San Clemente, Calif., April 27, 2007 – Conditions cleaned back up as day four of the Jeep® Body Glove Surfbout narrowed to the final 16 competitors in offshore two- to four-foot surf at Lower Trestles. Although not the ideal south swell direction that Lowers thrives on, the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) four-star event still saw some sensational performances and crowd-shocking upsets as the Surfbout raged through rounds five and six.

Dayyan Neve, currently in his rookie year on the elite Foster’s ASP World Tour, took top honors this afternoon with the day’s high heat total of a 16.66 out of a possible 20 for an inspired forehand performance. The well-built Australian was in sizzling form as he picked off two of the longest righthanders of the event.

“When you’re competing on the World Tour, you’re up against the best in the world and it just does so much for your surfing,” Neve said. “You can observe what they do on the waves and what they do in their heats and apply it out here to the WQS events. It’s a huge benefit.”

Shaun Ward, current No. 19 on the 2007 ASP North America Men’s Tour, put the Surfbout crowd on its feet this morning as he mauled a roping righthander to garner the day’s high single wave score of a 9.57 out of a possible 10. Blending rail-gouges with fin-free snaps, the impressive feat saw Ward easily through to the Quarterfinals.

“I was really just waiting out there for a wide one when that wave came through,” Ward said. “I knew it was going to be a good one so I was just hoping I wouldn’t fall through the first few turns. I started out kind of conservative, but started to open up about halfway through and then threw a little reverse there on the end section for good measure.”

Heath Walker, semi-retired from full-time competition, proved he still has what it takes today as he caused a sensational upset in defeating defending Jeep Body Glove Surfbout Champion Dustin Cuizon in his round of 32 heat.

“I moved to Carlsbad from Australia about four years ago and Lowers is one of my favorite all-time waves,” Walker said. “I’m just really stoked to be competing at this level still and I’m very excited about getting through to the quarterfinals. It is unfortunate for Dustin (Cuizon) as there weren’t many waves out there for our heat and he was eliminated.”

Local favorites Chris Ward and Nathan Yeomans were other shock eliminations from today’s Surfbout competition. Ward, a current member of the elite ASP Foster’s 45, and Yeomans, the defending Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series Champion, were heavily favored going into the event. However, an unseasonable northwest combination swell took all local advantage out of the equation with the famed cobblestone A-Frame moving several meters south and turning into a righthand pointbreak.

Following the completion of round six of the Jeep Body Glove Surfbout, the ASP Grade-2 Oakley Pro Junior got underway with the opening round of competition. Boasting an international field of 32 of the top juniors in the world, the Oakley Pro Junior plays a crucial role in the race for the 2007 ASP North America Pro Junior Crown.

Nick Rozsa was in devastating form this afternoon as he locked down the Oakley Pro Junior high heat total of a 15.60 out of a possible 20. Rozsa, who has been absent from ’07 ASP Pro Junior competition due to injury, is hoping for a solid result here at Lowers to get the momentum going for a push to qualify for the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships.

“I’ve been sick for a couple of months and I’ve just started to get back in the water,” Rozsa said. ‘I’m feeling much better now and I want to get a result here so I can start my campaign for another start in the World Junior Championships.”

Other Oakley Pro Junior standouts included Hawaiian sensation Dusty Payne, Australian powerbroker Mitchell Coleburn and defending ASP North America Pro Junior Champion Eric Geiselman.

Tomorrow will crown champions in both the Jeep Body Glove Surfbout and Oakley Pro Junior. Competition begins at 8 a.m. The 30-minute Oakley Pro Junior final will convene at 1:00 p.m. with the Surfbout final at 1:30 p.m. The awards presentation will immediately follow at 2:20 p.m.

All action will be webcast LIVE with streaming video and scoring at www.surfbout.com

FUEL TV will telecast highlights from the Jeep Body Glove Surfbout beginning May 5th on The Weekly Update. For FUEL TV airdates and show times, check www.fuel.tv. Check out the Jeep Body Glove Surfbout and all of the Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series surf spots at www.WaveWatch.com.

The 2007 Jeep Body Glove Surfbout is happy to once again have support from Macy’s, Oakley, Ocean Minded, the San Clemente Times, FUEL TV, and PRIMEDIA’s Action Sports Group (ASG), publisher of SURFER, SURFING and WaveWatch.

WAVEWATCH FORECAST FOR 4/28/07
SWELL - The last little bit of swell originating from the Dateline-Gulf of Alaska region to be sneaking in at 2.4 ft @ 12 secs (2.5-3.0 ft faces) from 300-305 degrees. A secondary swell coming from the Northern Gulf of Alaska expected to hit mid-afternoon reaching 3 ft @ 13 secs (4 ft faces at exposed breaks) but given the steep northerly angle (310 degrees) it will probably show at only half to two thirds that size.
WIND - South winds forecast at 5-8 kts early fading some late afternoon.
TIDE - High tide of 4.1 ft just before 8 AM dropping to 0.44 ft at near 2 PM, then heading back up to 5 ft at 8 PM.

- Story by Dave Prodan