2006 Boost Mobile Pro of Surf Presented by Hurley

RANK OUTSIDER BEDE DURBIDGE WINS BOOST MOBILE PRO

Bede Durbidge rakes one.

SAN CLEMENTE, California (September 16, 2006) – Rank outsider Bede Durbidge (AUS) has shocked the sporting world with an amazing win in the Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley, held at Lower Trestles in California.

In what was his very first Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour final, the lanky naturalfooter who hails from Queensland, Australia’s Gold Coast, upset seven-time world champion Kelly Slater (USA).

From the outset he surfed the event with utmost maturity not letting his more seasoned rivals’ status get the better of him. Along the way he disposed of some of the sport’s biggest names including, three time world champion Andy Irons (HAW), local favorite Chris Ward (USA) and currently ranked world number two Taj Burrow (AUS).

But given his form and reputation it was almost expected that Slater would dominate the 30-minute showdown, yet today he met his match in the 23-year-old Durbidge who, after blasting some huge open face carves mixed with some quality aerial turns, came home strong late in the heat to claim the trophy.

For Durbidge, who was seeded into this year’s tour as an alternate after former Boost Mobile Pro winner Richie Lovett (AUS) withdrew for the year due to a major illness, the win was by far and wide the ultimate highlight of his two-year top tour career.

He even went so far to say that this year in total has been the best year of his life.

"It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” cheered Durbidge. “It’s the best year of my life! I’ve proposed to my fiancé Taryn and I’ve won my first event and everything’s just happened for me this year!

"I’m pretty much blown away but I’ve always had it in the back of my mind that I’ve had the potential to win,” Durbidge continued. “I knew the crowd was going to hype it up and I knew that if he (Kelly Slater) got anywhere near it, he was going to get it. I was just praying that no waves would come to him and it all happened for me."