Professionals anxious to get back into competition

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	What: Surf contest featuring most of Hawai'i's top professionals Where: Sunset Beach When: Best three days between today and Nov. 11; 8 a.m. start on days of competition At stake: $20,000 purse; World Qualifying Series event, surfers can earn points toward qualifying for next year's World Championship Tour Daily status: 596-7873

After an unscheduled three-month break, Hawai'i's top professional surfers will return to competition this week in the Xcel Pro at Sunset Beach.

"I've been so high-strung the last couple weeks because I haven't surfed in a contest for so long," said North Shore surfer Kalani Robb, who is ranked No. 18 in the world. "I just want to get back out there."

The Xcel Pro is considered the kickoff for the North Shore's famous winter surf season. The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is scheduled to begin shortly after the Xcel Pro.

The last world-tour competition was held in South Africa in late July. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, three major contests in Europe were canceled. Smaller contests have been held around the world in the last month, but the upcoming Hawai'i events mark the true return of competitive surfing.

"After 16 years on tour, it was really nice to stay at home and spend some time in Hawai'i," said defending world champion Sunny Garcia. "But I think we're all anxious to get back in it and do what we do for a living, and that's surf."

So what do the elite surfers do when there is no competition?

• Garcia and his wife, Raina, moved into a new three-bedroom house in Princeville, Kaua'i.

After transforming the garage into a weightroom, he spent most of his free time working out, fishing and surfing.

His other hobby, riding dirt-bikes, nearly cost him a shot at winning another world title. Last week, he bruised his arms and back, and severely injured his right foot after a crash on a Kaua'i dirt track.

"I'm lucky to even be walking," he said. "My foot is still sore, it might be broken, I don't know. But for some reason, it doesn't hurt when I surf, so I'm not going to let it stop me."

• Robb, normally a training fiend, became "the laziest guy in the world."

"I've been working out, just not as much as I should," he said. "But I did go surfing just about every day. I went all over the island (O'ahu) surfing 1-foot waves. I guess you could call it desperation surfing because I wanted to be out there so bad."

He also attempted to make some minor repairs on his North Shore house. "Everything that's crooked or looks off, I did," he said.

• Andy Irons of Hanalei, Kaua'i, will not enter the Xcel Pro, but with good reason.

He was busy becoming one of the world's top-paid surfers after signing a lucrative six-year contract with Billabong.

"It was kind of stressful, but I feel like I'm set financially for the next six years," said Irons, 23.

Including performance incentives, Irons could gross more than $2 million by the end of the deal. He signed the contract last week, and will fly to Fiji this week as a promotional trip for Billabong.

"I wanted to do the Xcel Pro, but I think going on a good surf trip is not a bad alternative," said Irons, who won the Xcel Pro in 1997.

Most of Hawai'i's other top professionals are entered in the Xcel Pro. Notable entries include defending champion Pancho Sullivan, former world champ Derek Ho, and 1999 Xcel Pro winner Bruce Irons (Andy's younger brother).

Layne Beachley, currently the No. 1-ranked surfer on the women's world tour, is the only female in the field.