Joel Parkinson took home the win today at the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at the Vans Triple Crown. Sunset was pumping for the finals with waves up to 20 feet. Sunny Garcia started off the heat with a super-long barrel giving him a score of 9.47. Near the end, Parko took the lead with a 6.17 point wave and won the event. Today might have been the most crowded day we've seen at the Triple Crown, a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Sunset Beach to watch the finals. Now Sunny Garcia is heading into the Pipeline Masters in second place in the Vans Triple Crown and looking to take over Parko with a great contest in what looks to be big waves. Parko's second jewel victory doesn't put him any closer to an ASP win, as it will be a duel between him and Mick. We also crowned the 2009 Noseguard Rookie of the Triple Crown: Brazilian Alejo Muniz took it with honors. Next event: The Billabong Pipeline Masters!

Labels: Joel Parkinson, O'Neil World Cup of Surfing, Vans Surf

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An O'Neill World Cup champion will be crowned today in 10-15ft surf @ Sunset Beach. Event kicks off @ 8am (HST). Watch all the action live!



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With big stormy waves closing out at Sunset Beach today, event organizers have decided to wait for tomorrow - the final day in the O'Neill World Cup waiting period - to complete competition. Check back tomorrow for the final day of action at Subset Beach and watch via Live Webcast.



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The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing / O'Neill World Cup has been called off for today. The swell has decreased considerably and winds have switched to onshore. Catch all the highlights of yesterdays record day on the Videos page and check back tomorrow for event status.



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The O'Neill World Cup of Surfing can lay claim to running in the largest surf ever contested in the 27-year history of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. Waves were at the outside limit of contestable, topping out this morning at 20 to 25 feet and often closing out totally across the bay. But with a forecast for even larger swells on the way, it was full steam ahead. Organizers anticipate that the final day of competition will be held tomorrow. With very little beach remaining, there is serious concern that all remaining sand will be lost to Saturday's extra-large swell.

Six-time Vans Triple Crown champion and two-time O'Neill World Cup champion Sunny Garcia (HI) was about the only surfer smiling when he stepped onto what remained of the beach. He advanced to the quarter finals and is in good shape to have a shot at his 7th Triple Crown title, which boasts an added $50,000 bonus this winter.

"They say be careful what you wish for, you know?" said Sunny. "I wanted big waves and we got big waves. It's almost too big. You go out there and hope you get two waves.

"Some of the sets are kind of big and go into the channel. The takeoff seems like it's going to be a big wave and it turns into a 4-foot mush burger, so wave selection is crucial today. I'm having fun watching some of the kids sit on the shoulder and they didn't want any part of it. That's what I wanted to see!

"Physically, I've been doing four hours of cardio before anyone gets up, so this is fun. I'm having a good time. I'm not using that much energy and as long as you don't get caught inside you're pretty good.

"I rode an 8'4" and it's easier to sneak in and sneak out, and just in case you gotta get out of the way it's easier to paddle."

Aussie Adam Melling stepped up his game to post the highest heat score of the day and the second highest heat score of the event: 16.5 out of a possible 20. Melling looked sharp and managed to crank off some critical vertical turns, proving he'll be a threat next year on the 2010 World Championship Tour.

"I could just hear a few scores, heard I got a good first one and just tried to back it up," said Melling. "It was hard out there. I stayed inside, it was a bit cleaner. I took a 7'0" board, a bit thicker and wider, but you need it to get into them out there. I didn't bring anything bigger."

Although he posted the highest two-wave total of the day, Melling failed to advance out of his Round of 32 heat and was eliminated by fellow Australians Kai Otton and Joel Parkinson.

The Gudauskas brothers had their own campaign going today and all three of them found themselves in the same heat come the round of 32. This was the first time in ASP history that three brothers surfed together in a heat. Patrick has qualified for the elite Dream Tour in 2010, and twin brother Dane is out of WCT contention this year. Youngest Gudauskas brother, Tanner, won the round of 32 heat with North Shore native Mason Ho advancing behind in second. Today's result at Sunset Beach guarantees Tanner entry into the 2010 World Championship Tour.

