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Egan outlasts Irons
in ninth round
MUNDAKA, Spain » With weather fit for anything but California dreaming -- the rain was cold and non-stop -- a hefty crowd of surfing buffs turned out as Australia's Luke Egan won the ninth round of the World Championship Tour.
Egan beat the favored American -- defending, two-time titlist Andy Irons -- on Saturday, although the latter still tops the standings comfortably with two rounds to go -- in Brazil and his native Hawaii -- before the Association of Surfing Professionals proclaims its champion in December.
Irons played down his loss.
"No, I'm not dissapointed," said the Kauai native. "I hope to achieve the championship, but there will be a lot of competition."
A total of 45 surfers, many of them Americans and Australians, took part in this competition that began on Oct. 5.
The Basque coastal town of Mundaka, population 1,800, located 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Bilbao, is often chosen for the surfing tour because its waves are unusually good by European standards. They're long, steady and tube-like.
But on Saturday strong currents interferred, making them break more quickly.
