With Bells on, by Martin Boulton - The Age - 22nd March 2008

WORLD champion Mick Fanning bounced back from an opening-round loss to keep alive his hopes of winning the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach yesterday.

In tricky 1.8- to 2.4-metre surf and a stiff onshore breeze, the 26-year-old outclassed wildcard Stuart Kennedy after going down to fellow Australian Adrian Buchan in the first round.

It was Fanning's first opening-round loss in a tour event for 18 months, but the world No. 2 attacked from the moment the siren sounded in the sudden-death second round to reach the next stage.

The Tweed Heads surfer unleashed his trademark power and speed against Kennedy to quickly record a 7.5 wave and finished with a combined score of 14.17 points from his best two waves.

Kennedy, from Lennox Head, managed a combined score of 5.50 from his best two waves after 30 minutes in tough conditions, which tested the stamina of surfers throughout the day.

He refused to comment after his earlier loss, but Fanning was all smiles after a solid second heat and said he's looking forward to the chance of winning his first tour event of the year.

"It's good to get through and live to fight another day," he said.

Eight-time world champion Kelly Slater progressed straight through to the third round after scoring a 9.5 — the highest score of the day — and finishing with a combined score of 17.50.

The 36-year-old, who calls Florida and Hawaii home when he's not travelling the globe, thrilled the strong crowd with an awesome display against Brazilian Adriano de Souza.

Slater opted for a shorter board than most in the lumpy seas and produced the wave of the day after organisers feared he might not even show up.

"I wasn't actually planning on coming down here," Slater said.

"I did officially pull out of the event, but then I saw the swell forecast and things lined up the right way … it was a good week to come down."

Slater, who opened this year's tour with a win in the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast, will mount a serious challenge for his ninth world crown if he wins his third Bells Beach title.

"Obviously, I'm in a good position," he said.

"Everyone talks it up and thinks I'm playing cat and mouse with them, but I just say how I feel.

"Sometimes, I don't want to go to the next contest."

Defending champion Taj Burrow, ranked ninth in the world heading into this event, also moved into the third round and said "the plan is to ring the bell" again after edging out Brazilian Leonardo Neves and fellow Australian Nathan Hedge yesterday.

Bede Durbidge, who came third on the Gold Coast, ended Hedge's campaign in Torquay yesterday with a convincing win in the second round.

Joel Parkinson, from Coolangatta, booked a third-round spot after beating fellow Australians Nic Muscroft and Ben Dunn.

"It (was) really tough conditions," Parkinson said.

"You've just got to have a little bit of luck and a little bit of faith, (and) I jagged one early, not much through the middle and fortunately got one at the end just in time."

The second round continues today, with Luke Stedman scheduled to be the first Australian in the water against Chris Ward from California.

Hawaiian and triple world champion Andy Irons moved through to the third round with a combined score of 12.84 on the first day of competition.

"Sixes (were) basically nines out there today," he said. "I just tried to go out there, surf a good heat and get a couple of scores."

http://www.theage.com.au/photography

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Will Jack drop in?, By Peter Gardiner - Sunshine Coast Daily - 8th March 2008

For fans of laidback surfing singer Jack Johnson, it could be a case of “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” in Noosa for an impromptu performance from the latest face to grace the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

There’s an underground buzz that Johnson will appear on stage today with the coolest surfer on the planet –newly crowned Quiksilver Pro champ Kelly Slater.

Music inspired by the surf and played by surfers is a cultural phenomenon of recent times, and one that the Global Surf Industries Noosa Festival of Surfing is now in tune with.

Its musical concert at the Noosa Heads Lions Park will have free surfing activist Dave Rastovich performing with Band of Frequencies, and all-time great Tom Curren performing alongside Pico.

“To be honest, I can’t wait to play and it would be a real buzz to have a jam with Curren and Pico – who knows, maybe Kelly (Slater) will join in too if he is around,” Dave said.

