ISLE FILE
Subsurface at Aloha Stadium under survey
Advertiser Staff
Time is proving to be the main obstacle in getting FieldTurf installed at Aloha Stadium.
Survey work on the base of the stadium will continue through the weekend, as engineers try to determine how much work needs to be done on the subsurface to prepare the field.
R.M. Towill, a Hawai'i surveying and engineering firm, was hired by FieldTurf to conduct a geotechnical study necessary in determining if the Montreal-based turf company can install its artificial grass-like turf by the Aug. 2 deadline imposed by the Stadium Authority.
A subcommittee that was formed to explore ways to speed up the process of installing FieldTurf will most likely meet Monday to discuss the findings of the study.
The study will show how much repair work the stadium's subsurface will need to install FieldTurf. That, in turn, will determine how long it would take to prepare the surface and whether it can be done by Aug. 2.
"If we get lucky with what the makeup of the base is, then base construction could go very quickly," FieldTurf chief executive officer John Gilman said. "But it's all just guessing now."
Gilman told the Stadium Authority that installing the turf in 45 days — or by Aug. 2 — was "virtually impossible."
The authority set the deadline to allow time to move the stands into football configuration and paint the field.
Gilman is hoping the deadline can be pushed back to accommodate any prep work. The Father Bray Classic on Aug. 24 is the first confirmed event for the fall.
An agreement between the NFL and the Hawai'i Tourism Authority to replace the stadium's current AstroTurf by the 2003 Pro Bowl was reached in 2000.
— By Catherine E. Toth
WRESTLING
Chun upsets No. 1: Clarissa Chun of Kapolei upset the No. 1 seed in the 105.5-pound division yesterday at USA Wrestling's Women's Freestyle Challenge Tournament in St. Paul, Minn.
Katie Kunimoto of Kane'ohe reached the final of the 112-pound division.
Fourth-seeded Chun, a 1999 Roosevelt High graduate attending Missouri Valley College, beat top-seeded Julie Gonsalves of Vallejo, Calif., 7-0, and will face Mary Kelly of Mahomet, Ill., high school in the final.
Third-seeded Kunimoto, a 1999 Castle High graduate attending Pacific (Ore.) University, defeated Jillian Yost of New York and will face No. 1 seed Danielle Hobeika of Cambridge, Mass.
The event is part of the World Team Trials. Challenge Tournament winners meet the current national champions in a best-of-three series for berths on the USA World Team.
Chun was on the 2001 World Team.
"The level of competition was extraordinary," said Gary Abbott, director of special projects for USA Wrestling.
SAILING
Spain maintains lead: Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez of Spain maintained their lead yesterday after the second day of the 49er World Finals, an Olympic qualifying sailing competition hosted by the Kane'ohe Yacht Club.
Martinez and Fernandez have 27 points after placing in the top 10 in seven Finals series races, including one discard when they finished ninth.
Santi Lopez-Vazquez and Javier De la Plaza, also from Spain, moved from fourth to second with 37 points after yesterday's racing. Great Britain's Paul Brotherton and Mark Asquith surged from 10th to third with 41 points.
Morgan Larson and Ed Smyth of the United States are ninth heading into today's final round. The top six countries after the Finals series will earn automatic berths to the 2004 Olympics.
Forecasts call for winds gusting up to 25 knots today, which could result in the cancellation of one or more of the Finals' last three races. According to international sailing rules, races may not be held when gusts exceed 25 knots for more than 30 seconds, or if gusts exceed 30 knots for any duration.
GOLF
Sasada drops to 11th: Makena's Brian Sasada shot a 2-over-par 74 in the second round of the $350,000 Club Professional Championship yesterday at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.
Sasada, who was tied for second after an opening-round 69, is now tied for 11th. He had six bogeys and four birdies yesterday.
Robert Thompson (67-136) of Texas eagled the last hole to take the lead.
The low 25 scorers earn a berth in the 84th PGA Championship, Aug. 15-18 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. The low nine scorers and 2001 champion Wayne DeFrancesco will form the U.S. PGA Cup Team that faces Great Britain-Ireland in the 21st PGA Cup Matches, Feb. 28-March 2.
Nino, Baab qualify: Kurt Nino, a Manoa Cup semifinalist two weeks ago, was the medalist at the sectional qualifier for the U.S. Golf Association Junior Boys Championship yesterday at Turtle Bay's Fazio Course.
Nino shot 4-over-par 76 for a 150 total. That was one better than Lihu'e's Allan Baab, who closed with a 74. They will represent Hawai'i in the national event July 23-27 at Atlanta's Athletic Club.
Alternates are David Hahn (76-153), Burt Bonk (78-155) and Manoa Cup champion Travis Toyama (76-156).
Lee leading: Blaine Lee shot 2-under-par 70 to take the lead after the first round of the Presidents Cup at Pearl Country Club.
For the first time the all-amateur tournament features a championship flight and players in that flight (0-4 handicap) can earn points toward qualifying for the year-end Governor's Cup.
A-flighter Shintaro Hee (71) was the only other golfer to break par. John Bascuk, Edson Nakanishi and Roy Nishimoto are tied for second at 72. Brothers Norman-Ganin and Kellen-Floyd Asao are in a group at 73. Brandan Kop and Jonathan Ota are another shot back.
The tournament continues today and tomorrow.
