CJ Hobgood took advantage of nice conditions to pull out a win at the O’Neill World Cup at Sunset Beach, HI, edging Tom Whitaker in a four-man final.

Hobgood scored a combined 15.00 in the final, led by his final wave score of 8.50.  Whitaker scored a combined 12.67.  Jordy Smith, who received the contest’s only perfect 10 Thursday in the round of 32, also made it to the final but was fourth with only a 2.86 combined score.  Smith had a run of bad luck in the final including a broken board and injury to his leg.

Surfers had huge waves for most of the final, with 20-30 wave face heights.

“It’s perfect size and really clean. There was probably one or two sets a heat that were too big,” Hobgood said after the contest. “Just some macking nuts waves out there.”

The World Cup is the second leg of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.  Dusty Payne leads the rankings for the mini-tour, followed by CJ Hobgood and Joel Parkinson.  All three will be competing at the Billabong Pipeline Masters which has a holding period starting Dec. 8.

For more about the contest, visit the Triple Crown website.

American CJ Hobgood was one of the top performers at the just-concluded ISA World Surfing Games in Portugal, but Australia was the top-performing team for the third consecutive year.

In the Men’s Open category, Hobgood outlasted Aussies Heath Joske, Dayyan Neve and Kai Otton to take the gold.  On the women’s side Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons led the field and took home gold, followed by France’s Marie Dejean, Brazilian Camila Cassia and the USA’s Lauren Sweeney.

Fitzgibbons, 17, who will be competing on the ASP World Tour next season, made history because she was also a gold medalist at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships this year.

The team championship is determined by the total points gathered by competitors in all categories, which also including Longboard and Bodyboard.  Australia had six overall medalists helping them to the win, followed by the US, which only had two medalists but scored enough points to be the second-ranked team.

For more about the contest check out the ISA Games website.  Full results follow.
WORLD CHAMPIONS
Gold: Australia – 17.238 pts.
Silver: USA – 14.284 pts.
Bronze: Brazil – 12.610 pts.
Copper: France – 11.819 pts.

OPEN MEN
Gold: CJ Hobgood (USA)
Silver: Heath Joske (AUS)
Bronze: Dayyan Neve (AUS)
Copper: Kai Otton (AUS)

OPEN WOMEN
Gold: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
Silver: Marie Dejean (FRA)
Bronze: Camila Cassia (BRA)
Copper: Lauren Sweeney (USA)

BODYBOARD MEN
Gold: Marcus Lima (BRA)
Silver: Manuel Centeno (POR)
Bronze: Hugo Pinheiro (POR)
Copper: David Lee (ZAF)

BODYBOARD WOMEN
Gold: Natasha Sagardia (PRI)
Silver: Heloise Bourroux (FRA)
Bronze: Rita Pires (POR)
Copper: Lilly Pollard (AUS)

LONGBOARD
Gold: Matthew Moir (ZAF)
Silver: Harley Ingleby (AUS)
Bronze: Taylor Jensen (USA)
Copper: Phil Rajzman (BRA)

ALOHA CUP
Gold: France
Silver: Portugal
Bronze: Costa Rica
Copper: South Africa

“I think we have a very good team with C.J. and Benny,” remarked head coach Joey Buran.  “This squad is definitely capable of winning a medal.”

Joining Hobgood and Bourgeois, will be junior standouts Dillon Perillo
(Malibu, California) and Nat Young (Santa Cruz, California).  Perillo
recently won the Oakley Pro Junior in Newport Beach, California, while Young just won the Billabong Pro Junior in Ponto, California. Perillo and Young were members of the USA’s copper medal winning junior team from last May – both finishing in the top eight in Under 18s.

The following is the PacSun USA Surf Team roster for the 2008 ISA World
Surfing Games:

Mens
C.J. Hobgood
Ben Bourgeois
Dillon Perillo
Nat Young

Womens
Lauren Sweeney
Demi Boelsterli

Longboard
Taylor Jensen

Mens Bodyboard
Jeremy Wright
Jacob Romero

Womens Bodyboard
Keila Grodzen

Joel Parkinson had his last win on the world tour in 2006 and in Spain today he was only 15 seconds away from scoring no. 7 overall.  But former world champ C.J. Hobgood had other ideas, catching a wave in the last 15 seconds of the final that put the contest away.

“Me and Joel were looking at that last wave and he was thinking about it hard,” Hobgood said. “I just made sure he was going to go or I was going to go. I didn’t know there was another one behind it, but I did hear a couple of whistles and turned around and saw the wave. I knew it was my last chance. I put my head down and didn’t even look at the wave and paddled to the shoulder as hard as I could because I didn’t want to get stuck behind it. I saw Joel in the peripheral and just threaded the needle. I could have been a little bit greedier, but I knew if I got a barrel and rode the rest of the wave I’ve have a good chance.”

