Irons surfs to top of world

Advertiser Staff

Does this ring any bells?

Andy Irons is back on top of the surfing world.

Irons won the Rip Curl Pro yesterday at Johanna, Victoria, Australia, for the second consecutive year, and thus moved into the No. 1 spot on surfing's 2003 World Championship Tour.

Irons, who is from Hanalei, Kaua'i, defeated Australian Joel Parkinson in the one-on-one final. The final day of the week-long competition was completed in 4-foot waves at Johanna Beach.

"I guess lightning strikes twice," said Irons, 24 and the defending world champion. "I knew (Parkinson) was going to be really hard to beat out there, but luckily that first wave came and I scored."

Last year, Irons won the Rip Curl Pro and rode the momentum all the way to his first world championship.

"I'm stoked the way things went last year; that was amazing," Irons said. "But as far as world titles go, I'm not getting ahead of myself. I just want to enjoy this win right now."

Thanks to a near-perfect first wave, Irons led the final heat from start to finish.

His opening ride consisted of at least five hard-carving maneuvers, and then a short barrel ride through the inside section. The judges rewarded him with a score of 9.8 (out of 10).

"What can you say?" Parkinson said. "I saw that wave come and I knew he was going to go to town on it ... I tried to fight back and never say die, but sometimes you're just too far behind."

Irons clinched the victory late in the heat with a 7.77 for a final score of 17.57. Parkinson finished with 15.4.

Earlier in the day, Irons had wave scores of 8.77 and 8.5 in his semifinal victory over Australian Mick Fanning.

Irons received $30,000 for the victory and the Bell Trophy — one of surfing's most famous awards. The Rip Curl Pro, which is in its 31st year, is the longest-running event on the pro tour. The winner traditionally rings the Bell Trophy on the victory stand.

The contest was the second stop on this year's World Championship Tour.

Through two events, Irons has 1,800 points. Parkinson and fellow Australian Mark Occhilupo are tied for second with 1,764.

The next contest on the schedule is the Billabong Pro Teahupoo at Tahiti, May 6-18. Irons also is the defending champion of that event.