Big Guns Fire On Day Three Of The O'Neill Cold Water Classic
The surf kicked up a notch and the top-seeded competitors raised the bar at day three of the O'Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep. The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) four-star event opened up in clean three to four foot surf at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, California.
Dane Reynolds (Ventura, CA) nabbed one of the best waves of the day and wowed the crowd with a phenomenal 360 reverse on the end section. With that maneuver, Reynolds scored a 9.93 out of a possible 10, the highest single wave score of the event. "I was sitting super wide and everyone was a bit too deep," said Reynolds. "I got caught in the kelp and barely made the drop. When I stood up, it was just this perfect wall. It was the best wave I ever got at the Lane."
Tim Reyes (Huntington Beach, CA) currently ranked 11 on the ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), easily advanced through his heat to the round of 32. "It's the O'Neill Cold Water Classic - it's one of the biggest events in America," Reyes said of his decision to compete in the WQS event. "I've been coming up here a lot - practically living up here because my girlfriend lives up here with her family. I just stay up here during all the breaks I have from the ASP World Tour. It'd be cool to do well in the contest up here. Last year I got fourth and I feel like I can win this event - I just need some good waves and I think I'll do well."
Reyes caused a huge upset in the Macy's California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep by eliminating current ratings-leader Dustin Cuizon (Ewa Beach, Haw.) in his round of 64 heat. Cuizon remains the Trifecta points leader but his closest competitors, Nate Yeomans (San Clemente, CA), Nathaniel Curran (Oxnard, CA) and Alex Gray (Palos Verdes, CA) are still moving ahead in the contest. Should Yeomans advance to the round of 32 he would take over the Trifecta lead from Cuizon. The point championship may be decided as early as tomorrow depending on results. The Trifecta, in association with Action Sports Group (ASG) and the ASP, will award the overall points-winner a bonus of $10,000, a second-place bonus of $3,500 and a third-place bonus of $1,500, now that no single competitor has the opportunity to win all three events for the $33,333. For more information on the Macy's Trifecta Surf Series visit www.catrifecta06.asglive.com.
Gray, keeping his Trifecta hopes alive, was able to advance through his heat to the round of 32 and will also compete in the ASP Grade 2 Oakley Pro Junior. The event, kicking off Friday, will serve as the ASP North America National Championships as it is the final pro junior event of the 2006 season. The Oakley Pro Junior will feature some of the best junior competitors (aged 20 and under) in the world, all vying for their last opportunity to qualify for the prestigious ASP World Junior Championships.
The top-four finishers on the ASP North America Pro Junior series, along with Alex Gray (Palos Verdes, Calif.) will be sent to the ASP World Junior Championships held in Narrabeen, New South Wales, Australia. Gray has already secured his entry by being the highest-ranked North America surfer on the WQS who is of junior age - Gray is currently ranked 43rd. For more information on the Oakley Pro Juniors visit http://surfermag.com/events/oakleyjr06/.
The O'Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep will recommence Friday at 8:00 am depending on waves conditions. Should event organizers decide that Steamer Lane is uncontestable, the event will go mobile to Waddell Creek, located 30 minutes north of Steamer Lane. The decision will be made at 7:00 a.m. Contest schedule and location updates will be available at the O'Neill Cold Water Classic hotline (831) 479-5577.
For the first time in the events history fans will be able to catch all the excitement and drama of this year's contest with a live webcast at www.oneill.com.
Source: O'Neill
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