IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
by
KevinWelsh/SurfNRG.com HOBGOODS Take First and Second at the GLOBE SEBASTIAN INLET PRO presented by RON JON The 2nd annual GLOBE SEBASTIAN INLET PRO presented by RON JON Surf Shops concluded on Thursday under sunny skies and glassy 3 to 4 foot First Peak action at Florida's premiere surfing studio. The first event to the 2006 ASP World Qualifying Series tour started off a week earlier when first round contestants were greeted with frigid 37 degree air temps. A few days later it warmed back up into the 70's reminding everyone of the pleasant winters that have attracted the annual winter snowbirds for years. Some of the highlights included last years champion Cory Lopez being upset in the Round of 32 by West Coast siblings Pat and Dane Gudauskas who edged out the 11th placed WCT Lopez along with Hawaii's Sean Moody. Sebastian Inlet local Eric Taylor was on a roll up until his quarter final heat where he fell victim to the constant aerial assault of Australia's Josh Kerr. Fellow local Kyle Garson made it into the semis but was stopped, along with North Carolina's Ben Bourgeois, by New Smyrna Beach's Aaron Cormican and the 2001 ASP World Tour Champion CJ Hobgood. The 2nd semi final saw Jacksonville goofy footer Asher Nolan and Damien Hobgood eliminate Josh Kerr and Morocco's Abdel El Harim who had won several of his earlier heats over the past few days. Now came the final. As the four surfers entered the water everyone on the beach tried their best to secure a front row seat. Cormican, the sole regular foot in the heat, spent most of his 30 minutes surfing 2nd peak in hopes of nailing another one of the vertical walls that earned him a crowd wowing 8.0 on his fully rotated frontside aerial in his previous semi final heat. That left Asher and the Hobgoods rotating between the wedging First Peak. The Jacksonville Jaguar was busy playing catchup the early part of the heat as THE GOODS played see-saw with each for first and second. CJ jumped ahead after scoring a 7.5 on a backside air reverse but was then knocked off the top spot when Damo pulled a huge air that earned him an 8.83. Asher then overtook Cormican for third place after viscously snapping a series of backhand turns scoring him a 6.17 while ending the heat. For Damien, who finished 4th place in the final standings of the elite WCT Tour for 2005, it was his first WQS victory and a major confidence booster for the upcoming seaon. Now wouldn't it be nice if he could end it next December with a World Champion title. After all, his brother did it in 2001 so he's definitely on a mission to at least equal or out do his twin CJ. They've been at that game for years. In the women’s event, Hawaii's Melanie Bartels took the top slot of the Gallaz Womens Pro followed by Rebecca Woods. Four Time Womens World Champion Frieda Zamba from Ormond Beach, Florida was on hand to award the $3500 check to Bartels. The Red Bull Tow At event saw some high flying antics and heavy carves the previous weekend by Josh Kerr, Cheyne Magnussen, last years champion Ben Bourgeois and others. The awards were to be announced for this event at Surf Expo this weekend but we're claiming it was Kerr taking home the SeaDoo. The Energizer award should go out to Matt Kechele who spent over six hours towing contestants into the wedging lines of his home waters at Sebastian. And a major thanks for all the sponsors and Mitch Varnes from Boardsports Management for making it all happen here on the East Coast of Florida! |
