A place on the Activity Vacations Guide where Surfers, Kite Surfers, Wind Sailors, Wake Boarders and friends can hang out and exchange news.
Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) has claimed her second title on the 2006 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women’s World Tour.
Her second win was in perfect six to ten foot (two to three metre) waves at Fiji’s Cloudbreak Reef. Beyond Boarder's report
In one of the best finishes to a pro surfing event ever, the Rip Curl Pro has been won by Kelly Slater (USA) at Bells Beach, Australia.
Surfing in amazing three metre (eight to 10 feet) waves, he also equaled Tom Curren's record for having won 33 Foster's ASP Men's World Tour events, the most in pro surfing history. Slater is clearly having fun and enjoying his surfing on the tour; with two back to back wins under his belt and in this form he will be unstoppablee. Watch out Tahiti in two weeks time!
Runner-up was Australian Joel Parkinson, who put in some great surfing throughout the day but just ran out of steam in the final; something that you cannot afford to do when surfing against the master.
A Lay Day has been called; organizers of the Rip Curl Pro Surf and Music Festival have decided to postpone the main event for a while, given that winds and swell at Bells Beach, Australia are highly unfavorable.
Only one full day is now needed to complete the competition and with the waiting period extending until April 22, organizers have the luxury of waiting until excellent conditions return later in the week.
There are two more heats still to be run in round three of the event and then heading into round four, spectators will be treated to some incredible surfing action given the tremendous quality of the match-ups.
Round four heats to date:
Heat 1: Luke Stedman (AUS) vs Pancho Sullivan (HAW)
Heat 2: Paulo Moura (BRA) vs Shaun Cansdell (AUS)
Heat 3: Bruce Irons (HAW) vs Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Heat 4: Taylor Knox (USA) vs Kelly Slater (USA)
Heat 5: Andy Iron (HAW) vs Bobby Martinez (USA)
Heat 6: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs Mark Occhilupo (AUS)
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Heat 8: Yet to be decided but expect Trent Munro (AUS) to be in there.
Following last month's tropical conditions on Australia's Gold Coast, pro surfers competing in the ASP world tour will need to unpack their wetsuits for markedly different conditions on the second leg of the tour; swells that hit Adelaide's Bells beach travel directly from the frigid depths of Antarctica.
Bells Beach, Torquay has the distinction of being the birth place of both Rip Curl Wetsuits and Quiksilver Clothing. Bells Beach actually features several breaks, including the Bowl, Outside Bells, Rincon, Centreside, Southside and Winkipop. Outside Bells is the main break that produces a long, fast, even wall when it gets above six foot. The Bowl is the steep final section of the wave, and just east of The Bowl, Winki runs over a reef producing a quick, hollow wave that often surpasses conditions at Bells proper.
Every Easter weekend sees the Bells Beach Surf and Music festival and the second of this season's 12 events on the Foster's Men's World Championship Tour begins on April 11th and continues through April 21st.
Long-term swell forecasts have indicated that excellent waves can be expected and indeed, competitors are anxious that they may have to unleash their longer boards as the swell could reach overhead heights by the weekend.
If you can't be there, put some beers on ice and watch Live video and results over the internet.
Man to watch will be defending Rip Curl Pro champion and world number six Trent Munro (AUS) who is very familiar with the Bells' breaks and last year defeated 2005 ratings runner up Andy Irons (HAW) in the beach breaks ofWoolamai Beach on Phillip Island, after the event was shifted due tounfavorablee conditions. Also in great form has been Kelly Slater (USA) who will be looking to consolidate his win in last months event, although both he and Andy Irons are currently hit by illness.
