2003 Boost Mobile Pro at Lowers

Slater bogs his way through a roundhouse. (C) Bass

August 28, 2003 (ASP Int'l, Aus) The Boost Mobile Pro presented by Quiksilver at Lower Trestles, California, is now just one week from its scheduled start date. Being the only ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) event on the US mainland, the famed venue is sure to highlight some of the most progressive competitive surfing ever witnessed as the race for this year's world crown heats up.

The Boost Mobile Pro presented by Quiksilver will be held September 4-13th, with the 5-day competition period selected by forecasting the best swell window. The event will be the seventh leg of the 12 round World Championship Tour, following events in equally pre-eminent wave locations in Australia, Tahiti, Fiji, Japan and South Africa. The World's top 45 surfers, plus three wildcards, will compete for over US$250,000 in prizemoney.

Mutual Admiration Be Damned The ASP would be wise to foster more heart-felt disgust among its competitors. I long for the day when one of the ASP press releases is titled "Slater Calls Irons Soft." It doesn't matter if the contention is true or not. The public longs for good guys and bad guys. Bring back Richie Collins. He spoke his mind and his style was hideous! READ MORE... of this archived editorial by Scott Bass.

An epic showdown between reigning world champion Andy Irons (Kauai, Haw) and six-time world champ and current #2 Kelly Slater (FL, USA) is gearing up as the main attraction. Irons, who won the first WCT staged at Trestles in 2000, still holds a comfortable lead this year following three major wins in Australia, Fiji and Japan, but snapping closest to his heels is none other than Slater. The Floridian won his first professional event at Trestles more than a decade ago, but more recently displayed incredible form to secure his second tournament win of the year at Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa, last month. Still some 600 points behind, the 31-year-old knows the importance of the Boost Mobile Pro presented by Quiksilver and will have all guns blazing as he strives to clinch an unprecedented seventh world crown in 2003.

"It'll be a really important event," said Slater of competing at Trestles." "I feel like my surfing is always at its top level when I'm out there. It's a really easy wave for my approach, so if I can just keep my confidence together and the approach going the way it is, I think it'll work out."

ASP President Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew summed up the sentiments of most, as the countdown for the Boost Mobile Pro presented by Quiksilver continues.