The Oakley Newport Beach Pro is set to begin September 16-21, 2008 at 56th Street. The 20th Annual Newport Beach Surf Championships include an Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 2-Star event in conjunction with an ASP Grade-2 North America Pro Junior Series contest and is the second of three stops on the Macy's California Trifecta Surf Series.

Surfers competing in the ASP WQS contest are vying for the valuable ratings points on offer towards qualification for the ASP World Tour. The top 15 surfers with the best seven results at year's end qualify for next year's ASP World Tour.

This year's event will see two-time Oakley Newport Pro champion Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA), 27, return in an attempt to claim a third Oakley Newport Pro title. The standout goofy-footer is currently rated No. 24 on the ASP WQS and is within striking distance of qualification for the 2009 ASP World Tour. Yeomans is currently finishing up with the European leg of the ASP WQS and will be home just in time to defend his title.

"I want to be the three-time Newport Champ," Yeomans said. "That would fit well going with the Macy's California Trificta Series. I want my nickname to be 'Newport Nate' and I think that can only happen if I win it three times. There is always good competition in Newport, and I'm sure there are plenty of guys who want to take me out. So, game on."

Yeomans was the 2006 Macy's Trifecta Surf Series champion and was the runner up in last year's series. The talented San Clemente native sees the mini-series as a good way for up-and-coming professional surfers to decide if they should tackle the ASP WQS full time.

"The Macy's Trifecta Surf Series offers a good opportunity for younger guys coming up here in America to gain competition experience in the pro ranks and also see how they size up to possibly taking on the WQS full bore," Yeomans said. "There is a huge California contingent trying to qualify for the World Tour this year. A lot of that is by the opportunities afforded by the Trifecta. It's what prepares you to take your surfing ability onto the world stage."

Dane Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 22, will be home from his ASP WQS campaign in Europe in time to compete in the Oakley Newport Pro. The goofy-footer will accompany the remainder of the Gudauskas trio (brothers Pat and Tanner) to try and stop Yeomans from his third Oakley Newport Pro title.

"Newport is pretty much one of California's relics," Gudauskas said. "It has pumped for the past couple of years at the event and I hope it does this year. I like the wedgy lefts; it gets me super excited for maybe some time in the green room or some airs. I'm just really stoked to be competing at home in front of the home crowd with my friends. It should be fun."

After spending months of travel time on the ASP WQS, Gudauskas is looking forward to competing in an event close to home. With many valuable ASP WQS events held across the globe, most top North American competitors spend their time traveling to earn the points they need towards qualification for the ASP World Tour.

"I am really looking forward to the event at Newport," Gudauskas said. "It'll just be fun to sleep in my own bed and paddle out for a heat. It's nice to hang out with family and friends and it always seems to give me a little pep. I love to be on the road, but competing at home is a real treat."

The Oakley Pro Junior event accompanying the ASP WQS will see top junior seeds, all under the age of 21, hit the water in an attempt to earn ratings points towards qualification for the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships held in Narrabeen, Australia each January.

Blake Jones (Melbourne Beach, FL), 20, is fresh off of a second place finish at the Billabong Pro Junior held September 5-6, 2008 at Ponto beach in Carlsbad, California. The young Floridian will be out to claim his first Pro Junior victory of the season at the Oakley Pro Junior and has spent the last few weeks in California to practice for the upcoming event in Newport.

"I stayed out west after the Billabong event," Jones said. "I've been staying in Oceanside and surfing the pier. I surf Newport a ton when I'm out here because I stay there most of the time and its a really fun wave. Getting a second at Ponto was sick and it definitely helped my confidence to end this year well."

Jones is currently on the bubble for qualification for his shot to compete against the world's finest junior competitors at the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships. The regular-footer has been fine-tuning his equipment in preparation for the end of the year and hopes to finish up the season on a positive note.

"I got some really good boards and I've been working with Jason Bennett to keep them coming," Jones said. "I just hope I can get good waves in the next couple events and hopefully be in the top five at the end of the year."

Travis Beckmann (Vero Beach, FL), 20, is currently sitting in the No. 2 spot on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series and is hungry for his chance to qualify for the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships. The standout junior competitor missed a chance at a title shot by only a few points last year and is looking for a chance to establish himself against the world's finest junior surfers. Beckmann will be out to claim a win over current ratings leader Cory Arrambide (Ventura, CA), 19, who also won the Arnette Pro Junior in Newport earlier this year.

"Qualifying for Worlds is important because you're up against the kids that have a good chance to make a push for the World Tour," Beckmann said. "Showing what you can do on that kind of stage is a great way to put yourself on the map."

Beckmann looks at the experience gained at events like the Oakley Pro Junior in Newport as good experience for his future professional career.

"They are a good gateway for the 'QS because it's the same set up as 'QS heats. There are 20 minute heats and the top two waves count, with four man heats. The judging seems to be a little different from a Pro Junior contest to a 'QS contest but it's fairly the same. So all in all it's a decent way to get ready for the 'QS."