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Monday, December 11, 2000
Triple Crown of Hawaii's Sunny Garcia, who already has clinched the world surfing championship, claimed a record fifth Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title yesterday without getting his feet wet.
Surfing academic
Sunny Garcia of Kauai wins the
title after competitor bows out
at the Pipeline MastersStar-Bulletin staff
Holding a giant lead on the Vans Triple Crown ratings coming into the 30th anniversary Mountain Dew Gerry Lopez Pipeline Masters, the only person mathematically capable of overtaking Garcia was Kaipo Jaquias of Kauai.
However, Jaquias' elimination in the pre-trials yesterday in less-than optimal conditions at Pipeline put the win beyond doubt for Garcia.
The only question mark remaining for Garcia now is can he win one more event to become the first surfer to ever win all three Triple Crown tournaments during the same winter.
Garcia, 30, amassed enough ratings points nearly two months ago to secure his first Association of Surfing Professionals world title. He then entered Hawaiian waters last month hunting a record- breaking fifth Triple Crown.
He set the pace by winning the G-Shock Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa then followed it up with another victory last week in the Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach.
With Garcia watching from the beach, Jaquias placed third in his opening match, thus handing Garcia the title as well as a Ford Ranger truck and $7,500.
"I'm pretty stoked," Garcia said. "I saw the guys driving the truck this morning and told them, 'Make sure you polish that thing up good.'
"I'm feeling good," he said when asked about his chances at Pipeline, an event he has yet to win. "I've been staying here for the past six weeks, so I've been getting some good practice. Hopefully now that they've gotten the trials out of the way they will be able to wait for better waves.
"It wasn't as good as the guys would have liked it to be today, but hopefully it will be better for the main event."
A lag in the arrival of a large, new swell resulted in a late start and early finish to yesterday's pre-trial rounds. Forecast to build to 10-12 feet, the swell did not materialize and the average 4-6 foot conditions were further aggravated by a light onshore breeze.
Advancing to the semifinals were Hawaii's Roy Powers, Pancho Sullivan, Braden Dias, Derek Ho and defending pre-trials champion Tamayo Perry, Tiago Pires of Portugal, Carlos Cabrero of Puerto Rico, and Joel Tudor of California.
The semifinals and final of the pre-trials will run on the next day of competition. The goal of the remaining competitors is to finish in the top two spots of the final, thereby earning a wildcard berth into the main event of the 30th Pipe Masters.
Two wildcard berths already have been awarded to six-time ASP world champion Kelly Slater of Florida and 1999 Pipe Masters runner-up Shane Wehner of Australia.