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FINAL 32 DECIDED AT DAY THREE OF THE O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC PRESENTED BY JEEP
Jordy Smith (Durban, ZAF), current No. 1 on the ASP WQS and reigning ASP World Junior Champion, muscled his way through the first heat of the morning, netting the day’s highest heat total of a 14.64 out of a possible 20. “I saw that there was swell coming for this event and I really wanted to get up here and get some waves,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, the conditions weren’t great for my heat this morning, but we still managed to find a few scores out there. I’ve gotten some pretty good waves over the past couple of days so I’m happy to be up here.” Smith, who will be on the prestigious ASP World Tour in 2008, enjoys the luxury of choosing which events he would like to compete in for the remainder of the 2007 season, and the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep sat high on his list. “At this point, I’ve qualified so I’m really looking at events that I want to go to,” Smith said. “There have been some incredible names who have won this event so I would love to align myself with them.” As the third and final stop of the 2007 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep, the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep will be the deciding event in determining the top three finishers for the season, who will split a bonus $15,000 prize purse, as well as the eventual winner, who will also be awarded an all-new Jeep Patriot (valued at $26,000). Shaun Ward (Huntington Beach, CA), current No. 3 on the 2007 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep, dominated the mid-morning high-tide today, ousting fellow Trifecta challenger Chris Waring (Seal Beach, CA) from competition. Ward remains in the top three at the moment, but can overtake current No. 1 and 2, Adam Virs (Ventura, CA) and Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA) respectively, with a solid finish in Santa Cruz. “I’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. every day and surfing early,” Ward said. “The more prepared you are, the more it pays off. I definitely have my eye on the Trifecta Title. I hope the other guys have shockers and I blow up.” Dane Ward (San Clemente, CA) and Jay Phillips (Gold Coast, AUS) are the only two surfers remaining who began their Cold Water Classic campaigns in Round 1. Advancing through four heats to make it into the Round of 32, Phillips and Ward will look to continue their marathon runs in the Round of 32. “I’ve been trying to surf as much as possible – sometimes three time a day,” Ward said. “Steamer can be a difficult wave to surf on your backhand, but I’m just taking things heat by heat. I’m staying with a really good crew of people and I think that’s important to succeeding here. I hope I can keep the momentum up.” Local Santa Cruz threats Bud Freitas, Kieran Horn, Jason Collins, Josh Loya and 15-year old Nat Young are still in the event, and will look to take the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep title back for the hometown. In the water now is the opening round of the ASP Oakley North America Pro Junior Championships, the first ASP Grade-3 Pro Junior event in North American history and the final event of the 2007 ASP North America Pro Junior season. Competition at the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep is scheduled to recommence tomorrow at some point with the Round of 32. All O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep as well as Oakley
Pro Junior action will be webcast LIVE at www.coldwaterclassic.net.
FUEL TV will also air event highlights. Visit www.fuel.tv
for more information. WAVEWATCH FORECAST: Saturday (10/13): Gulf windswell fading from 5.5 ft @ 9-10 secs. Surf in the 3 ft range. Light offshore winds from the northeast early at 5-10 kts turning northwest winds in the afternoon to 10-15 kts producing a little sideshore bump. Sunday (10/14): Northwest windswell continues at 4.2 ft @ 11 secs. Surf 2 ft with occasional 3 ft sets. Wind light northwest 5 kts or less. Calm all day and clean. RESULTS: O’Neill Cold Water Classic pres. by Jeep – ASP WQS 4-Star |
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Day
4 action for the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep has
finished for today, with the final 32 surfers decided in punchy one-to-three
foot waves at Steamer Lane. The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)
World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-Star event saw the final eight heats of
the Round of 64 run with some big upsets and inspirational performances.