05.14.01
ASP World Tour

Teahupoo, Tahiti - World champion Sunny Garcia (Haw) today claimed sweet revenge over Nicolas Leetham (Tah) in the third round of the Billabong Pro Teahupoo. 2000 World runner up Luke Egan (Aus) wasn't so fortunate, however, being eliminated by VZ Hinano trials winner Bruce Irons (Haw).

Conditions at Teahupoo were 4-6 foot (1.5m) throughout the day, with wind and rainsqualls occasionally affecting the otherwise perfect waves.

Garcia surfs to win.

Garcia, 31, made his intentions known immediately after losing to the Tahitian in round one, three days ago. Angry and frustrated by the defeat, he vowed to gain revenge. Inconsistent waves greeted them today and made his task difficult, with the heat going right down to the wire. Ultimately, the world number one prevailed and even offered an apology for his initial comments concerning Leetham. The Hawaiian will now face 1999 world and event champ Mark Occhilupo (Aus) in round four.

"It was another one of those heats where there were no waves," said Garcia. "I think he got lucky in the last heat with waves and I was then, as I had a better one. I would have liked to surf a heat with him when it was more wave-for-wave, so he could prove to me he's one of the world's best surfers. He's a local guy and I guess I need to apologize for saying what I did after the last heat. He is a good surfer and beat me fair and square. I guess if I was a local surfer and the world champ came and I beat him, I'd be stoked too. I just kind of took it to heart 'cause I'm a competitor and he woke me up.

"That's what competing is all about," he continued, in reference to the closeness of their match. "We're some of the world's best surfers and you put us in the water and it almost never comes down to who's a better surfer, but who's a luckier one. We're all capable of winning on any given day. It always comes down to who catches the better waves. That was the case then. It wasn't that I was the world champ and he's just the local guy from Tahiti, it was cause I got lucky with waves and he didn't."

World number two Egan, 31, had his tournament hopes shattered today when Irons picked up a final ride with less than 30 seconds remaining to secure victory. The Australian actually injured his right shoulder free surfing prior to the clash, but afterward claimed this had nothing to do with the result. Instead, he questioned the points awarded by judges for his best ride, which left the margin close enough for his opponent to claw back with a slightly above average 5.75 score. "I got a 7.25 on probably the longest barrel since I've been here," explained Egan. "So I was pretty disappointed about that, as in my mind it was more like a nine. I put my arm in and out of the wave face three times (to help stay in the tube), and when you do that, you stay in the barrel for a while.

"I'm going to have to take Sunny's tactics and try and intimidate the judges," he proposed, in reference to Garcia's occasionally harsh words towards the ASP judging panel. "The guys getting the deeper tube rides have not been reflected by the scores the past couple of days. I was out the back and couldn't really see Bruce's last wave, so I'm not complaining about that score, but I thought my long barrel was worth more. It's the way it goes, so I'll take it on the chin.

"I just blocked it out," he commented on his shoulder injury. "I'm going to feel it later and probably won't be able to move it. I nearly popped it out of the socket yesterday, but it had nothing to do with my performance at all. The only thing was I probably paddled a touch slower."

Irons, 21, snuck into his last wave desperate for a score and milked it as best he could. The Hawaiian found a decent tube ride and this proved enough for the win.

"Luke actually started the heat better than I did," admitted Irons. "I was struggling, but luckily I found an 8.75 and only needed a little score afterward. Then in the last few seconds I caught a wave and they (the judges) gave me it.

"I knew I had to get barreled for sure," he further explained his last ride. "So when I dropped into the wave I just had to stall as hard as I could to stay in the barrel as long as possible and make it look critical. Then I came out and squeaked another little one. The score could have gone either way, so I'm stoked it went mine."

Shane Dorian rides his way to a perfect ten

World number four Shane Dorian (Haw) rode the best tube of the contest and earned the day's only perfect 10 to dominate his match over World Championship Tour (WCT) replacement surfer Kieren Perrow (Aus). The Hawaiian also equaled the highest tally of round three attained by world number 13 Michael Lowe (Aus) the heat prior, with an impressive 25.5 out of a possible 30-points.

Dorian, 28, began the match with a great tube. He then picked off his epic ride from under Perrow's grasp, as the Australian held priority. The life-threatening barrel finally offered an escape and the Hawaiian charged out, arms raised in disbelief.

"I got really lucky and had one of the best heats I've had in a really long time," said Dorian. "I just got in rhythm. I had a 7.75 on my first wave and then paddled back out as Kieren had priority. A wave came that I knew had potential to be really good. He looked at it and then looked at me, which was funny, 'cause I tried to act like I wasn't paying attention. As soon as he looked back at the wave, I spun around and paddled in. He ended up not going and it was a 10. I was stoked.

