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SURFERMAG.COM PROTOUR UPDATE

Monday, November 25 (Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii) The Rip Curl Cup commenced with round one of the main event this morning, but a massive swell increase ultimately led to the postponement after only five heats were run. The US$250,000 World Championship Tournament (WCT) marks the second leg of the 20th Anniversary Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and will very likely host the crowning of the 2002 ASP world champion.

Perfect 10-12 ft (3-4m) surf was on offer at Sunset beach this morning, but the swell jumped another 6ft (2m) within hours, creating a washing machine environment for the world's top rated surfers to contend with. The lineup, usually consisting of a defined break and channel, became awash with huge waves in all directions, closing out in front of competitors and making heats more a matter of luck and survival, than a display of ability.

Current #26 Taylor Knox (USA) won the day's opening heat from Floridian Shea Lopez and South African Paul Canning (SAfr). The Californian is one of the most respected Sunset surfers on tour, and despite lying on the cusp of re-qualification for the 2003 WCT, he explained his only thoughts were on catching some good waves at the famous venue.

"It was good to get out there and start, first heat of the morning," said Knox. "Having a couple of 10-footers hit you will wake you up real fast (laughs).

"I'm just glad we're at Sunset, in good waves," he added, of the ratings crunch. "We're going to have big surf, so I just want to have fun and surf another heat at Sunset. That's all I'm thinking about."

Current #25 Shane Powell posted the highest two-wave total of the morning with 16.25-points, defeating fellow Australians Phil MacDonald and Danny Wills the following heat. The 30-year-old only caught two rides, but made them count with a 7.5 and then 8.75 score, advancing directly into round three.

"It wasn't too bad during our heat," said Powell. "It was really clean and only 8ft, with some bigger sets every 10-minutes or so, so you could sneak in between them. I only got two waves the whole heat, but just planned on catching the medium sized ones. Pretty stoked to get through, especially before the bigger swell hit us."

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