"I owe a lot to Pat and Dane [Gudauskas] because they were like having caddies in the water, and Mason [Ho] as well," said Tanner. "It was like a gentlemen's heat. I couldn't have thought of three other people I would have wanted to have a heat out there.

"I think Pat and Dane were testing me and making sure I was pushing them so that they didn't just give it to me. I would have done the same for them. I actually had an opportunity last year with Pat and he was in the same spot and I tried to help him out, but this year I had both of them. It was epic."

Patrick, who was eliminated in the Round of 32 with twin brother Dane, said it was a special heat for the brothers.

"We were saying before the heat that we haven't had each other all together in one heat since we were amateurs, like five or six years ago," said Patrick. "And, to have it for Tanner to be the biggest heat of his life, he's just been ripping so hard all day, we were just out there hooting for him because we just wanted him to get through it and go the distance.

"We didn't have a strategy going into the heat, but we wanted Tanner to get through for sure. It was definitely the priority and you don't have too many opportunities to help out someone in that situation. Surfing with him next year will be a dream come true."

Brazilians Alejo Muniz and Jihad Khodr had noteworthy performances today. Khodr posted the highest scoring ride of the day, a 9.67 out of a possible 10 points. The high score came in the form of a big, gaping barrel and followed it up with a giant carve on a 10-foot wave. In addition, Muniz won the Nose Guard Rookie of the Year by making the round of 32.

For all of the LIVE action log on to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com. Find out the call for the day, each day, as soon as it's made by Director Randy Rarick by signing up for mobile text alerts at triplecrownofsurfing.com. When competition resumes, all the action will be broadcast live on the web at triplecrownofsurfing.com, as well as on Hawaii television on Oceanic channel 250.

Making the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink possible: Reef, O'Neill, Billabong, Gidget Worldwide, Nixon, Turtle Bay Resort, Hawaiian Airlines, JN Automotive Group, Surfing Magazine, Surfline.com, FUEL TV, The Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaiian Springs Water, Road Runner, Climb On! chemical-free skincare, and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). The Series is proud to announce that it is working with local company Tr3ees to embark upon a greener, more sustainable future.

RESULTS:
Round of 64:
H9: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Mason Ho (HAW), John John Florence (HAW), Pablo Paulino (BRA)
H10: Adam Melling (AUS), Patrick Gudauskas (USA), Drew Courtney (AUS), Phillip MacDonald (AUS)
H11: Tanner Gudauskas (USA), Dion Atkinson (AUS), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)
H12: Dane Gudauskas (USA), Kai Otton (AUS), Blake Thornton (AUS), Gabe Kling (USA)
H13: Taylor Knox (USA), Austin Ware (USA), Dean Morrison (AUS), Nathan Yeomans (USA)
H14: Adrian Buchan (USA), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA), Flynn Novak (HAW)
H15: Brett Simpson (USA), Aritz Aranburu (EUK), Nic Muscroft (AUS), Michael Picon (EUK)
H16: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Sunny Garcia (HAW), Sebastien Zietz (HAW), Granger Larsen (HAW)
Round of 32:
H1: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), Glenn Hall (IRL), Bernardo Miranda (BRA), William Cardoso (BRA)
H2: Jihad Khodr (BRA), Torrey Meister (HAW), Luke Munro (AUS), Nat Young (USA)
H3: Mick Fanning (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS), Chris Davidson (AUS), Shane Beschen (HAW)
H4: Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Dusty Payne (HAW), Joan Duru (FRA), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
H5: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), Adam Melling (AUS), Dion Atkinson (AUS)
H6: Tanner Gudauskas (USA), Mason Ho (HAW), Dane Gudauskas (USA), Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
H7: Sunny Garcia (HAW), Taylor Knox (USA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Aritz Aranburu (EUK)


