ISLE FILE
Irons loses in Brazil surf, keeps No. 1 rank
Advertiser Staff
Andy Irons' chase of surfing's world championship will continue in Hawai'i.
Irons, who is from Hanalei, Kaua'i, tied for fifth in the Mundial Coca-Cola de Surf 2002 yesterday at Itauna Beach in Saquarema, Brazil.
The final day of the contest was completed in 3- to 4-foot waves.
Irons was eliminated in the quarterfinals, but maintained the No. 1 ranking on surfing's World Championship Tour. He was defeated by Australian Taj Burrow, who went on to win.
Burrow beat fellow Australian Mick Fanning in the final to earn the $30,000 top prize.
"Coming into Brazil, I wanted to at least better a 17th (place finish) and I did that with a quarterfinal," Irons said. "I'm on a flight (to Hawai'i) tonight and am so psyched. I can't wait; haven't been back in like two and a half months, so it's going to be incredible."
Yesterday's event was the 10th of 12 stops on this year's tour. The final two events will be staged on O'ahu's North Shore: Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach, Nov. 24-Dec. 7, and then the Xbox Gerry Lopez Pipeline Masters, Dec. 8-20.
Through 10 contests, Irons has 7,262 points. Australian Luke Egan is No. 2 with 6,276, and Burrow is No. 3 with 5,932.
Irons needs to finish ahead of his closest competitors in the two Hawai'i contests to clinch his first world championship.
MEETING
• Na Koa Football Club: Hawai'i Warrior's head football coach June Junes and offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh will be the featured speakers at tomorrow's Na Koa Football Club's meeting at All Star Cafe.
The meeting is open to the public. Lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. For reservations call 955-8326
SAILING
• Rainbows ranked: The University of Hawai'i's coed sailing team is ranked fourth in the Sailing World college rankings, while the women's team is 11th.
The co-ed team moved up from 18th after winning the 18-team Stoney Burke Invitational. Harvard is No. 1 in the rankings.
The Rainbow Wahine are coming off a second-place performance in the Bryson Women's Regatta. Seventh-ranked UC-Santa Barbara won the regatta.
VOLLEYBALL
• BYUH sweeps UH-Hilo: Yu Chuan Weng scored 15 kills and three teammates contributed 14 each, leading Brigham Young-Hawai'i to a 30-15, 30-20, 30-27 victory over Hawai'i-Hilo last night at Cannon Activities Center in La'ie.
Leiau Meatoga, Chun Yi Lin and Ashley Moeai added 14 kills apiece for the Seasiders, who improved to 19-2 with the non-conference victory.
Sara Pilgreen led UH-Hilo with 12 kills. The Vulcans, who play in the Pacific West Conference with BYUH, fell to 7-15.
XTERRA
• Busch, Csomor triumph: Maui's Roger Busch and Hungary's Erika Csomor won the men's and women's races, respectively, yesterday in the Nissan Xterra 10K trail run on Maui.
Busch, who competed in the Ironman Triathlon last weekend, finished the hilly course in 35 minutes, 38 seconds. Csomor, who won the Maui Marathon in 2000 and 2001, finished in 38:36.
Both winners considered this race a warm-up for the 7th annual Nissan Xterra World Championship, which starts today at Wailea Beach. The top male and female finishers earn $20,000 each.