Hobgood needed 5.91 pts. for a win and scored an 8.57 for the wave.

Despite winning the overall world title in 2001′s shortened-season 2001, the win is only Hobgood’s fourth world tour win.  He last won a tour event at the Billabong Pro Teahupoo in 2004.

While Hobgood’s win was memorable, there were several notable names missing from the contest, including defending world champ Mick Fanning and the Irons brothers, Andy and Bruce.  Also, Kelly Slater clinched his ninth world title on Friday, assuring that this contest will definitely go down in history.

For more about the contest, check out the official site or read the press release below.

C.J. Hobgood Beats Joel Parkinson to Win the Billabong Pro Mundaka

MUNDAKA, Basque Country/Spain (Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008) – Former ASP World Champion C.J. Hobgood (USA) defeated Joel Parkinson (AUS) in three-foot (one meter) barreling waves at the Billabong Pro Mundaka to claim his first ASP World Tour victory in four years today.

The heat was a déjà vu affair of a 2004 final they shared in Japan with Hobgood garnering a last minute win over Parkinson in the dying seconds of the heat.

“If I was Joel I would want to kill me right now,” Hobgood said. “I honestly don’t know how that happened. Some things are just meant to be. I’ve had a very difficult year. I probably struggled with my surfing more than I should have, but that’s life. You get older and life throws curve balls at you and that’s what makes this feeling right now so good.”

Despite opening the heat with a near-perfect 9.93, Hobgood was trailing Parkinson by 5.90 points with 15 seconds to go. With a set approaching, Parkinson took the first wave in an effort to increase his lead. Hobgood snuck into a small barrel on the wave behind it, earned an 8.57 and won the heat.

“Me and Joel were looking at that last wave and he was thinking about it hard,” Hobgood said. “I just made sure he was going to go or I was going to go. I didn’t know there was another one behind it, but I did hear a couple of whistles and turned around and saw the wave. I knew it was my last chance. I put my head down and didn’t even look at the wave and paddled to the shoulder as hard as I could because I didn’t want to get stuck behind it. I saw Joel in the peripheral and just threaded the needle. I could have been a little bit greedier, but I knew if I got a barrel and rode the rest of the wave I’ve have a good chance.”

Hobgood moves to ASP World No. 6 with the result today. Parkinson moves to ASP World No. 3. The final was Hobgood’s second this season – he lost to Slater in Fiji – and Parkinson’s first.

“I’m just stoked it was a good final,” Hobgood said. “Parko went mad on his waves and I just had a chance at the end. I think it was a good final for both of us. I’m just stoked Mundaka broke for three days.”

Despite having an amazingly consistent year, Parkinson was unable to claim the victory that has eluded him for over two years.

“That was really frustrating,” Parkinson said. “He got the best waves in that heat and I got the scraps. I was holding on to a thin lead and it slipped away from me as soon as I turned around and saw that last wave coming.”

Like many of the top-seeded surfers, Parkinson entered the event disenchanted with the season given nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater’s supremacy. Parkinson’s interest piqued as he found himself at the pointy end of the Billabong Pro Mundaka draw.

“I was kind of excited,” Parkinson said. “I wanted to win one. I hadn’t won one in awhile so I was going to try to.”

Despite the loss, Parkinson was gracious in defeat – giving credit to Hobgood for his impressive surfing throughout the event.

“He deserved it,” Parkinson said. “He ripped this week. Sometimes you come to an event and some people just get suited to them and this event really suited him. Everything he touched turned to gold and his surfing just really flowed this week.”

Parkinson defeated Adrian Buchan (AUS) in the semifinals in a fashion similar to his elimination by Hobgood in the final.

“It’s always disappointing to lose when you have a good lead but I knew there was going to be opportunities for Joel given the way the waves went,” Buchan said. “I had one good barrel that just went a little bit long on me and Joel caught a really good wave and made the most of it. Joel is an amazing surfer and it was good to have a heat out there with him while there were good waves coming through.”

Buchan won the last ASP World Tour event in France, and with his 3rd place result today, jumps to World No. 7. He was rated 14th before the European tour leg.

“I’m happy with a 3rd,” Buchan said. “Obviously I would have loved to have been up on the podium again with a 1st or 2nd this week but it’s been a good leg. After my 33rd at Trestles I was pretty disappointed because I really wanted to do well there, but then I just put everything into my European leg and it was a pretty good one for me.”

Hobgood beat Luke Stedman (AUS) en route to his final berth today. Previous to his Billabong Pro Mundaka semifinal finish, Stedman hadn’t advanced beyond Round 4 in a 2008 ASP World Tour event. His 3rd place finish equals his career best result .