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Today was life-changing for 21 year old Tanner Gudauskas, The young surfer from San Clemente earned enough points to compete next year in the WCT. But he's not the only Gudauskas to leave for the CT, he'll be joining up with his older brother Pat, who earned his spot on the tour what only feels like moments ago. Only by coincidence, in the round of 32 at the O'Neill World Cup, all three brothers found themselves in a heat together with Mason Ho. "That hasn't happened since high school" says Dane. The G-Bro's cheering section was complete with their parents, teammate Dylan Graves, and hometown friend Nate Yeomans. Since Pat had already secured his spot on the WCT, him and Dane knew their little brother was in position to make it, so it came as no shock that he got all the good waves, and came out on top. Pat finished up the heat with a total score of 2.64. All Dane needed to come in at 2nd was a high 3 scoring wave, but in the end got a wave scoring him in the low 3s. In the end all 3 brothers paddled out with a positive mindset only wanted to have fun, "it was a gentlemen's heat"











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The 2nd jewel in the Vans Triple Crown - The O'Neill World Cup of Surfing - resumes today in the biggest surf a competition has ever been held in at Sunset Beach, Hawaii. The first four heats of the day feature Vans and O'Neill Surf Team riders John John Florence, Pat, Tanner and Dane Gudauskas. Watch all the action live!



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As new swell lines commence their march towards shore at Sunset Beach, the minds of the world's top ranked surfers are already jumping forward to tomorrow morning, when organizers anticipate hefty waves of around 15-20 feet for the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing. The O'Neill World Cup of Surfing is the second leg of the $1,000,000 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink.

"This new swell is supposed to peak during the day tomorrow and, coupled with the morning high tide, bring some major wash-through sets, producing some very challenging conditions" says Vans Triple Crown Executive Director Randy Rarick. "Definitely not for the feint-hearted."

Ian Cairns, the 1976 and 1980 champion of this event is currently here coaching a group of rising Southern California surf stars - the likes of Nate Yeomans, Brett Simpson, and Gabe Kling. His infectious confidence and injection of bravado are perfect ingredients for Sunset Beach and his team riders are going to need a shot of that when they take it on tomorrow.

Cairns dominated at Sunset during the 'Bustin' Down the Door' era of the early '70s; a unique combination of self-admitted cockiness, passion, and a determination to transpose Australian hot-dog surfing onto the giant walls that Sunset offers. His ostentatious form on the waves back then proved to be an effective approach to an intimidating venue.

"We actually came here and we were basically small-wave hot-dog surfers," says Cairns. "But big waves are just a big canvas to do hot-dog surfing on. That group of guys - we were all very young and wild and passionate, sort of pretty aggro.

"But the bottom line is, out here you have to be confident. You have to be big and cocky because the wave is just gnarly and if you're not like that then you just get belted."

World title contender Joel Parkinson (Australia) will be in the first heat to hit the water at 8 a.m.
Others waxing their boards up for an early start are Jordy Smith (South Africa), Tanner and Dane Gudauskas (CA), Bede Durbidge (AUS), and Sunny Garcia (HI). Kling, Yeomans and Simpson will also hit the waves and Cairns will be their caddy in the channel, pushing them hard.

For all of the LIVE action log on to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com. Find out the call for the day, each day, as soon as it's made by Director Randy Rarick by signing up for mobile text alerts at triplecrownofsurfing.com. When competition resumes, all the action will be broadcast live on the web at triplecrownofsurfing.com, as well as on Hawaii television on Oceanic channel 250.

Making the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink possible: Reef, O'Neill, Billabong, Gidget Worldwide, Nixon, Turtle Bay Resort, Hawaiian Airlines, JN Automotive Group, Surfing Magazine, Surfline.com, FUEL TV, The Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaiian Springs Water, Road Runner, Climb On! chemical-free skincare, and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). The Series is proud to announce that it is working with local company Tr3ees to embark upon a greener, more sustainable future.

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SUNSET BEACH, HI - Wed. Dec. 2, 2009 - Conditions are as calm as they get here on the North Shore of Oahu this-morning, however the seven-mile surf miracle will soon undergo an epic transformation, set to transition from smooth, small waves to mountainous surf by this-evening.

Organizers of the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing have placed the event on standby and will make an 11:30am decision as to whether they will run the latter half of the day. It all depends upon the onset time of the swell.


