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).

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Jeffreys Bay — The rivalry between Australian wunderkind Mark Occhilupo and California soul champion Tom Curren produced the most exciting competitive clashes in the history of surfing.  For the first decade of surfing’s ASP pro circuit Occy and Tommy dominated the world stage with their dueling performances.

In a major coup for surf fans world wide, this year at the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay spectators can watch a LIVE webcast of these two superstars as they re-ignite their intense rivalry in the world’s best right hand point wave, going head to head for the first time in over two decades. Each has won eight of their 16 previous encounters and the Clash of the Icons will provide yet another chapter in their 26 year rivalry.

During the 1980’s no rivalry was more heralded than the Tom Curren/Mark Occhilupo challenge. Whenever the two surfers came up against each other in heats, sparks flew, temperatures rose and onlookers gathered to witness unmatched and historic wave-riding duels.

“I saw Occy before he became a household name, when he was first breaking out, it was at Jeffreys,” said Curren.  “He had so much energy, just pushing every turn with so much speed and power… I watched his footage over and over and seeing him for the first time I remember thinking his anticipation going into every turn was something great; something amazing.”

Occy – amped, animated, and outspoken – was a young Aussie mischief-maker and a powerhouse hell-competitor beloved by everyone. Curren – enigmatic, humble, and deceptively understated – was a precise but devastatingly savage contest opponent idolized globally.

“I first saw Tom surf when I was really young in Cronulla, it was at Wanda Beach,” said Occhilupo.  “He was staying at Jim Banks’ house, I walked over the hill to the beach after school and it was like solid 6-8ft and he was the only one out.” “I think he won the Beaurepaires that year and the first time I saw him he was at his peak, he was just ruling.”

No matter where the event was held or who else was in it – there were always two camps, the Occy troop and the Curren crew. It was goofy vs. natural, radical power gouges vs. the sublime style-master, Australia vs. America.

Mark Occhilupo vs. Tom Curren Statistics Total of 16 heats

Mark Occhilupo – 8 wins
1983, Semis, Marui World Surfing Pro, Herbara Beach, Japan
1983, Round 1, Beaurepaires Open, Cronulla, AUS
1984, Round 3, OP America Series, Jensen Bch, Florida
1984, Round 2, Gunston 500, Durban South Africa
1984, Round 2, Tutti Frutti Lacanau Pro, Lacanau, France
1985, Final, Op Pro HB, California, USA
1986, Semis, Op Pro HB, California, USA
1986, Final, BHP Steel International, Newcastle, AUS

Tom Curren – 8 wins
1984, Semis, Stubbies Surf Classic, Burleigh Heads, AUS
1985, Semis, BHP Steel International, Newcastle, AUS
1985, Semis, Billabong Pro, Sunset/Waimea, HAW
1985, Semis, Stubbies Surf Classic, Burleigh Heads, AUS
1985, Semis, Rip Curl Subaru Easter Classic, Bells, AUS
1986, Semis, Marui Japan Open, Habushi-Ura, Niijima, Japan
1987, Final, Stubbies US Pro, Oceanside, USA
1988, Semis, Marui Japan Open, Habushi-Ura, Niijima, Japan

Career Statistics

Mark Occhilupo – June 16, 1966
Total of 685 heats, 380 wins, 55% winning
22 finals, 12 wins, 55% winning

Tom Curren – July 3, 1964
Total of 506 heats, 353 wins, 70% winning
45 finals, 33 wins, 73% winning

read more at surfervillage

BALLITO, KwaZulu-Natal – South Africa’s hopes of crowning a 2009 Mr Price Pro Ballito champion lie firmly in the hands of three talented KwaZulu- Natal South Coast surfers, all of whom advanced into the final 16 surfers during the ASP WQS 6-Star event this morning.

Gavin Roberts (Scottburgh), ASP WQS campaigner Rudy Palmboom (Bluff) and former ASP South African Pro Junior Champion Klee Strachan (Winkelspruit) are the last remaining South African surfers in this year’s ASP WQS 6-Star Mr Price Pro Ballito and will fly the flag high, as they take on some of the world’s finest over the weekend.

Netting their collective best ever results at both the Mr Price Pro Ballito and on the ASP WQS tour, the three surfers have proven sensational in everything from powerful three meter (8-10ft) barrels to punchy one meter (3ft) beach break conditions seen at this event, holding equal ninth place positions as they advance into the Round of 16.

Roberts continued his relaxed, yet polished form during his Round of 24 match-up, earning just enough to advance in second place behind today’s top scorer Alejo Muniz (BRA) 15.33 (out of 20.00).

Roberts’ powerful turns off one of the last waves of the heat were awarded with a 7.67 (out of 10), the South Coaster edging out Jean da Silva (Bra) thanks to Alejo Muniz, who pulled off one of the last good waves of the heat allowing the South African the opportunity to solidify his second place with a heat score of 13.20 (out of 20.00).

“There’s no pressure on me, every heat is like a free surf and it seems to be working so I’m going to keep on doing it and hopefully make the final,” said Roberts. This is the furthest I have made it at the Mr Price Pro and it’s the most points I’ve ever got in a WQS event before. It’s kind of funny after doing the tour for three years, I finally quit and now I’m getting more points than ever!”

Palmboom and Strachan took a similarly relaxed approach to their heats, the pair of youngsters advancing convincingly in first place.

Palmboom opened up strong with a 6.33 (out of 10.00) on his first wave and then backed it up on a running left to score a 7.17 (out of 10.00), taking a convincing heat win over one of Australia’s finest young surfers Matt Wilkinson (Aus) and yesterday’s standout William Cardosa (Bra).

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