05.23.01
PSTA

SAN CLEMENTE, CA - Ocean Pacific dives solidly behind domestic surfing with the Op Pro, the second stop on the Professional Surfing Tour of America (PSTA) in Oceanside, CA, May 30 - June 3. The contest will feature a one-star men's World Qualifying Series (WQS) event with a $10,000 purse along with a PSTA-sanctioned women's contest and a longboard event. "We are honored to have Ocean Pacific sponsor a PSTA event on the 2001 Tour," said Alan Gibby, executive producer of the PSTA, and longtime owner of DynoComm, the surfing industry's premiere TV production company since 1982. "Many people do not realize that it was Op that funded the establishment of Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) in 1982. Indirectly and directly, they have made it possible for many dreams to have come true in the competitive surf world over the years," he said, adding, "And here they are once again, supporting the sport and providing a solid showcase event."

"Partnering with the PSTA is the perfect opportunity to bring our Op Pro title home to its roots," said Dick Baker, Op CEO. The winner of the PSTA event will win a trip to Op's 2002 Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge, presented by Surfer Magazine. "We wanted to give the local WQS competitors an opportunity to experience this unique event. The PSTA event also allows WQS competitors the chance to become top athletes, as our Op Pro in Huntington Beach accomplished year after year," Baker continued.

The Op Pro boasts a history of innovation ranging from the first use of priority buoys in 1982 (now a standard marker) to creation of the "stadium" surfing venue in Huntington Beach. From Mark Occhilupo's come-from-behind victory over Tom Curren in hurricane Olaf's 15 foot waves to Kelly Slater's "coming out" victory at the 1989 Op Junior, the Op Pro has been the setting for dramatic showdowns among the world's best surfers. DynoComm has had a long-standing relationship with the Op Pro in Huntington Beach, held from 1983 to 1996, a "pioneer event that opened the eyes of television programming executives worldwide," according to Gibby. "The Op Pro in Huntington Beach paved the way for all the action sports programming and exposure on television today. It was truly the first alternative sports event to prove that sports could successfully fill an hour of national TV airtime," he explained.

The event is part of the six-stop PSTA tour, which is sanctioned by the ASP, providing surfers with WQS points (which gives them the opportunity to qualify for the ASP World Championship Tour). The schedule is: April 24-28, the Quiksilver Pro at Trestles in San Clemente, CA; May 30-June 3 the Op Pro in Oceanside, CA; June 20-24 the Vans Off the Wall Pro in San Clemente; September 4-9, the Rip Curl Pro 4-star WQS at Newport Beach; October 10-14 in Morro Bay, CA; and finishes up October 31-November 4 in Santa Cruz.

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