04.16.01
ASPworldtour.com

An elated Fanning emerges victorious

Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia - Wildcard Mick Fanning today created history by defeating fellow Australian Danny Wills to win the 29th annual Rip Curl Pro in the country's richest ever surfing event. Although not a member of the World Championship Tour (WCT), he currently leads the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and proved his place is among the best with an outstanding performance throughout this tournament.

Perfect 4-5 foot (1.5m) conditions continued throughout the final day, with a capacity crowd on hand to vocally encourage the first all-Australian final since 1997.

Fanning, 19, narrowly missed a spot on this year's WCT, but already issued notice for 2002 with an unbelievably good start to the season. He took out last weeks' 6-Star WQS event in Western Australia to jump to the top of those ratings, and today joined a prestigious group of wildcard surfers to actually take out a championship event.

The 40-minute final saw the lead change a number of occasions, but Fanning's last wave score of 7 points was enough to seal his fate at the top of the draw and earn him US$30,000.

"Oh wow, I'm just so stoked," began a shocked Fanning. "To win at Bells is just ridiculous. Last week in West Oz was just a dream too, so to back it up with this ... I'm just so stoked.

"Willsy's such a tough competitor," he added. "He's always so focused. To have a final against him is great. I was just stoked to be out in the water surfing against that guy because he's so good. To actually beat him makes it so much better.

"I guess so," he reasoned, when asked if this result serves notice he'll be on the WCT next year. "I'm just having fun and everything that comes along the way ... I'm just stoked. I'm not really worried about the money. I go into all the events just trying to get good experience and good points for the WQS. Money just comes with it, so I'm stoked. Hopefully I'll get a new house (laughs)."

Danny Wills surfs to second

Wills, 25, entered the Rip Curl Pro rated 29th in the world, but now leads the WCT after securing his best result since 1998 when he finished 3rd in the title race. He injured his ankle at Bells during the 2000 tournament and consequently placed equal 33rd. After overcoming the hardest of opponents in defending world and three-time event champion Sunny Garcia (Haw) this morning, and then world number 16 Andy Irons (Haw), he ultimately had to settle for second in the grand final.

"Absolutely stoked to make the final," said an out of breath Wills. "Just disappointing when you make the final and don't win. But it's probably one of the best places to get second, so that's good.

"It was hard, I just couldn't get on a roll or get the waves. Mick surfed well, so it's basically the way it goes. It's just going to be a long year, so I'm going to have to take it as it comes."

Twice Rip Curl Pro champion (1977, 1981) and inventor of the revolutionary three-fin 'thruster' surfboard, Simon Anderson (Aus), was on stage to present the finalists with their coveted Bell trophies and summed up the sentiments of many.

"Danny, bad luck," said Anderson. "You made the final and were blasting it off the top all week. You took out Sunny (Garcia) here, who was pretty much on fire even though he's only surfing on one leg, so good effort. And I guess look out world, here comes Mick."

Defending world and Rip Curl Pro champion Sunny Garcia (Haw) was eliminated in the quarterfinals. The Hawaiian had proved too strong for six-time world champion Kelly Slater (USA) and then 1999 world and 1998-event champion Mark Occhilupo (Aus) leading up to the match with Wills, but inferior wave selection cost him. A final ride had the potential to score the needed 6.41, but the judges only rewarded him 6.2.

"Like I always say, I wouldn't want to be a judge," said Garcia after the loss. "I don't always agree with their opinions and their scores. My opinion is that had I maybe surfed a little weaker and a little more cautious I would have maybe made that heat. I go out and try to put all I can into every turn, and unfortunately they didn't see it my way this time. Considering I have a bung knee and wasn't even planning on coming here, to get a fifth makes me really happy, though. I guess if I had to lose to somebody, Danny Wills is a really good competitor and a really good surfer, and he was ripping yesterday.

"It doesn't hurt to start off with a win," he reasoned. "But I guess with fifth place I'm not that far behind and am still on the pace. Hopefully going into Tahiti, and then through Europe, I can put together a couple of wins and be fine.

"I got good waves with Kelly and Occy. Unfortunately, the waves aren't as good today, so it's a little disappointing to lose a heat where more luck comes into it. If we had waves like we did yesterday the story would be little different. Danny got really good waves and mine weren't quit as good. It was a close heat, and that's just the way the cookie crumbles. This year unfortunately we don't have Pipeline, but we do have Sunset (last event of the season in Hawaii), which I won the last two years. We'll be ending in my kind of wave, so if I'm in the hunt, or leading going into Hawaii, I wouldn't bet against me."

Danny Wills and Mick Fanning party it up on the podium

Official results of the Rip Curl Pro Final Day
1st Mick Fanning (Aus) 20.85 - US$30,000
2nd Danny Wills (Aus) 19.15 - US$16,000

Semifinals (=3rd place earns US$10,000)
SF1: Danny Wills (Aus) 22.8 def. Andy Irons (Haw) 20.15
SF2: Mick Fanning (Aus) 22.8 def. Paul Canning (SAfr) 22.1

Quarterfinals (=5th place earns US$8,000)
QF1: Andy Irons (Haw) 19.75 def. CJ Hobgood (USA) 17.75
QF2: Danny Wills (Aus) 20.9 def. Sunny Garcia (Haw) 20.7
QF3: Mick Fanning (Aus) 17.4 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 16.25
QF4: Paul Canning (SAfr) 20.7 def. Shane Powell (Aus) 20.2

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