Garcia's 9.0-point ride.

Over the weekend, Oahu's Megan Abubo won her first World Championship Tour event for 2000 when she defeated Kauai's Rochelle Ballard in the first all-Hawaii SunSmart Classic final at Bells Beach.

The 22-year-old surfed brilliantly, leading for the majority of the 35-minute final, securing her second WCT career win on her second to last ride. The 8.0 point ride was the highest single wave of the final, giving her a total point score of 18.90, over Ballard's 18.75.

Australia's Neridah Falconer and Brazil's Maria Tavares tied for third.