Just hours after celebrating both his 21st birthday and American Independence Day (both on 4 July), Tanner Gudauskas (California, USA) celebrated the biggest victory of his professional surfing career, taking out the ASP WQS 6-Star Mr Price Pro Ballito, today.

Gudauskas defeated Australian James Taipan Wood (Aus) rocketing to World No. 6 on the ASP World Qualifying Series and pocketing R159 000 (US$20 000) as well as 2500 ASP WQS ratings points.

“I just can’t believe it, this is a personal best for me!” said Gudauskas. “Every night this week I’ve been going to bed dreaming about winning this contest and putting myself up there where Pat (Tanner’s brother and WQS No. 10 Patrick Gudauskas) was at, and it came through today so I’m fired up!”

Attacking the 30-minute final with unprecedented determination, Gudauskas rode every lump of swell, snatching an early heat lead with a 6.83 (out of 10.00) for some clean backhand turns, riding out in an explosion of whitewater off his final maneuver.

While his opponent Wood opted to play the patience game catching his first wave at the 11 minute mark, Gudauskas projected fast out of his top turns, maintaining speed and power in the wind affected waves to score a 6.67 and further extend his lead over the Australian, who was left looking for a 7.67.

read full article at surfingaustralia

NSW Open Surfmasters Titles

Locals revel at the NSW Open Surfmasters Titles

Surfing NSW
Werri Beach and Bombo, NSW
4 July 2009

Werri Beach and Bombo, NSW – Five prestigious NSW Open Surfmasters Titles were awarded today in excellent conditions on the NSW South Coast, as local competitors revelled.

Greeted with a marked increase in swell overnight, the usual crew of weather beaten, salt encrusted, sand blasted, elder statesmen and women were on hand today after a lay-day was called yesterday due to poor conditions.

With the best 200 age surfers congregating at two contest locations (Werri Beach and Bombo), to make up for lost time yesterday, five champions were decided and precious places at the Country Energy Australian Surf Festival on the line.

While their competitive still burns as strong as ever, what transpired was some high-quality surfing.

Local stalwart and Illawarra surfing luminary Terry Richardson (East Corrimal, NSW) was on-fire, returning back to the dais, after a seven year hiatus, claiming the over 50 Men’s division.

Having tasted success as the ISA World Masters Champion in 1997 and 2003 after a successful competitive career on the ASP World Tour during the eighties, Richardson wound back the clock today with an emphatic victory.

read the full story at surfersvillage

Former ASP World Tour campaigner Daniel Ross (Aus) has assumed the current ASP WQS ratings lead, after advancing into the quarterfinals of the ASP WQS 6-Star Mr Price Pro Ballito today.

Ross, the highest rated surfer in this year’s event, defeated local standout and South African Open Men’s Champion Gavin Roberts (Scottburgh) during the Men’s Round of 16 in the small 0.5 meter waves on offer Surfers in Ballito today.

“I’ve been doing the ‘QS for a while and to be only half way through the year and already sitting on over 12,000 points is a good feeling,” said Ross. “I’ve been putting in a lot of work and just kept doing what I know and it works well. I’m surfing without a sponsor at the moment but still, it’s all come together this year.”

As priority and wave selection became critical in the first of the man-on-man heats, the powerful Australian unleashed some fast and loose surfing to edge out Roberts with a 13.20 heat total to the South African’s 12.50 (both out of 20.00).

read the full story at surfingaustralia