Last year festival organiser Garth Prowd, of USM events, sowed the first seeds of speculation when he said how good it would be to have someone like Jack surfing alongside Kelly in Noosa and then the two jamming together.

And eight-times world champion Kelly is supposed to be coming to town for the festival, while Jack, who kicks off his Australian tour next week, is supposed to be in Australia at the moment. Some reports have him staying on the Coast.

Mr Prowd yesterday refused to comment on what he sees as idle speculation.

The word around the festival is that even if Kelly and Jack were both in Noosa this weekend, any decision to play would be an entirely spontaneous thing on their behalf.

So as Jack almost said in his hit tune: “Must we always be waiting, waiting on you guys.”

Your complete guide to the Noosa Festival of Surfing, including links to stories and photo galleries.

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Top sorts - The Sydney Morning Herald - 13th March 2008

The Award for Best Sort was taken out by a pregnant woman (Katherine Heigl for Knocked Up), Best Nude Scene went to a children's flick (The Simpson's Movie) and Best Documentary was won by a surf gang from Maroubra. The Oscars it wasn't but what the Filmink awards lacked in Hollywood glamour it made up for in unusual award choices. Local stars, host Brendan Cowell, and film brethren Joel and Nash Edgerton stepped out for the awards, held last night at Sydney's State Theatre, while Sunny Abberton arrived without his famous brother, surfer Koby, to pick up the award for their 2007 documentary, Bra Boys. Other awards were more predictable with Academy Award-nominated film Atonement, winning the Best Film, and Australian Film Industry award winners taking out Best Australian Film - Romulus, My Father - and Best Newcomer - Emma Booth. John Travolta won Best Hair for his performance in Hairspray. See video from the awards show at www.smh.com.au/entertainment/stayintouch.

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Constable pulling double finals at the GSI Noosa Festival

Global Surf Industries Noosa Festival of Surfing

ASP LQS 2 Star Men's Event
Banana Boat Women’s Pro
Noosa, Queensland
3 - 9 March 2008

Live Coverage | Results/Photos/Videos etc

Josh Constable into the final of both the Telstra Men’s Pro and the Stand Up Paddle

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 8 March, 2008 : - - An incredible day at the Noosa Festival of Surfing which included great surfing along with amazing history as no fewer than 13 past ASP World Champions participated in what truly is a celebration of the awesome surfing culture.

Competitively Queensland surfers dominated and in the Telstra Men’s Pro have managed to secure all four finals positions as Seb Wilson, Grant Thomas, Josh Constable (All Sunshine Coasters) and Jackson Close managed to advance through the semi finals and will take their place in what should be a tense final tomorrow.

Thomas and Constable will be shooting for their 3rd victories at this event and the ever confident Thomas said after his semi win today – “ I’m sure I can win it but it’s going depend on me getting the best waves over the others and they’ll be just as determined as I am so who knows! It’s great it’s an all Queensland final but when we hit the water tomorrow there’ll be no friends out there – we’ll be all chasing the win… at all costs!”

The Banana Boat Women’s Pro looks set to be dominated by internationals with just Gold Coast surfer Selby Riddle flying the flag for Australia. Current ASP World Champion Longboarder Jen Smith (USA/California) is the surfer to beat. She has consistently posted the highest scores throughout this event and looks unstoppable. Justine Dupont (France) and Jana Irons (Hawaii) will be in the final making it an international showdown not to be missed!

Some incredible names of the sport took to the Noosa waters today, both competitively and for charity and included current ASP World Champions Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore in a unique team surfing auction that raised a worthy $110 000 for charity!

Names like Mark Richards, Shaun Tomson, Tom Carroll, Layne Beachley, Brian Keaulana and many more champions of the sport enjoyed an awesome day that delighted the large crowds and participants alike in a memorable day of surfing that stamps the Noosa Festival of Surfing as something very special now and into the future.