Surfline.com, official forecasters for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, issued this statement this-morning:

"A new and very solid NW groundswell will rapidly build across the North Shore Wednesday afternoon and top out for Thursday before fading on Friday," says Jonathan Warren, of Surfline. "Then progressively larger NW swells are lining up for the weekend and early next week. However conditions will be a major factor throughout the week with variable wind and weather from passing frontal systems. Nonetheless, there will be windows of favorable winds and solid surf."

For the thousands of spectators who are flocking daily to the North Shore to catch the action, the impending ocean transformation is a natural phenomenon they are eager to witness. At this time of year, you can literally watch the waves rise before your eyes.

"This will be the first time I've ever seen this," says Murray Whana, a Maori from New Zealand who is here on two weeks vacation specifically to witness the big wave surfing on Oahu's North Shore.

"Unbelievable - it's hard to imagine. For me it's a one-time opportunity in my lifetime to ever see this. I can't wait. And to think this is going to go on for a week... it's insane!"

A midday update will be issued.

For all of the LIVE action log on to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com. Find out the call for the day, each day, as soon as it's made by Director Randy Rarick by signing up for mobile text alerts at triplecrownofsurfing.com. When competition resumes, all the action will be broadcast live on the web at triplecrownofsurfing.com, as well as on Hawaii television on Oceanic channel 250.

Making the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink possible: Reef, O'Neill, Billabong, Gidget Worldwide, Nixon, Turtle Bay Resort, Hawaiian Airlines, JN Automotive Group, Surfing Magazine, Surfline.com, FUEL TV, The Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaiian Springs Water, Road Runner, Climb On! chemical-free skincare, and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). The Series is proud to announce that it is working with local company Tr3ees to embark upon a greener, more sustainable future.



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Event organizers are waiting for the swell to fill in today before resuming O'Neill World Cup competition. A call will be made at 11.30 HST for a possible 12.30 HST start.



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Vans Triple Crown Leader Centeio Ousted, Garcia Pushes On, Youngster Young Racks up the Scores

World title campaigner Mick Fanning (Australia) clocked in at the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing today, hitting the water at Sunset Beach for his debut heat of the 2009 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink. He looked sharp, highly motivated and ready to get to work as he advanced behind Sunset Beach's favorite son, Pancho Sullivan. Even though this event has no bearing on his world title campaign, it's a critical warm-up to next week's ultimate, season-ending battle at Pipeline.


Fanning's entrance came during the last heat of an intense day that was full of action, upsets, and super clean waves in the six-foot range. Those spectators who stuck it out were rewarded - not only by Fanning's highly anticipated flair, but by Pancho's radical, full-body, on-rail attack that was fueled by his determination to lay claim to his home break.

"I was excited!" said Fanning, 28, after the heat. "I haven't had a heat for a while so it was good. Just stoked to be out there with Pancho. He's one of my favorite guys out at Sunset. Stoked to get through."

Pancho seemed relieved to get his opening heat behind him and notch up an early win.

"These dieing swells that move over to the point are really tricky," said Pancho, 36. "I wasn't really finding a rhythm in the beginning of the heat. I saw the other guys getting waves and I just wanted to get to my feet and join the fun."

Nat Young (Santa Cruz), 18, continued to win over an adoring Hawaiian crowd, taking it a step further today in posting the highest heat total of the event to date: 17.33 points out of a possible 20. His backhand blitz was electrifying and earned him individual wave scores of 9.33 and 8.0. While he was looking more like a seasoned Sunset veteran than the greenhorn grom he his, he still managed to downplay his score-topping performance.

"Ian Cairns has been giving me some pointers and telling me which waves are good," said Young. "The guys I'm staying with, Kieren Horn and Jarrad Howse, I've gone out surfing with them and they showed me where to sit.

"I'm just seeing how many heats I can make and having fun with it. Sunset is a fun wave, but I definitely have a lot to learn.

"I kind of had an idea of where to go. I didn't feel that lost out there. I knew which waves to go on: the ones that looked like a peak, not a huge wall on it."

