Hawai‘i surfers fall to California counterparts by The Garden Island HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. —The 2008 Vans Pier Classic crowned Huntington Beach locals Shaun Ward and Courtney Conlogue as the winners in their respective divisions, while Brazilian transport Bruno Rodrigues took
Hawai‘i surfers fall to California counterparts
by The Garden Island
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. —The 2008 Vans Pier Classic crowned Huntington Beach locals Shaun Ward and Courtney Conlogue as the winners in their respective divisions, while Brazilian transport Bruno Rodrigues took down the Ezekiel Pro Junior.
The Association of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series 2-Star event culminated a week’s worth of action over the weekend, in contestable 2- to 4-feet peaks at Huntington Beach Pier.
Ward, who had been the standout surfer of the event, connected the dots in a hard-fought final against fellow contenders Dylan Graves, Brad Ettinger and Austin Ware.
“I’ve been training a lot, and putting a lot into my surfing,” Ward told the media. “I’m overwhelmed to win a ASP WQS at home, I’ve been trying for a long time, so I’m so excited to take the win at home. I’m off to Australia, so I hope I can keep the momentum going.”
Running in conjunction with the men’s division, the ASP WQS 2-Star Vans Pier Classic also ran a hotly contested women’s event, which saw youngster Conlogue take down fellow finalists Sage Erickson, Hanalei’s Nage Melamed and Lauren Sweeney.
“I felt pretty confident going into the finals,” Conlogue said. “I just wanted to go out there and win it. Last year I got second place, and I wanted to improve on that. My goal is just to surf as good as I can.”
The ASP Grade-2 Ezekiel Pro Junior was privy to some of the most sensational junior action all season as an international field of top talents took to the Huntington Beach peaks.
Brazilian transplant Rodrigues, who had been in domineering form in both the men’s and the junior’s division all week, proved unstoppable during the final against North America’s top juniors Travis Beckmann, and Adam Wickwire.
“I’m surfing Huntington every day, so the win feels great,” Rodrigues said. “I am living here in Huntington with my father now, and this place feels like home because my family is here. I just met my father, he is American, I have a family here now, so I feel like I’m an American, and I would love to represent the United States in the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships competition in Australia.”
Wickwire, defending ASP North America Pro Junior Champion, was keen to reestablish his dominance on this season’s ASP North America Pro Junior Series, but fell short in the final, with conditions deteriorating rapidly.
“It’s good to get back in the mix,” Wickwire said. “It feels good not to lose first heat. I was pretty far down on the ratings before now, and I’m looking to improve my rating, so any spot in the final is good.”
Earlier in the competition, it was the Hawai‘i surfers who were making the headlines.
Po‘ipu’s Kyle Ramey earned his spot in the quarterfinals with a buzzer-beating score of 8.5. This score combined with his previous 9.00, both scores out of possible 10.00 points, was the highest combination score of the day.
“I’m stoked, I just really wanted to get through that heat, and with both of the Gudauskas brothers, and Danny Fuller, it’s one of the hardest heats I’ve ever made, so I feel good going into the quarters,” Ramey said.
Casey Brown, out of Kona, displayed his poise by bagging a heat win over second-place finisher and ASP WQS stand out, Nate Yeomans. Brown also moved into the quarterfinals round.
Hanalei’s Leila Hurst set the pace early in the competition for her fellow competitors. Hurst dropped the event’s second-highest single wave score of a 9.60 out of possible 10.00 points, with a big front side blast, working the wave through the inside for a solid finish.
“I just wanted to get a wave to start my heat, because I usually don’t do well if I don’t get a wave right away, and it turned into a pretty good wave, so I just tried to finish it all the way to the beach,” Hurst said.
Hurst later lost out to Conlogue.
The 2008 ASP North America Tour will continue its year with the ASP WQS 4-Star Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro featuring the ASP Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior beginning April 29 to May 3.
