Globe WCT Fiji goes to Damien Hobgood

Activity Vacations Guide Surfing Report.
Floridian Damien Hobgood (USA) has won the Globe WCT Fiji in Cloudbreak's near perfect, two metre (six foot) waves. Hobgood outpointed ASP Men's World Tour rookie Shaun Cansdell who hails from New South Wales, Australia and had earlier taken out Damian's twin brother in the semi-final. Several of the Activity Vacations Guide team watched the hotly contested 30-minute final and saw Hobgood grab the upper-hand early on, when luck gave him the better of two waves and from then on he worked to stay in front, securing a well-deserved victory.
With the Foster's ASP Men's World Tour now moving to Mexico for the Rip Curl Search WCT, June 20 through July 1, the race for the 2006 title is really beginning to intensify. Winning in Fiji puts Damien Hobgood into third place on the ratings behind second placed Bobby Martinez (USA) and world number one Kelly Slater (USA). Martinez, who was defeated by CJ Hobgood in the quarterfinals, is still on track to claim the world crown in his first year on the tour; since Kelly Slater didn't compete in Fiji due to injury, only 100 points now separate them.

Foster's ASP Men's World Tour Ratings after four events:

• 1. Kelly Slater (USA) 3501 points
  
• 2. Bobby Martinez (USA) 3408 points


• 3. Damien Hobgood (USA) 2942 points


• 4. Andy Irons (HAW) 2940 points