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BRETT SIMPSON LEADS TOP SEEDS AT O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC PRES. BY JEEP

SANTA CRUZ, California (Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007) – Brett Simpson (Huntington Beach, CA) led the top-seeded surfers through the Round of 64 today at Day 3 of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep.

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-Star event, the final stop on the 2007 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep (an ASP North America Specialty Series), completed 8 heats of Round 4 today, seeing top-seeded surfers manhandle the punchy three-to-four foot (1.5 metre) waves on offer at Santa Cruz’s Steamer Lane.

Simpson, current No. 47 on the ASP WQS ratings, immediately lifted the level of competition in the Round of 64, netting the event high heat total of 17.60 out of a possible 20.

“I was actually pretty nervous out there and felt really jittery on my first couple of turns,” Simpson said. “After that first wave, I felt a lot more comfortable and got into a good rhythm. My boards feel good and I’m stoked to make it into another round.”

Although currently sitting in 47th on the ASP WQS, a strong result in Santa Cruz could see Simpson jump up in the ratings before the remaining events of the season.

“I’ve been on the road a lot this season, working on my qualifying seed,” Simpson said. “I had a couple of results in Europe, but a result here would put me in a good position before heading into the final leg of the season.”

Adam Virs (Ventura, CA), current ratings leader on the 2007 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep, kept his campaign alive today, exhibiting solid experience at the venue and posting an impressive 15.86 out of a possible 20.

“I’m feeling really comfortable out there,” Virs said. “I know there is a lot going on with the Trifecta ratings, but I do my best to block that out and just take it one heat at a time. It’s worked for me so far so I’ll just be looking forward to the next heat.”

Virs will be joined by defending Macy’s Trifecta Champion and current No. 2 Nathan Yeomans (San Clemente, CA), who also advanced through his Round 4 heat today, as well as several others looking to challenge for title.

The top three finishers on the 2007 Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep will split a $15,000 bonus prize purse with the eventual winner also receiving an all-new Jeep Patriot (valued at $26,000).

Eric Geiselman (New Smyrna Beach, FL), reigning ASP North America Pro Junior Champion, dominated the afternoon peaks in Round 3 of competition, looking sharp and explosive en route to netting a solid 16.07 out of a possible 20.

“It was a slow start to the heat for me,” Geiselman said. “I kind of waited until the last 10 minutes to get busy, but thankfully I found a couple of waves that stood up for me.”

Geiselman will look to take the confidence gained from today’s performance in the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep into tomorrow’s Oakley Pro Junior ASP North America Championships, the first ASP Grade-3 in North American history.

“A few of the guys have opted to not surf the ’QS event and just focus on the junior, but I’m doing both,” Geiselman said. “I think the more experience you can have out at the Lane the better. I’m extremely focused on the Pro Junior event as there is a lot on the line.”

As the final event on the 2007 ASP North America Pro Junior Series, the Oakley Pro Junior will play a deciding role in determining the top-4 junior surfers of the season, who will then receive entry into the prestigious Billabong ASP World Junior Championships next January.

Competition at the O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep is scheduled to recommence tomorrow morning at 8am with Heat 9 of Round 4.

O'NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC RESULTS:

