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ASSOCIATION OF SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) NORTH AMERICA

O’NEILL SI PRO PRESENTED BY RON JON
Sebastian Inlet, Florida
January 5-11, 2007

O’NEILL SI PRO MARCHES ON DESPITE DETERIORATING CONDITIONS

SEBASTIAN INLET, Florida (Sunday, January 7th, 2007) – The O’Neill SI Pro presented by Ron Jon steamed ahead today with competitors still sparking despite the further deteriorating conditions.

Swell continued to dissipate for the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) four-star event with the round of 96 beginning after a three-hour break this morning to allow the tide readjust.

Wesley de Souza (Deerfield Beach, FL) defied Mother Nature’s odds this afternoon by racking up the event high heat total of a 15.84 out of a possible 20 for a series of rapid-fire maneuvers on both his forehand and backhand.

“I just tried to start catching waves right off the bat,” de Souza said. “It’s really hard to catch any good ones out there, but I was lucky that I caught two pretty quick and was able to advance through.”

Suffering from multiple injuries in 2006, de Souza will be looking for a good result here at the O’Neill SI Pro to kick start his 2007 ASP WQS campaign.

“Last year was a tough year for me,” de Souza said. “I did my MCL in and was out for five months and then injured my ribs in Hawaii and had to go home early, so my first year was pretty rough. I’m hoping I didn’t peak too early in this event now as I want a good result here. I’m going to be making a big push this season.”

Dave Reardon-Smith (Coolum, AUS) was another who tore through the difficult afternoon conditions securing a solid 14.50 out of a possible 20. The powerful natural-footer smashed the sloppy 1’-3’ surf en route to his round four heat win.

“It’s slowly deteriorated over the course of the last three days,” Reardon-Smith said. “It’s seems that the afternoon low tide creates the best conditions though. A few small waves will come through and you’ve just got to do what you can on them.”

Currently unsponsored, Reardon-Smith has proven to be one of the form surfers of the event thus far and is poised for a solid finish here at Sebastian Inlet.

“Throughout the first six months of this year, I’m going to be working hard to crack inside 192 on the WQS,” Reardon-Smith said. “That way, I’ll be able to get into all the five and six-star events and build up a really good seed for next season.”

Brandon Guilmette (Huntington Beach, CA) shocked fellow competitors and beachgoers alike by picking off the event high single wave score of a 9.33 out of a possible 10 for multiple forehand slashes on a reeling righthander.

“It was just God’s grace that put me in that spot at that moment,” Guilmette said. “Anyone of those guys out there could have got that score had the wave come to them, so I’m just really fortunate that it came my way.”

Surfline has forecast unfavorable conditions for Monday and Tuesday, but event organizers will still meet to assess conditions tomorrow morning in hopes of running as many heats as possible.

Competition will look to resume tomorrow morning at 8:00 am with Heat 13 of the Round of 96.

Live scoring will be available at www.aspnorthamerica.org.

For more information, log onto www.aspnorthamerica.org or www.oneillsipro.com.

RESULTS: DAY THREE O’Neill SI Pro presented by Ron Jon – ASP WQS four-star

Round Three: 128 surfers remain (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 13: Bud Freitas (USA) 12.17, Devon Tresher (USA) 10.37, Adam Wickwire (USA) 6.50, Chris Abad (USA) 6.27
Heat 14: Kellen Ellison (USA) 10.77, Rylan McCart (USA) 8.47, Jason Harris (USA) 7.44, Matt Mohagen (USA) 6.22
Heat 15: Heath Walker (AUS) 9.94, Ryan Briggs (USA) 8.87, Marshal Alberga (USA) 6.55, Ian Ekberg (USA) 4.40
Heat 16: Bryan Hewitson (USA) 9.60, Sean Marceron (USA) 9.13, Drew Ventura (USA) 7..33, Ian Rotgans (USA) 6.07

Round Four: 96 surfers remain (1st and 2nd advance)
Heat 1: Mineto Ushikoshi (JPN) 11.03, Shaun Burrell (USA) 11.00, Eddie Guilbeau (USA) 8.33, Mark Dawson (USA) 8.27
Heat 2: Kyle Garson (USA) 13.33, Cory Arrambide (USA) 9.17, Jason Reagan (USA) 6.63, Brad Ettinger (USA) 2.60
Heat 3: Aaron Cormican (USA) 11.90, Eric Taylor (USA) 11.00, Rodrigo Cahu de Lima (USA) 10.04, Darren Muschett (PRI) 6.13
Heat 4: Dave Reardon-Smith (AUS) 14.20, Tonino Benson (HAW) 10.83, Arthur Bourbon (GLP) 8.44, Justin McBride (USA) 6.20
Heat 5: Charles Martin (GLP) 9.50, Wesley Larsen (HAW) 9.33, Matt King (USA) 7.20, Kahea Hart (HAW) 3.20
Heat 6: David Awbrey (USA) 12.50, Izuki Tanaka (JPN) 12.20, Nick Kovak (USA) 10.70, Matt Keenan (USA) 10.40
Heat 7: Jorge Spanner (BRA) 12.17, Anthony Petruso (USA) 11.84, Brandon Ragenovich (USA) 7.70, Tommy O’Brien (USA) 6.16
Heat 8: Brandon Guilmette (USA) 13.66, Adam Virs (USA) 12.50, Michael Hoisington (USA) 9.10, Jensen Hassett (HAW) 5.97
Heat 9: Wesley de Souza (USA) 15.84, Micah Byrne (USA) 15.23, Kilian Garland (USA) 10.00, Zander Morton (USA) 8.33
Heat 10: Jeremy Johnston (USA) 13.84, Wesley Toth (PRI) 9.34, Noi Kaulukukui (USA) 5.07, Ryan Helm (USA) 3.84
Heat 11: Travis Beckmann (USA) 13.66, Tyler Anderson (USA) 10.17, Sean Tubbs (USA) 7.14, Darren Turner (AUS) 6.33
Heat 12: Kieran Horn (USA) 14.00, Blake Howard (USA) 10.13, Alek Parker (USA) 8.53, Bobby Morris (USA) 6.70

Event Schedule: O’Neill SI Pro pres. by Ron Jon – ASP WQS four-star event

Day One – Friday, January 5, 2007
8:00 am – 12:00 am: Heats 1 – 8 (Round of 176)
12:00 am – 4:00 pm: Heats 1 – 16 (Round of 160)
Day Two – Saturday, January 6, 2007
8:00 am – 4:00 pm: Heats 1 – 12 (Round of 128)
Day Three – Sunday, January 7, 2007
8:00 am – 9.20 am: Heats 13-16 (Round of 128)
12:30 am – 4:00 pm: Heats 1-12 (Round of 96)
Day Four – Monday, January 8, 2007
To be determined
Day Five – Tuesday, January 9, 2007
To be determined
Day Six – Wednesday January 10, 2007 or Thursday, January 11, 2007
To be determined

NOTE: SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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