06.08.01
by: Press Release

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. - The 2001 Op Pro, Presented By Surfer Magazine, is a one-of-a-kind floating surf contest that will feature cut-throat, winner-take-all competition within an isolated, exotic island wilderness-Indonesia's fabulous Mentawai Islands. A $127,500 total prize purse, along with the potential to take home the biggest paycheck in surfing history, is incentive enough to lure the world's six best men and four best women to West Sumatra for the two-week surfing event, June 11-23.

"It's the best contest I have ever been involved with," says Australia's Mark Occhilupo, 2000 world professional champion, and winner of last year's inaugural Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge. "I will never forget the surfing, the surfers and the beautiful vibe. The whole thing just felt so…historic."

Mark Occhilupo

Historic also characterized the equal opportunity provided to the world's best female surfers, who shared both the epic waves and the innovative format with the men last year. "Women's surfing took a greater quantum leap during this single event last year than in the entire previous decade," explains Sam George, SURFER editor and 2001 Op Pro co-director. "They really showed what was possible, when given the waves and the freedom to do so."

More of a floating expedition than a conventional surf contest, this year's event will showcase state-of-the-art satellite forecasting equipment as the four-vessel Op Pro flotilla travels under cover of darkness from break to break searching for what have been called the best, most challenging waves in the world.

"With the discovery of the Mentawai's in the early 1990s, surfing perfection was re-defined," says George, one of the world's best-known surf adventurers. "Who could have known that this forgotten island chain would offer waves with the symmetry and shape that every surfer dreams of?"

The perfection that this year's competitors will enjoy comes at a steep price. Malarial jungles, poisonous sea-snakes, sharks, razor-sharp coral reef, powerful swells generated from massive storms as far south as Antarctica, violent tropical squalls, equatorial heat and total isolation are some of the challenges that await the athletes. Just imagine the Eco Challenge but barefoot-and with no medical rest stops.

Competitors will be tested in multiple locations, taking advantage of the boats' mobility to access a variety of surf breaks and conditions. "Since waves will vary between left and right-hand breaks in large surf, barrels and smaller high-performance waves, the Op Pro is the ultimate test of a surfer's all-around abilities," said Kevin Meehan, SURFER's senior publisher. "With this format, if the surf isn't good at one location, we pull up anchor and move to the next uncharted spot."

Sunny Garcia

This year's judges will be implementing a new "survivor" competition format that will accentuate the demanding nature of this wild Indonesian venue. All surfers will compete together (six in the men's division, four in the women's) in a series of heats, or rounds. After each round, the lowest scoring surfer will be eliminated, delegated to the boat, while the highest scoring surfer, rather than immunity, will win $5,000 and the right to wear the "Yellow Leader's Jersey" in the next round.

When the field has been whittled down to the top two male surfers, a "do-or-die" heat between the four previously eliminated men will give one surfer a second chance to compete for the $30,000 first place prize. The women are battling for $20,000 and $2,500 per heat. All competitors receive a minimum $5,000 appearance fee.

Surfers invited to attend include reigning world champion Sunny Garcia (Hawaii), 2000 Op Boat Trip Challenge winner Mark Occhilupo (Australia), 2000 Pipe Masters champion Rob Machado (California), Tim Curran (California), Shane Dorian (Hawaii) and CJ Hobgood (Florida). Women include current and three-time world champion Layne Beachley (Australia), Hawaiians Keala Keannelly and Rochelle Ballard, and Australia's Serena Brooke.

Last year's inaugural Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge, Presented by Surfer Magazine, which overcame one of the largest earthquakes in history, encouraged new and radical maneuvers. The groundbreaking format saw two and sometimes three-hour heats, culminating in the then-world-champion Mark Occhilupo (Australia) receiving the largest payday in professional history - $65,000.

Layne Beachley

The Op Pro boasts a history of innovation ranging from the first use of the 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 in 1985 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.

"Since 1982 Ocean Pacific's commitment to competitive surfing in America has been unwavering," said Dick Baker, CEO of Op. "Op is reaffirming that commitment and taking it to the next level by staging the world's most unique surfing competition."

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