Stand Up Paddle, Tandem surfing, Noserider Pro and Legends of the sport all enjoyed the perfect small waves at Noosa’s first point throughout the afternoon and organizers are super optimistic that all the finals can capitalize on more of the same perfection on the point all day tomorrow for the finals across all divisions.

It’s a superb final day coming up and will run for an unprecedented 10 hours with the premier finals of Telstra Men’s Pro and Banana Boat Women’s Pro to be put in the water on the prime tidal conditions to get the very best of the waves.

The event will start around 7:00am with the expected location at first point with the back up at Main Beach.

www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com

More Australasian Surfing News available here

Check the latest Australasian Surf Reports and Forecasts


Darren Landers
Media Manager | Noosa Festival of Surfing
darren@freshlogicmedia.com.au

Garth Prowd OAM
Managing Director | USM Events
gp@usmevents.com.au

Georgie Hannon
Event Management | USM Events
georgie@usmevents.com.au

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Surfing

The APT/WG world tour awards party goes big in Haleiwa - Global Surf News - 8th March 2008

Big Wave News

APT/WG World Tour Awards Party Goes Big

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 8 March, 2008 : - -The Association of professional Towsurfers, Inc. (APT) World Tour Tow-In Surfing Circuit and Wave Giant (WG) a Brazilian based company, closed the 2007 tour season with an official awards party that was held at Banzai Sushi in Haleiwa, Oahu.

With only one event to account for in the 2007 APT tour season, there was still plenty of stoke to go around amongst the big name winners, contestants, friends and family during the evening of March 2, 2008. The top four winning teams of the tour, not only won some good money but were presented with amazing belts and plaques for their accomplishments.

The top four winning teams of the APT World Tour for 2007 were:
1st Place World Champions - Makua Rothman / Ikaika Kalama -HI
2nd Place - Carlos Burle / Eraldo Gueiros - BRA
3rd Place- Dustin Barca / Sion Milosky - HI
4th Place Jamie Sterling / Wendell Wall - HI

Koby Abberton, Maya Gabeira, Keali’i Mamala, Eddie Rothman, Troy Alotis, Tom Dosland and many others were also in the mix and shared their support for the 2007 winners and APT’s upcoming 2008 tour announcement.

“It was a great party and it gave APT a chance to let everyone know that we are here for the long hall and thank the contestants for their support. Our first season was not so good due to poor surf, but at least we had one event that got the ball rolling. This party also gave APT the opportunity to share some exciting news on our first scheduled event for the 2008 season.”- Said, Rodney Kilborn, APT Vice President and Event Sanctioning Director.

APT would like to thank Wave Giant (WG) for their support in making this awards party happen. The 2008 APT World Tour Season will kick-off on April 15, 2008 and the official press announcement will be sent out later this month. APT/WG clothing line and apparel for the extreme athlete will soon be available online at Protowsurfers.org. The official 2008 event website will not be launched until later this month.

About the Association of Professional Towsurfers, Inc. (APT)
The Association of Professional Towsurfers, was Founded on March 6, 2003 with the charter to support the responsible growth and development of Tow-In Surfing. The Association of Professional Towsurfers, is dedicated to sanctioning and promoting world class competitions, dissemination of safety and technical information to athletes, and technical direction to event organizers.

The Association of Professional Towsurfers embraces corporate sponsors and media entities that provide the support necessary to increase its events and goals. The Association of Professional Towsurfers has goals to expand its support throughout the world, lobby government agencies and municipalities to provide more certified tow-in access to ocean venues, and be ever attentive to the unique technical and safety needs of this evolving sport and its constituents.

www.protowsurfers.org

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Big Wave Surfing

Fanning makes a statement in tour opener - The Age - 2nd March 2008

World surfing champion Mick Fanning showed his readiness for the 2008 season with a storming victory over dangerous wildcard Julian Wilson in the opening event on the Gold Coast.