"That 10-point ride was amazing," he continued. "Right when I took off I knew it was going to be really hollow, but I didn't know if I'd make it, 'cause it was sucking down the reef so much and I was really deep. I had to start pumping (for speed) all the way until the barrel started going over me, and then I just grabbed my rail and didn't really see anything. It started spitting (spray) and the next thing I knew it was way in front of me and (the exist) kept coming closer, so I was just like, 'oh my, I can't believe I'm going to make this.' I was so happy."

World number 12 Guilherme Herdy (Brz) survived one of the day's closest battles against tour rookie Nathan Hedge (Aus). Herdy, 26, actually figured he'd lost the heat after watching Hedge successfully exist his final tube. The Australian only needed a score of 5.6 to take the lead, but after being awarded one 10th of a point less (5.5), the Brazilian advanced.

"I saw his first wave was really nice, and then at the end I thought he was going to get through 'cause his wave looked nice on the outside, and he came out," reasoned Herdy. "I thought it was good luck for him, but now I've heard that I got through the heat, so it's a surprise for me and I'm stoked.

Herdy surfs through his heat

Hedge, 21, suffered the double blow of having a surfboard broken during the clash. After an early ride, he opted for the jet ski to tow him back into the lineup, but unfortunately things didn't run to plan. The ski flipped over, landing on Hedge with his board, consequently smashing it in two.

"I picked a small one at the start and then needed the jet ski to get back out," explained Hedge. "The jet ski flipped over on top of my head, though, and snapped my board in half. I just tried to be calm, and I found a good wave and got back in the picture. I only needed an average score at the end, but I didn't quite get it. That's the way it goes sometimes.

"I sort of figured I'd done enough," he continued, in reference to his last ride. "I was semi confident, but it wasn't enough. It's gnarly when you're waiting around and not sure if you've made it or not, it was pretty painstaking."

World number 16 Andy Irons (Haw) continued his form at Teahupoo today by eliminating round two's highest scorer Damien Hobgood (USA). Currently second on the ratings, the Hawaiian overcame his initial nerves for a solid win. With brother Bruce on opposite sides of the draw, a showdown would take place in the final.

"Last night it was hard to sleep," said Irons. "I knew he was going to go off and it would be a tough heat. I was just psyching.

"Teahupoo's my favorite (event), but I never seem to make it past 17th (in the WCT)," he continued. "I just broke that jinx, so I'm stoked to be here. Every heat is another couple thousand (dollars) and more points, so I'm just stoked to keep going.

"That'd be cool if we both make the final," he added of his younger brother. "I'm just going to do my thing and I know he's going to do his. He's no slouch out here either, so he can definitely pull it. It'll be cool to see who goes better, who gets bragging rights at the dinner table."

Official Results Of The Billabong Pro Teahupoo Men - Round Three
H1: Renan Rocha (Brz) 18.25 def. Nathan Webster (Aus) 17.35
H2: Joca Junior (Brz) 10.65 def. Michael Campbell (Aus) 8.05
H3: Andy Irons (Haw) 18.15 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 15.9
H4: CJ Hobgood (USA) 12.75 def. Victor Ribas (Brz) 11.75
H5: Shea Lopez (USA) 17.5 def. Rodrigo Dornelles (Brz) 10.75
H6: Guilherme Herdy (Brz) 16.2 def. Nathan Hedge (Aus) 16.15
H7: Mark Occhilupo (Aus) 20.25 def. Luke Hitchings (Aus) 12.4
H8: Sunny Garcia (Haw) 13.6 def. Nicolas Leetham (Tah) 12.6
H9: Bruce Irons (Haw) 20.5 def. Luke Egan (Aus) 20.4
H10: Richard Lovett (Aus) 13.75 def. Peterson Rosa (Brz) 9.0
H11: Flavio Padaratz (Brz) 19.25 def. Sasha Stocker (Aus) 19.2
H12: Michael Lowe (Aus) 25.5 def. Paul Canning (SAfr) 10.5
H13: Shane Dorian (Haw) 25.5 def. Kieren Perrow (Aus) 8.2
H14: Shane Powell (Aus) 24.25 def. Fabio Gouveia (Brz) 19.25
H15: Kalani Robb (Haw) 11.5 def. Paulo Moura (Brz) 6.7
H16: Cory Lopez (USA) 24.45 def. Pat O'Connell (USA) 15.85

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