“It’s my best result this year so I’m pretty happy,” Stedman said. C.J. is in good form right now and the conditions are definitely favoring a goofy footer. I’m happy with the result, happy with the event, I’m just a happy guy right now.”

Stedman rounds out the Top 10 with a World No. 10 rating post the Billabong Pro Mundaka. He will look to maintain the momentum heading to Brazil and France – the last two events of the season.

“My goal is totally to be in the Top 10 at the end of the year and as high up in the Top 10 as possible,” Stedman said. Coming 10th after Mundka and having a couple more events to work on that is good – I’m definitely excited for the next couple of events.”

For more details visit www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com.

Billabong Pro Mundaka Final Results:
Final: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 18.50 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.83

Billabong Pro Mundaka Semifinal Heat Results:
Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.80 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.50
Heat 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 14.66 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 6.70

Billabong Pro Mundaka Quarterfinal Heat Results:
Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.34 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 6.17
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.83 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 7.40
Heat 3: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 15.34 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 8.10
Heat 4: Luke Stedman (AUS) 13.16 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.24

ASP World Tour Top 10 after Stop No. 9 of 11 – the Billabong Pro Mundaka
1. Kelly Slater (USA) 8042 points
2. Taj Burrow (AUS) 6324 points
3. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 6180 points
4. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 5990 points
5. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 5748 points
6. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 5760 points
7. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 5730 points
8. Mick Fanning (AUS) 5310 points
9. Bobby Martinez (USA) 5282 points
10. Luke Stedman (AUS) 4696 points

Slater’s departure was the big story of the round, though both Hobgood brothers were also eliminated.

Defending ASP World Tour champ Mick Fanning had no problem with Brazil’s Rodrigo Dornelles and will meet Bruce Irons in Round Four.  Also advancing are Bobby Martinez, Ben Dunn, Andy Irons, Joel Parkinson and Bede Durbidge.

Read on for the official press release and full results.

Tiago Pires

Rookie Pires Bests ASP Ratings Leader Slater in Rip Curl Pro Search Round

SOMEWHERE, Indonesia (Saturday, August 2, 2008) – Tiago Pires (PRT), 2008 Dream Tour rookie and current No. 39 on the ASP World Tour ratings, caused a sensational upset today, eliminating eight-time ASP World Champion and current ratings leader on the ASP World Tour, Kelly Slater (USA), from Rip Curl Pro Search competition in Round 3.

Running in solid six foot (2 metre) waves at the primary venue ‘somewhere’ in Indonesia, Round 3 of the Rip Curl Pro Search was treated to some fantastic performances, none moreso than Pires’ come-from-behind victory over Slater. Needing a 7.16 in the dying moments, Pires watched a priority-holding Slater take the first wave of the set, leaving the European to pig-dog an incredible backdoor pit for an 8.40 and the win.

“There were two waves at the end of that heat and he went on the first one and I took the second and it turned out to be a really good wave,” Pires said. “When I came out of the barrel and into the channel, everyone was screaming. This is the biggest win of my career. I have won a few ASP WQS events, but to beat Slater here in these conditions is amazing.”

Pires’ victory was well celebrated on the cliff by several members of the ASP Top 45 as the young Portuguese surfer is the first Dream Tour competitor to defeat Slater in 2008.

“When I came up through the cave it felt like I won the event,” Pires said. “There were so many people screaming and cheering. It felt really good. I guess it’s a big deal that no one else had beat him this year, but I’ve been training hard and I hope to be going much further in this event.”

Slater, who has won a staggering four out of five events thus far on the 2008 ASP World Tour, was gracious in his defeat, congratulating his opponent while considering his tactical mistake.

“I knew I shouldn’t have gone on that first wave,” Slater said. “Congratulations to Tiago (Pires) as he surfed really well. He’s definitely not one who I underestimate and he is probably one of the best barrel-riders in the world. It was one of those situations that I played through in my head about a minute before it actually happened, but that happens from time to time. Before the contest started, I said my luck would have to run out somewhere and I guess it was here.”

Still sitting with a comfortable lead in the race for the 2008 ASP World Title, Slater will regroup and look towards the next event at Lower Trestles, California in September.

“It’s an unfortunate result here – no one likes a 17th,” Slater said. “However we get two throwaways and when I do that, I’m still counting four wins this year which is pretty good. Lowers has always been a good venue for me. It feels like my backyard and it is typically one where I do really well. You can never discount any one in any heat though, these are the best surfers in the world and they’re all dangerous.”

Mick Fanning (AUS), reigning ASP World Champion and former Rip Curl Pro Search winner (2005), competed immediately following Slater’s elimination, comfortably advancing past Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 16.34 to 3.90.

