Tour de Force: The ASP Turns 20

12/86 - The Pipe Masters finally becomes an ASP rated event. Derek Ho wins in flawless conditions. His perfect 10-point ride in the semi-finals is the deepest tube ride ever seen.

12/86 - Former rip, tear and lacerate proponent MR repeats his big wave dominance, winning a second consecutive Billabong Pro at Waimea Bay, solidifying his legend status.

1987:
4/87 - During the Aussie leg finale, 16 year-old Nicky Wood competes as a wildcard entry at Bells Beach and ends up winning the event--the youngest champion in ASP history. Curren, meanwhile, clinches his second World Title, then promptly moves to France.

10/87 - The Op Fiji Pro becomes the first-ever specialty event whose specific aim is to score fantasy surf. It also becomes the first pro contest ever judged from the water.

1988:
4/88 - Brazilians Flavio Padaratz and Fabio Gouveia both have great rookie seasons in Australia, the first clear sign of the Brazilian wave to come.

5/88 - Body Glove's Robbie Meistrell, founder of the U.S. domestic Bud Pro Surfing Tour, lands an exclusive TV deal with Prime Ticket. Packaged as part of their "Wet and Wild Tuesdays" the fledgling tour paves the way for a new crop of American stars to rise and threatening the ASP's top dog tour status.

6/88 - With 21 events of various rating status crowding the ASP schedule "slumming" runs rampant, with top-rated surfers scooping up points regardless of venue. Sydney's Damien Hardman gathers the most frequent flyer miles and wins the 87' World Title. Aussies take over Top 5.

7/88 - The Garden State Pro, held in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, comes to a conclusion with no contest promoter--and no prize money--in sight. "I'd like to thank the sponsors," says first-place finisher Martin Potter. "If there are any."

12/88 - Surfers raise a collective hurrah when the tour finale moves back to Hawaii. During the final event, the Billabong Pro, held in perfect Pipeline, a controversial interference call costs Tom Carroll his third world championship. Fellow Sydney-sider Barton Lynch ultimately wins the event, and the world title, in a dramatic fashion.

1989:
2/89 - Martin Potter kicks off the year by winning the O'Neill Cold Water Classic, held at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, and never looks back. Potts wins four of the first five '89 ASP events.

8/89 - Potter clinches the World Title halfway through the season and with the race over the party scene on tour hits an all-time high in Zarautz, Spain. The ensuing debauchery gets so bad that ASP President Graham Cassidy pushes the event's start time back five hours...to noon.

1990:
2/90 - From out of semi-retirement in France, Tom Curren returns to competition, surfing his way through the trials of the O'Neill Cold Water Classic at Steamer Lane. Tom rolls, downing Gary Elkerton in a classic semi-final duel before going on to win the event. Curren then takes out the next two contests at Burleigh and Bells.

9/90 - By winning Rio de Janiero's Hang Loose Pro, Fabio Gouveia becomes the first Brazilian to win a WCT event.

10/90 - With his win in Japan, the amazing Tom Curren sets a record of seven wins in one season, then in Hawaii goes on to become the first-ever trialist to win a world title--and the first surfer to lose the crown and then win it back.

12/90 - Nicky Wood wins $50,000 at the Billabong Pro at Sunset Beach.