Beschen Lowers Boom at Trestles
Press Release
Foster's Cup Results
$50,000 3-star men's WQS - (1) Shane Beschen, San Clemente (16.00 points) -- $7,000
- (2) Joel Centeio, Hawaii (14.65) -- $3,500
- (3) Roy Powers, Hawaii (12.85) -- $2,500
- (4) Chris Ward, San Clemene (11.50) -- $2,000
Beschen at last year's Boost Mobile.
(c) Bass |
Saturday, April 26, 2003 -- Former World Championship Tour (WCT) standouts Shane Beschen (San Clemente) and Serena Brooke (Australia) won their respective divisions today at the $60,000 Foster's Cup held at Lower Trestles, San Clemente, Calif. The legendary point break played host to the second leg of the $500,000 Foster's Pro Surfing Tour in front of more than 5,000 spectators on a spectacular Southern California Saturday afternoon. Conditions for the finals were inconsistent, with waves in the 3-5 foot range.
Beschen, world number two in 1996, was in great form, easily defeating Hawaiian's Joel Centeio (second) and Roy Powers (third), and San Clemente's Chris Ward (fourth) in the three-star World Qualifying Series (WQS) men's final. Chasing the WQS in hopes of qualifying for the 2004 WCT, Beschen walked away with a check for $7,000 and, more importantly, 750 points counting toward his goal. The now four-time Trestles WQS winner ('03, '96, '93 and '92) said his plan coming into the event was very simple, "I planned on winning. I definitely want to get back on tour."
Earlier in the day, Beschen and Centeio finished one-two in the day's first semi-final, defeating Huntington Beach's Tim Reyes (third) and Hawaiian Kaipo Jaquias (fourth) to advance to the final. In semi number two, Ward and Powers finished one-two ahead of Americans Nathan Yeomans and Ben Bourgeois.
Serena Brooke, world number two in 1998 and '99, looked like a sure bet to qualify for the 2004 WCT after failing to re-qualify this past year. Leading the two-star WQS final from beginning to end, Brooke finished ahead of Palos Verdes' Holly Beck, who enjoyed her best-ever professional result, to win $2,500 and take the lead on the 2003 Foster's Pro Surfing Tour. Third place went to reigning event champion Melanie Bartels (Hawaii) while 17 year-old Lauren Sweeney (Carlsbad) captured fourth and gave a glimpse at America's future.
Brooke was able to throttle Bartels who looked virtually unbeatable in the semi-finals after notching a near perfect 19.00 heat total (the event's best) on two scoring rides of 9.50 each. "Everything broke my way," said Brooke. "There weren't many waves, but those that did come, came to me." Brooke added, "Trestles is one of my favorite waves and it's great to win here again. This was a great warm up for the rest of the year."
The next stop on the 2003 Foster's Pro Surfing Tour will be for women only on June 7 & 8 at Oceanside, Calif. for the one-star WQS Queen of Southern California. The Globe Gallaz pro, for men and women, follows on July 17-20, also in Oceanside, Calif.
The eight event Foster's Pro Surfing Tour incorporates all WQS-rated events in North America and is the stepping stone to the Association of Surfing Professionals' (ASP) elite World Championship Tour (WCT). This year's circuit includes stops in Florida, California, New Jersey and North Carolina. The Foster's Pro Surfing Tour is sanctioned and administered by Surfing America, the nonprofit governing body for amateur and professional surfing in America.
$10,000 2-star women's WQS - (1) Serena Brooke, Australia (13.75 points) -- $2,500
- (2) Holly Beck, Palos Verdes (9.15) -- $1,500
- (3) Melanie Bartels, Hawaii (8.90) -- $1,100
- (4) Lauren Sweeney, Carlsbad (2.50) -- $900
2003 Foster's Pro Surfing Tour Standings
- (1) Rob Machado (875 points)
- (2) Shane Beschen (750)
- (3) Tim Reyes (736)
- (4) Heath Walker (703)
- (1) Serena Brooke (500 points)
- (2) Holly Beck (430)
- (3) Melanie Bartels (365)
- (4) Lauren Sweeney (335)
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