O’Neill Cold Water Classic pres. by Jeep – ASP WQS 4-Star
Round 3: 96 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Nick Rozsa (USA) 10.23, Chris Dennis (TTO) 10.10, Omar Etcheverry (USA) 7.90, Darren Muschett (USA) 10.23
Heat 2: Bud Freitas (USA) 12.10, Kahea Hart (HAW) 8.00, Adam Lambert (HAW) 6.90, Luke Davis (USA) 5.80
Heat 3: Charlie Carroll (HAW) 12.24, Peter Mel (USA) 12.00, Billy Kemper (USA) 9.96, Tonino Benson (HAW) 8.83
Heat 4: Jason Miller (USA) 9.10, Sean Taylor (USA) 8.37, Kilian Garland (USA) 8.14, Andrew Bennett (USA) 4.70
Heat 5: Clay Marzo (HAW) 10.90, Johnny Craft (USA) 9.00, Ricky Whitlock (USA) 5.37, Liam McNamara (HAW) 5.30
Heat 6: Micah Byrne (USA) 12.67, Zach Plopper (USA) 9.07, Ted Navarro (USA) 8.90, Jake Kirschenbaum (USA) 8.56
Heat 7: Layne Harrison (USA) 14.00, Matt Keenan (USA) 9.77, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 9.30, Morgan Faulkner (HAW) 7.23
Heat 8: Kieran Horn (USA) 12.96, Jay Phillips (AUS) 8.20, Kellen Ellison (USA) 7.50, Josh Montgomery (USA) 5.07
Heat 9: Zach Keenan (USA) 12.00, Noi Kaulukukui (USA) 11.00, Magnum Martinez (VEN) 9.24, David Post (USA) 3.83
Heat 10: Hideyoshi Tanaka (JPN) 11.40, Kai Barger (HAW) 11.30, Drew Ventura (USA) 7.63, Eddie Guilbeau (USA) 7.40
Heat 11: Jason Collins (USA) 15.67, Dane Ward (USA) 9.97, Jensen Hassett (HAW) 9.64, Ian Ekberg (USA) 9.00
Heat 12: Sean Marceron (USA) 10.60, Josh Loya (USA) 10.50, Kyle Knox (USA) 10.20, Tyler Smith (USA) 9.43
Heat 13: Travis Beckmann (USA) 9.00, Ryan Sakal (USA) 8.10, Michael Hoisington (USA) 5.97, David Gonsalves (HAW) 4.67
Heat 14: Dusty Payne (HAW) 15.70, Nat Young (USA) 12.33, Travis Mellem (USA) 11.07, Ryan Briggs (USA) 10.30
Heat 15: Eric Geiselman (USA) 16.07, Shey Yates (USA) 8.93, Randy Bonds (USA) 5.23, Jesse Heilman (USA) 5.10
Heat 16: John Daniels (USA) 14.63, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 13.90, Will Tant (USA) 8.30, Dane Johnson (USA) 4.46

Round 4: 64 surfers remaining (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Brett Simpson (USA) 17.60, Gavin Beschen (HAW) 9.57, Kahea Hart (HAW) 9.54, Nick Rozsa (USA) 0.00
Heat 2: Adam Virs (USA) 15.86, Bud Freitas (USA) 13.00, Chris Dennis (TTO) 5.00, Dylan Graves (PRI) 2.43
Heat 3: Federico Pilurzu (CRI) 13.43, Charlie Carroll (HAW) 12.87, Sean Taylor (USA) 7.83, Beau Mitchell (AUS) 4.47
Heat 4: Darrell Goodrum (USA) 10.67, Jason Miller (USA) 7.70, Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 7.27, Peter Mel (USA) 4.90
Heat 5: Nathan Yeomans (USA) 13.17, Brad Ettinger (USA) 11.23, Clay Marzo (HAW) 7.14, Zach Plopper (USA) 2.87
Heat 6: Jesse Merle-Jones (HAW) 12.03, Ola Eleogram (HAW) 10.93, Micah Byrne (USA) 9.83, Johnny Craft (USA) 6.40
Heat 7: Jay Phillips (AUS) 15.33, Anthony Petruso (USA) 12.16, Layne Harrison (USA) 9.40, Mike Losness (USA) 6.23
Heat 8: Roy Powers (HAW) 14.66, Kieran Horn (USA) 12.70, John John Florence (HAW) 12.70, Matt Keenan (USA) 7.83

All O’Neill Cold Water Classic Surf Contest presented by Jeep as well as Oakley Pro Junior action will be webcast LIVE at www.coldwaterclassic.net

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