Highlights from today’s Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay will be available via www.billabongpro.com

JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Monday, July 13, 2009) – Round 1 and the opening two heats of Round 2 of the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay were completed today in clean three-to-five foot (1.5 metre) waves at the legendary South African pointbreak, with the world’s best surfers reveling in the opening day of competition.

Event No. 5 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay opted to make the most of the conditions on offer today, opting to run the new competition format of man-on-man elimination matches from the outset, completing 18 heats of competition, highlighted with some incendiary performances.

Sean Holmes (ZAF), 31, wildcard at the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, has a storied history at the event, competing seven times prior, finishing as high as 5th (2002) and as low as 33rd (2005). Although Holmes, once considered the Jeffreys Bay nemesis of former-three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons (HAW), 30, hasn’t competed for the past two years, the powerful natural-footer posted an emphatic win this morning in front of an ecstatic hometown crowd.

“I was so nervous out there for the first ten minutes of my heat that I felt like I had stones for legs,” Holmes said. “About halfway through the heat, I loosened up and was able to collect some pretty good scores. For a natural-footer, the wave here at J-Bay is such a pleasure to ride. Although I haven’t competed in this event for a couple of years, I feel comfortable out here and I’ll look to get through a few more rounds before I’m done here.”

Holmes not only announced his return to the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay this morning, but collected the highest heat total of the day, a 15.93 out of a possible 20, in his Round 1 win over 2009 ASP Dream Tour rookie Dustin Barca (HAW), 27. The South African’s navigation of the Jeffreys Bay lineup, uting everything from fully-committed forehand hacks to deftly-maneuvered barrels, went unmatched by the world’s best surfers throughout the remainder of the day.

BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Michael Picon (FRA) 11.83 def. Tim Boal (FRA) 10.83
Heat 2: Nathaniel Curran (USA) 12.84 def. Jay Thompson (AUS) 9.33
Heat 3: Nic Muscroft (AUS) 15.17 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 9.37
Heat 4: Kai Otton (AUS) 10.40 def. Phillip MacDonald (AUS) 8.33
Heat 5: Dean Morrison (AUS) 10.83 def. Marlon Lipke (DEU) 8.67
Heat 6: Chris Ward (USA) 12.67 def. Torrey Meister (HAW) 10.16
Heat 7: Sean Holmes (ZAF) 15.93 def. Dustin Barca (HAW) 14.50
Heat 8: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 15.83 def. Ryan Payne (ZAF) 11.00
Heat 9: Tim Reyes (USA) 14.33 def. Devyn Mattheys (ZAF) 4.73
Heat 10: Heath Joske (AUS) 8.87 def. Dayyan Neve (AUS) 8.03
Heat 11: Greg Emslie (ZAF) 13.34 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 9.50
Heat 12: Chris Davidson (AUS) 11.00 def. David Weare (ZAF) 8.83
Heat 13: Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.33 def. Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 13.83
Heat 14: Roy Powers (HAW) 8.16 def. Jihad Khodr (BRA) 5.46
Heat 15: Ben Dunn (AUS) 8.50 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 5.80
Heat 16: Dane Reynolds (USA) 12.00 def. Drew Courtney (AUS) 5.77

BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.17 def. Michael Picon (FRA) 13.10
Heat 2: Kai Otton (AUS) 12.90 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.23

REMAINING BILLABONG PRO JEFFREYS BAY ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Dean Morrison (AUS)
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Nathaniel Curran (USA)
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 6: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 7: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Heath Joske (AUS)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Sean Holmes (ZAF)
Heat 10: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 11: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 12: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Dane Reynolds (USA)
Heat 13: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 14: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Chris Ward (USA)
Heat 15: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Heat 16: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)

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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Forced to go further inland in search of food and shelter, sick sea lions are invading the Central Coast, including one popular surfing spot.