Fanning demoralised teenaged rival and fellow local Wilson to win 17.57 to 7.33 and advance to the fourth round in his quest for a third Quiksilver Pro title on his home break of Snapper Rocks.

An early eight-plus wave score, backed up by a 9.07 immediately afterwards was enough to send Wilson home, but Fanning was quick to praise the youngster, who notched a win over Kelly Slater in the event last year.

"Julian's one of those up and comers and is really dangerous," said defending champion Fanning.

"There weren't many opportunities for Julian towards the end, and I knew with the tide coming in that was going to happen, so that's why I tried to get some early."

With 10 of 16 third round heats surfed on Sunday, Fanning completed a hat-trick of local successes, with Gold Coast boys Dean Morrison and Joel Parkinson also making it through.

Fellow Australians Bede Durbidge, Ben Dunn and Taj Burrow, who recorded the highest heat score of the day with 19.20 points against France's Mikael Picon, also progressed to the fourth round.

But South African teenager Jordy Smith will be looking to break the Aussie strangle-hold on the event, when he meets Morrison in the fourth round.

The 19-year-old wowed the 3,000-strong crowd with two nine-plus wave scores against world No.10 Bobby Martinez, to end with a near-perfect final heat score of 19.03 points out of a possible 20.

Smith has been labelled a world title contender in just his first year on the professional circuit and is a dark-horse to take out this world championship tour event if he can oust Morrison.

"I'm not really feeling any pressure, I'm just out there to have fun and pretty much just surfing with my heroes," Smith said.

"I'm just focusing on heat by heat."

Kelly Slater and fellow former multiple world champion Andy Irons are among surfers still waiting to contest their third round heats.

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Surfing

Peru's Mulanovich takes out Roxy Pro - The Age - 1st March 2008

Peru's Sofia Mulanovich has claimed the first victory of the 2008 surfing season, winning the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast to get Stephanie Gilmore's world title defence off to a rocky start.

Mulanovich, who finished last at Snapper Rocks just one year ago, surfed a near-faultless final against Australia's Samantha Cornish, including 8.17 and 9.17 rides, to dominate the decider.

Mulanovich ended up almost 10 points ahead of Cornish - an unsatisfying end to a day replete with nail-biting finishes and big name defeats, including pre-competition favourite Gilmore, Layne Beachley and Brazil's Silvana Lima.

Gilmore's slayer came in the unlikely form of the diminutive 15-year-old wildcard Carissa Moore, who proved the talk of the competition after taking down the reigning world champion in a narrow round three victory.

She went on to record the best heat score of the day in the quarter-finals before losing her semi to Cornish, solidifying her spot as one of surfing's biggest rising stars.

But it was Mulanovich who took home the $12,700 winner's cheque at the season-opening event, where her previous best was third place amid a sea of poor results.

Given her previous track record, the 24-year-old was decidedly upbeat about her victory.

"Guys, I never believed I would win here!" a euphoric Mulanovich told reporters shortly after her win.

With the Peruvian flag draped across her shoulders, she chuckled off suggestions she had declared a full-on assault on Gilmore's world crown.

"It's crazy you know," she said.

"I always used to get bad results here, I guess I proved to myself that I can surf this wave and I'm just so happy this year - everything just came perfect for me."

Cornish, a former world No.1, said she was pleased with her result.

"It's definitely a great start to the year," the Crescent Heads surfer said.

"I thoroughly enjoyed myself today, it was just a super magical day - there were dolphins and stingrays and fishermen, you never really get to see that."

Cornish, who was Australia's last chance to retain the event after Chelsea Hedges' victory last year, will now try to go one better at the Rip Curl Pro event at Bell's Beach later this month.

There, Gilmore said she would also be seeking redemption.

"A bit of redemption, yeah, and to get back in the groove of things," she said.

"It's always pretty hard first event - I mean, I thought everybody was a little bit wobbly but obviously not, maybe it's just me."

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