Maui Pro: Day Three - Comp Starts
Source: www.ibaworldtour.com
posted by Keith Sasaki on 4th January 2005
Honolua Bay, on Maui’s northwest coast hosted day one of the Rockstar Games Maui Pro, the last stop of the International Bodyboarders Association Super Tour. As in previous years, the event will crown the new World Champion. This time there are around ten riders that are in mathematic contention including current World Champion Damian King of Australia, Guilherme Tamega of Brazil who has seven titles under his belt, Andrew Lester and crowd favorite and local athlete Jeff Hubbard.
Waves in the 4-6 foot range with occasional higher sets greeted the international field of riders. Trials began in less than optimal high tide conditions and increasing winds. By time round one of the main event started, winds had stabilized and conditions constantly progressed with the dropping tide. Heat three was the closest and highest scored with Evan Kaaihue and Paul Wooley advancing over Pyper Luellen who lost even with a 9.5 which he scored by doing an almost perfect spin into the tube, terminating with a launching invert. Alistair Taylor, Tate Martin and Jonah Romero, all heat winners were first round standouts.
Tamega, never content on a substandard performance was the first of those in World Title contention to compete in round two. He along with countryman Uri Valadao traded blows and both advanced into the quarterfinals, dashing Jimmy Hutaff’s local experience.
Honolua Bay is a wildlife reserve, surrounded by pineapple fields, dark red dirt, the occasional migrating humpback whale, sea turtles and colorful fish. Although it faces a northwesterly direction, Molokai, a neighboring island virtually sits thirty miles off shore. For this reason, it takes more of a northerly direction swell and northeast trade winds for perfect conditions. By time round two commenced, an ugly north side wind blew, the swell had dropped but stabilized to a consistent five feet.
Mitch Rawlins quietly picked up his colored jersey and quietly put on a flawless display of speed and an incredible air reverse that had the entire beach on its feet. Rawlins is a serious contender. Jeff Hubbard made sure his chances of a world title remain alive with a heat victory of his own. From then on, it was the total Aussie assault. Heats four through eight were all won by Aussies. Just when everyone though Rawlins’ assault couldn’t be toppled, Ryan Hardy showed otherwise. His first wave scored a 9.0, followed by an 8.0 and then a 9.5 nine times World Champion and living legend Mike Stewart advanced behind Hardy.
The latest swell forecast predicts a slight drop in swell but with better wind conditions. When competition resumes, the long anticipated drop knee division will start day two, followed by Open quarterfinals.
For more event details please call the Contest Hotline every morning 7:00am for daily update and evening 7:00pm for next day forecasts +1 808 398 6449.
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