Thursday, April
15, 2004 (Bells Beach, VIC, AUS) Australian Joel Parkinson (Gold
Coast) today won the 32nd annual Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach.
Event #2 on the 2004 Foster's men's ASP World Championship
Tournament (WCT) resumed this morning with quarterfinal clashes,
running right through until this year's champion was crowned.
Perfect 4ft (1.3m) waves were again on offer, though
unfortunately became inconsistent as the event progressed
towards its climax on the lower tide. The 35-minute decider
against fellow Australian Taj Burrow (Yallingup, WA) commenced
with one of the most dramatic starts to a heat all event.
Parkinson stroked into an epic set wave and proceeded to surf it
brilliantly for a near-perfect 9.63 score. Burrow, on the other
hand, caught the wave behind, but creased his surfboard
attempting a re-entry and was forced to return to the beach for
his back-up board. Things never really improved for him.
'Parko' - last year's event runner-up - posted the only perfect
10 of the tournament in the semifinals, also earning the highest
overall tally with 19.5-points, to eliminate defending two-times
Rip Curl Pro champ Andy Irons. Having last won a WCT during the
Rip Curl Cup at the end of 2002 in Hawaii, today's victory moved
the 23-year-old into second position on this year's adjusted
ratings and banked US$30,000 prizemoney.
"I don't know what to say," began Parkinson, after being carried
up the beach by good mates and previous Rip Curl Pro winners
Mick Fanning and Mark Occhilupo. "I didn't expect that this
morning, but I'm pretty much over he moon.
"A wave came and everything felt good," he continued, of his
opening ride. "It feels so good not to get second. I got three
last year and they were all to Andy, so it was great to beat him
in the semis and finally win one. To get my name on the Bells
trophy is one of the greatest achievements of my life. I knew
Taj could comeback if he got a bomb out there, but I guess it
was my day. Thanks to everyone for coming down and sharing it
with me."
Burrow - last year's world #3 - never gave up despite his
initial disadvantage. The 25-year-old slightly bridged the
massive gap created by his opponent, posting a 7.87 with a
crowd-pleasing ride, highlighted by a trademark aerial maneuver
on the inside. Ultimately he required another ride worth
9.27-points.
"It's pretty hard to make a comeback when conditions are that
inconsistent, especially when Joel gets a 9.63 first wave,"
reasoned Burrow. "All I could do was try, and I got within
range, but inconsistently nailed me.
"It was my best board and I heard it crack when I tried to hit
the lip," he added, of the initial situation. "It didn't take
long to change boards, but it did rattle me a little bit. Then I
was just trying to fight back, but you can't get angry that a
wave didn't come. The real deal would have be the one, but I'm
content and stoked with the result."
Equal third were reigning two-times consecutive Rip Curl Pro and
ASP world champion Andy Irons (Kauai, HAW), as well as
Californian Pat O'Connell. Both earned US$10,000 and a major
boost to their 2004 world title aspirations. Irons had earlier
collected the highest overall tally during round three, but
against Parkinson in a rematch of their 2003 final at Johanna,
the 25-year-old was unable to stop his opponent going one
better. The Kauaian led momentarily during the exchange, before
'Parko' locked in his perfect ride and stormed ahead. The
defending champ opted to return to shore six minutes early, but
still gained control of this year's ASP ratings with another
strong result.
"Joel got a 9.5 and then was really patient, picking off another
set to score a 10 on it, so I was pretty much smashed,"
explained Irons. "He definitely got revenge, but at least it
wasn't the final. I would have been nice to be in the final
again, but it wasn't on the cards.
"Loving that," he added, of leading the ratings again. "The tour
is a marathon, not really a sprint, so two good results already
and I'm stoked. Just want to keep the momentum flowing
throughout the year and keep it up."
O'Connell, who received a World Professional Surfers (WPS)
wildcard for 2004 - following a knee injury late last year -
justified the spot with his best result in more than a year. The
32-year-old began his day with a dream win over Bells' roommate
and six-time world champ Kelly Slater, but then had his campaign
narrowly ended by Burrow. The Californian required an 8.28 with
three minutes to go and snagged a clean set wave. After landing
a big floater and emerging from a great barrel, the wave
unfortunately faded out and his score returned an 8.23, slightly
below mark.
"This whole contest has been such a blessing," reasoned
O'Connell. "Every time someone else needed a wave against me the
ocean went flat, and Kelly's ride was a second too late, so... I
didn't expect anything and had a good time. I really wanted to
get it, and it was fun surfing with Taj, as I really look up to
his surfing. My last wave completely died, but gosh, I almost
had it. I'm not disappointed at all though, and I think it was
exciting for the people on the beach, which I feel is a big part
of it."
Finishing equal fifth in the Rip Curl Pro were 2001 event winner
Mick Fanning (Gold Coast, AUS), fellow Australian Toby Martin
(Dee Why, NSW), six-time world champion Kelly Slater (FL, USA)
and 1998 event champ Mark Occhilupo (Gold Coast, AUS). In what
proved a wave-starved heat, Slater uncharacteristically fell on
his first good ride and then tried in vain to catch O'Connell's
lead. As the final seconds elapsed an ideal set wave approached
the Floridian, but by the time he had taken his hands from the
rail of his surfboard to begin surfing, the siren had sounded to
mark the heat's completion. Adding insult to injury, the
32-year-old went berserk on the ride and almost surely secured
the 8.0 score he required.
The 32nd annual Rip Curl Pro would not have been possible
without the support of Surfing Victoria, the Surf Coast Shire
Council, the Victorian Department of Tourism, Sport & The
Commonwealth Games, and the Association of Surfing
Professionals, plus the supporting sponsorship of Nintendo,
Coca-Cola, Triple M, Tracks, Nokia, Telstra, Falls Creek,
Frankston Yamaha, Holden and Beaumont's. |
Joel
Parkinson Wins Rip Curl Pro