Too weak to fight for a spot on seal rock, many seal pups are finding refuge on the cliffs and rocks of Steamer Lane.Scientists aren’t exactly sure why so many young sea lions are being found sick and starving, but one theory is that early signs of an El Nino weather pattern may be to blame.”Maybe there’s been so much upwelling, nutrients are carried further offshore,” said Guy Oliver, of the Institute of Marine Sciences at UC Santa Cruz. “It’s literally impossible for young to get to where normal prey is.”Some of those who surf at Steamer Lane said the sea lions have taken over certain jump-off points on the cliffs, forcing sea lions and surfers to co-exist at the beach.”We just jump from whatever part of cliff we can, to try and not disturb the sea lions,” surfer Guillermo Yanez said.John Hunter said that in his 20 years of surfing he has never seen the sea lion population migrate so close.”(We) respect them because it is their ocean,” Hunter said. “Hopefully, they get better and clear and as the season changes and it gets better for them and surfers.”Even though they are residing on the rocks, and within an arm’s reach of humans, Oliver said people should keep their distance since the proximity puts extra stress on the sea lion pups.”We can’t help them — we can help a small population, (but) we have to recognize that a significant number of last year’s pups are going to die,” Oliver said.Many marine sanctuaries up and down the coast, meanwhile, that have been taking in sick and hungry sea lions said they are now over capacity.

original story KSBW

BIARRITZ, France (Monday, July 13, 2009) – The 2009 Roxy ASP Women’s World Longboard Championships entered its business end today with Round 2 and the Quarterfinals of the world title deciding event being completed in consistent three foot (one meter) waves at La Côte des Basques. Pressure was on all faces and competitors stepped-up to deliver spectacular surfing, event favorites taking a commanding lead over low-seeded surfers to advance through to the final-four of the 2009 edition.

From low-scoring tricky heats to fantastic performances, Justine Dupont (FRA) was the woman of the day, the 17-year-old Lacanau resident posting the two best heat scores of the day to make her intentions clear towards her maiden ASP Women’s World Longboard title. Dupont, who had to display her best moves to defeat Kelia Moniz (HAW) in Quarterfinal No. 1, waited until the last two minutes of their encounter to get back ahead, leaving the water relieved.

“I am over the moon right now,” Dupont said. “It was a very tough heat against Kelia (Moniz) who surfed well, and she is on the event poster so it put more pressure (laughs). I got that good wave right at the start but then it went her way and I had to wait a lot which reminded me of the final two years ago where nothing came and I stressed out a little.”

Dupont, who hasn’t done worse than a 5th place finish since she started competing in the Roxy Jam two years ago, bettered her 2008 result today advancing through to the Semifinals for a shot at the title when competition resumes tomorrow. Dupont’s performances in both short and longboard divisions have made her a favorite at any event she attends, her Semifinal match-up against Coline Menard (REU) promising a good exchange.

UPCOMING SEMIFINALS RESULTS
Heat 1: Justine Dupont (FRA) Vs Coline Menard (REU)
Heat 2: Chelsea Williams (AUS) Vs Jennifer Smith (USA)

ASP WWLC QUARTERFINALS RESULTS
Heat 1: Justine Dupont (FRA) 15.50 pts Def. Kelia Moniz (HAW) 11.65 pts
Heat 2: Coline Menard (REU) 9.25 pts Def. Geodee Clark (HAW) 8.55 pts
Heat 3: Chelsea Williams (AUS) 12.50 pts Def. Kassia Meador (USA) 12.15 pts
Heat 4: Jennifer Smith (USA) 12.50 pts Def. Julie Cox (USA) 10.65 pts

ASP WWLC ROUND 2 RESULTS
Heat 1: Justine Dupont (FRA) 16.00 pts Def. Yoko Furuchi (JPN) 8.50 pts
Heat 2: Kelia Moniz (HAW) 10.75 pts Def. Leah Dawson (USA) 10.30 pts
Heat 3: Geodee Clark (HAW) 8.90 pts Def. Rachel Barry (USA) 7.10 pts
Heat 4: Coline Menard (REU) 10.70 pts Def. Summer Romero (USA) 9.15 pts
Heat 5: Chelsea Williams (AUS) 13.00 pts Def. Isabelle Braly (AUS) 6.75 pts
Heat 6: Kassia Meador (HAW) 9.25 pts Def. Miku Uemura (HAW) 8.05 pts
Heat 7: Jennifer Smith (USA) 13.75 pts Def. Kelly Nicely (USA) 10.90 pts
Heat 8: Julie Cox (USA) 7.15 pts Def. Yuko Shimajiri (JPN) 5.25 pts

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