“Our heat was so slow for waves it was unbelievable,” Fanning said. “I was in the water at the end of Slater and Tiago’s heat and when Tiago (Pires) came out of the barrel, the entire cliff erupted and I thought, ‘wow, that sure isn’t for us because nothing has happened yet.’ Fortunately a few rolled through and I was in position to capitalize. I’m happy to be moving through to Round 4.”

Fanning, currently sitting No. 4 on the 2008 ASP World Tour ratings, is in position to benefit from Slater’s early elimination and regroup his 2008 ASP World Title defensive campaign.

“Tiago (Pires) has been putting in a lot of great performances all year long and it was only a matter of time before he took down a big name,” Fanning said. “I think what it’s done is really fired everyone up, especially the top seeds since it offers us a chance to gain some ground on Kelly (Slater).”

Joel Parkinson (AUS), current No. 2 on the 2008 ASP World Tour ratings, put in the strongest performance of the day, eliminating goofy-footer Royden Bryson (ZAF) with the day’s high heat total of an 18.40 out of a possible 20.

“Indonesia is such a tidal spot,” Parkinson said. “Some heats will have really good waves while others have a bit of a struggle. Thankfully for us, the waves really turned on there and I was able to grab a couple of good ones.”

Kai Otton (AUS), current No. 12 on the 2008 ASP World Tour ratings, was another to cause a big upset today, eliminating dangerous goofy-footer Damien Hobgood (USA) from Rip Curl Pro Search competition.

“Damien (Hobgood) and I are really good friends and we’ve been surfing out here a lot the past few days,” Otton said. “We knew we were seeded pretty close for this Round and we were watching all day yesterday to see what would happen – seeing who could lose or win so that we didn’t end up with each other. That’s how it goes sometimes and I was able to get a couple of really good ones towards the start and managed to get through.”

Otton opened up with two lengthy forehand barrels, netting him a heat total of 17.50 out of a possible 20, to eliminate Hobgood and the young Australian hopes his momentum will carry him though the remainder of the event.

“I’ve had a pretty shocking year so far and I haven’t managed better than 9th,” Otton said. “I’m fired up to be here though and into Round 4 and I’m ready to break through with a result.”

Surfline, official forecasters for the 2008 Rip Curl Pro Search, are calling for the current Southwest swell to maintain throughout the night and into tomorrow before fading tomorrow night.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am for a possible 7am start.

The event will be webcast LIVE via http://live.ripcurl.com/

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH ROUND 3 RESULTS
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.84 def. Daniel Wills (AUS) 9.77
Heat 2: Kai Otton (AUS) 17.50 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.83
Heat 3: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 6.86 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 4.90
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.40 def. Royden Bryson (ZAF) 11.43
Heat 5: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.17 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.64
Heat 6: Bobby Martinez (USA) 15.43 def. Michael Campbell (AUS) 14.40
Heat 7: Dayyan Neve (AUS) 17.43 def. Tim Reyes (USA) 11.83
Heat 8: Tiago Pires (PRT) 17.57 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 16.33
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.34 def. Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 3.90
Heat 10: Bruce Irons (HAW) 15.50 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 6.24
Heat 11: Mikael Picon (FRA) 14.00 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 5.67
Heat 12: Ben Dunn (AUS) 14.43 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.17
Heat 13: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.30 def. Ben Bourgeois (USA) 8.43
Heat 14: Dean Morrison (AUS) 10.10 def. Roy Powers (HAW) 9.60
Heat 15: Andy Irons (HAW) 17.33 def. Neco Padaratz (BRA) 9.34
Heat 16: Chris Ward (USA) 14.84 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 8.67

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 2: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Heat 3: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Bobby Martinez (USA)
Heat 4: Dayyan Neve (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Bruce Irons (HAW)
Heat 6: Mikael Picon (FRA) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 7: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Dean Morrison (AUS)
Heat 8: Andy Irons (HAW) vs. Chris Ward (USA)

Kelly Slater absolutely dominated fellow Floridian CJ Hobgood to win the Globe Pro Fiji today (Tuesday in Fiji), giving the 8x world champ his third tour victory of the still-young season. Slater took an early lead in the finale thanks to an 8.00 score, followed soon after by an 8.76. That was enough to hold off Hobgood, whose top wave was a 7.60 scored at the end of the heat. Slater charged into the final after dispatching Taj Burrow, 18.70 to 12.84, in the semis, while CJ Hobgood had an easy time with Adriano de Souza, 17.64 to 13.87.

Though there are seven events still yet to run, on the pace Slater’s going he could lock up world title number nine at Trestles or France.

The next event of the season is the Billabong Pro in J-Bay, South Africa, starting on July 10.

For more about the Globe Pro, check out the official site.