Globe Fiji Starts Sunday; Dane Reynolds May Miss Contest

After a year off the Globe Fiji contest is about to kick off for the ASP World Tour. Thanks to perfect conditions the contest is expected to start the first day of the holding period on Sunday, May 25.

When the event starts, one big name may not be in attendance. Dane Reynolds, currently ranked no. 10 in the world, posted an update on his site saying he was sick and was going to miss at least round one. If he missed it, he would still have a chance to compete in round two.

Here’s what Reynolds wrote on his website yesterday.

I was meant to fly out to Fiji last night for the next WCT event that starts tomorrow. Instead I’m stuck at home nursing some kind of illness that nobody can say what it is. It started 2 days ago with some serious chest pain and something restricting my breathing. I went to urgent care and they did an EKG and a chest x-ray. They sent me to the emergency room where they did more of the same, along with some blood tests. At about 3 AM I was discharged without an answer.

Yesterday I was bedridden with some bad flu like symptoms. My brain felt like it was in a deep frier, aches, pain, still some trouble breathing. Hot and cold flashes. Anyways, The point is is that I’m missing the first round in Fiji due to this illness, but if my health improves I’ll fly out tomorrow night and try and catch the second round. So basically, if I’m on your fantasy surfer team, pull me off. Trade me for adriano or something.

dane

(Note to Dane: I ended up dropping you and picking up Joel Parkinson. Sorry)

On a positive note, the event’s defending champ, Damien Hobgood, will be back in action after missing the recently completed Billabong Pro Tahiti.

Check out the official site for the latest info and then read the press release below for more.

The Going Looks Good for the 2008 Globe Pro Fiji

COOLANGATTA, Australia – Just one week after wrapping up competition at Teahupoo in Tahiti, the ASP Top 45 are eyeing promising surf forecasts in Fiji – it looks as if the fourth event on the 2008 ASP World Tour, the Globe Pro Fiji, could get underway the first day of waiting period on Sunday, May 25, 2008.

While the surfers will arrive on the idyllic islands of Tavarua and Namotu on Saturday, May 24, a traditional Fijian Welcome Ceremony and freesurfing will take center stage –official competition cannot commence before Sunday.

“I spoke to the Globe crew who are preparing everything for a likely Day 1 start in Fiji,” Contest Director Steve Roberts said. “They tell me it is flat today but the weather is whipping up and there’s clearly some serious activity in the Tasman Seas so everyone is excited about arriving into some great swell.”

According to the official Globe Pro Fiji forecasters at Wavewatch.com, conditions are expected to be in the double overhead and higher range through the weekend.

“I don’t want to get too excited just yet but apparently Jon Roseman and Dave Clarke are optimistic that Sunday could see Restaurants fire up,” Roberts said. “The last time we surfed the Globe Pro at Restaurants was the Kelly Slater vs. C.J. Hobgood final in some of the best surf ever seen in an ASP event. Between Cloudbreak and Restaurants we’re in for an amazing event in one of surfing’s dream locations and with swell coming, well, let’s get ready for a really special event!”

Damien Hobgood won the event in 2006, and after recovering from a recent shoulder injury, is ready to defend his title next week. (NB: the Globe Pro Fiji was not held in 2007).

“I just started surfing and feels pretty good,” Damien Hobgood said. “My shoulder gets stronger every day and I will be surfing for sure.”

Hobgood was also the defending champion going into last week’s competition in Tahiti, but he had to pull out of the event at the last minute when it was apparent his fractured shoulder had not healed completely.

“It was really hard not surfing Tahiti but I know it was the right decision if I wanted to be able to surf Fiji and the rest of the year,” Damien Hobgood said.

A third of the way through the season, ASP rookie Dane Reynolds (USA) sits just inside the Top 10 as the highest rated tour newcomer of eight. Next in line and 11 spots below him sits South Africa’s Jordy Smith.

“I guess it relieves a little pressure,” Reynolds said. “It’s early in the year though and doesn’t really mean anything yet, I don’t think. I’m happy to be there though.”

Despite his rookie status, Reynolds has competed in ASP World Tour competition in Fiji before.

“I’ve never had much luck at Cloudbreak – I find it pretty tricky although I’ve never had it really good,” Reynolds said. “I love Restaurants though. I actually won the trials out there in 2004.”

A LIVE webcast of the Globe Pro Fiji will be available on www.globeprofiji.com.

Top 10 ASP World Tour Rated Surfers going into the Globe Pro Fiji:
1. Kelly Slater (USA) 2810 points
2. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 2340 points
3. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 2318 points
4. Andy Irons (HAW) 2196 points
5. Mick Fanning (AUS) 1989 points
6. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 1932 points
7. Taj Burrow (AUS) 1886 points
8. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 1874 points
9. Kai Otton (AUS) 1800 points
10. Dane Reynolds (USA) 1742 points