The downplay continued with his recollection of his 9.33:

"It was a good wave and I did three turns and didn't fall. I didn't think it was gonna be a 9, but I was stoked when I heard it was."

While there was plenty of good news to go around, it didn't find its way to Joel Centeio - winner of the first event of the series last week at Haleiwa and Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series points leader until today. After a blistering run of nine consecutive heat wins in the Vans Triple Crown, it all came crashing down in the second-last heat of the day when he was eliminated in third place behind Neco Padaratz (Brazil) and Daniel Ross (Australia).

In losing, Centeio has opened up the door for Sunny Garcia to make a push for his seventh Vans Triple Crown title. Garcia, 39, will have to step it up again in his next heat, drawn against 2007 Vans Triple Crown champion Bede Durbidge (Australia), and red hot Hawaiians Granger Larsen (Maui) and Sebastian Zietz (Kauai).

The winner of the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing will receive $20,000. The Vans Triple Crown Triple Threat also offers a $50,000 bonus for the most consistent performer across all three events. Hawaii's Joel Centeio currently leads the series ratings after his win at Haleiwa and his successful run so far here at Sunset Beach.

For all of the LIVE action log on to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com. Find out the call for the day, each day, as soon as it's made by Director Randy Rarick by signing up for mobile text alerts at triplecrownofsurfing.com. When competition resumes, all the action will be broadcast live on the web at triplecrownofsurfing.com, as well as on Hawaii television on Oceanic channel 250.

Making the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rockstar Energy Drink possible: Reef, O'Neill, Billabong, Gidget Worldwide, Nixon, Turtle Bay Resort, Hawaiian Airlines, JN Automotive Group, Surfing Magazine, Surfline.com, FUEL TV, The Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaiian Springs Water, Road Runner, Climb On! chemical-free skincare, and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). The Series is proud to announce that it is working with local company Tr3ees to embark upon a greener, more sustainable future.
Jodi Wilmott - (808) 258-8533

RESULTS:
Round of 96:
H9: Mason Ho (HAW), Phillip MacDonald (AUS), Gony Zubizarreta (ESP), Myles Padaca (HAW)
H10: Drew Courtney (AUS), Pablo Paulino (BRA), Adam Robertson (AUS), TJ Barron (HAW)
H11: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), Dane Gudauskas (USA), Ben Dunn (AUS), Dustin Cuizon (HAW)
H12: Gabel Kling (USA), Tanner Gudauskas (USA), Lincoln Taylor (AUS), Cory Lopez (USA)
H13: Nathan Yeomans (USA), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Jay Thompson (AUS), Nathan Hedge (AUS)
H14: Flynn Novak (HAW), Dean Morrison (AUS), Ruben Gonzalez (PRT), Nathan Carroll (HAW)
H15: Nic Muscroft (AUS), Sunny Garcia (HAW), Dylan Melamed (HAW), Yadin Nicol (AUS)
H16: Granger Larsen (HAW), Aritz Aranburu (EUK), Leigh Sedley (AUS), Solomon Ortiz (HAW)
Round of 64:
H1: William Cardoso (BRA), Torrey Meister (HAW), Josh Kerr (AUS), CJ Hobgood (USA)
H2: Bernardo Miranda (BRA), Jihad Khodr (BRA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Chris Ward (USA)
H3: Luke Munro (AUS), Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), Travis Logie (ZAF), Tim Reyes (USA)
H4: Nat Young (USA), Glen Hall (IRL), Damein Fahrenfort (ZAF), Damien Hobgood (USA)
H5: Shane Beschen (USA), Dusty Payne (HAW), Tom Whitaker (AUS), Marco Giorgi (BRA)
H6: Chris Davidson (AUS), Joan Duru (FRA), Andy Irons (HAW), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
H7: Neco Padaratz (BRA), Daniel Ross (AUS), Joel Centeio (HAW), Jadson Andre (BRA)
H8: Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Mick Fanning (AUS), Renato Galvao (BRA), Jarrad Howse (AUS)

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The 2nd jewel in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing - The O'Neill World Cup - resumes today with Round 2 hitting the water at 8am Hawaii time.



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