FANTASY SURFER presented by Boost Mobile
2007 Mid-Year Review

Luke Munro and Gabe Kling ironically find themselves in the same boat.

=40 - Shaun Cansdell

Best 2007 result: Equal 17th at Billabong Pro Tahiti.

2007 Avg Fantasy Surfer Points Per Event: 24

2007 Starting Fantasy Surfer Value: $6,000,000

Current Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,500,000

Did you know?: Since his finals appearance at the 2006 Globe WCT Fiji, Cansdell has only made it past the 3rd Round once (2006 Boost Mobile Pro).

The Dirt: Talk about a sophomore slump has never been mentioned with as much truth as it has been with Cansdell. In 2006, he made the finals in Fiji and appeared to be one of the WCT’s more talented future stars. But his poor results that started in the second half of 2006 have continued through the first half of 2007. He’s a talented surfer, but has to buckle down and focus or we won’t be seeing him again on the WCT for a while. A darkhorse pick at best at spots like Trestles and Mundaka, pay attention to his Round 1 match-ups and choose accordingly.

=40 - Mark Occhilupo

Best 2007 result: Equal 17th at Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.

2007 Avg Fantasy Surfer Points Per Event: 23

2007 Starting Fantasy Surfer Value: $5,000,000

Current Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,500,000

Did you know?: Occy’s last WCT victory was at the 1999 Billabong Pro Mundaka – the year he won his world title.

The Dirt: It’s been a slow but steady decline for Occhilupo since his world title year in 1999. Each year, his rating has dropped, and this year is no exception. Occy deserves everyone’s respect for performing at such a high level for so long, but Fantasy Surfer users would be foolish to expect any more big results from the former champ.

=40 - Troy Brooks

Best 2007 result: Equal 17th at Billabong Pro J-Bay.

2007 Avg Fantasy Surfer Points Per Event: 25

2007 Starting Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,500,000

Current Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,000,000

Did you know?: Of his three years on the WCT, Brooks has never re-qualified via the Top 28 WCT spots. He was an injury wildcard in 2005, and a WQS qualifier in 2006 & 2007.

The Dirt: Things aren’t looking good for Brooko. He typically doesn’t finish in the top half of the rankings, so there’s no surprise there. But this year, he’s not ranked in the Top 30 of the WQS either, so we could see him drop off the WCT tour for the first time since 2003. A gamble at just about every event, Brooks could win a few Expression Sessions, but a WCT event is out of his range. Choose with caution when selecting for your Fantasy Surfer teams as he has a history of last-minute injuries.

=40 - Neco Padaratz

Best 2007 result: Equal 17th at Billabong Pro J-Bay.

2007 Avg Fantasy Surfer Points Per Event: 22

2007 Starting Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,500,000

Current Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,000,000

Did you know?: Since his return from suspension from the WCT, Padaratz has only made it past Round 2 once, losing in Round 3 at J-Bay to Taj Burrow.

The Dirt: Padaratz has had some trouble re-capturing his form that had him in the top half of the WCT rankings prior to his dismissal from the tour mid-year in 2005. His future depends upon finding that form, so Padaratz needs to find it – FAST. Each event, he is one of the least-selected surfers by Fantasy Surfer users. That statistic in itself says that the majority of Fantasy Surfer users already know he is a risky selection.

=40 - Gabe Kling

Best 2007 result: Equal 17th at Billabong Pro Tahiti.

2007 Avg Fantasy Surfer Points Per Event: 21

2007 Starting Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,000,000

Current Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,000,000

Did you know?: Kling currently sits in the top 15 on the 2007 WQS.

The Dirt: All that waiting, for THIS? Obviously, Kling had no idea that the WCT would be such a meat grinder on him this year. But Kling is smart and has backed up his WCT results with a high ranking so far on to WQS. If he can re-qualify, this year’s hard lessons will pay off with future results. For now, Kling’s best shot at a good result lies with his performances at Trestles, France and Brazil.

=40 - Luke Munro

Best 2007 result: Equal 17th at Billabong Pro J-Bay.

2007 Avg Fantasy Surfer Points Per Event: 22

2007 Starting Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,000,000

Current Fantasy Surfer Value: $3,250,000

Did you know?: Munro has only won 1 WCT heat in 2007 (J-Bay, Round 1).

The Dirt: Nowhere to go but up. Rated dead last at the mid point of the year, Munro faces the prospect of taking on the highest seeds throughout the remainder of the year. No easy task. But for someone who spends a lot of time cruising with Kelly Slater, perhaps he’ll play some part in Slater’s run at a 9th world title. He’s not going to win any events this year, but an upset or two may be in the cards for him.