ISLE FILE
Wai'anae's Bartels wins in Portugal surf

Advertiser Staff

Wai'anae's Melanie Bartels won the Magnolia Women's Pro on Sunday, and moved into the No. 1 position on surfing's World Qualifying Series.

Bartels, 21, beat a field that included most of the world's top female professionals. The final day of competition was held in 4-foot waves at Ericeira, Portugal.

Bartels dominated the four-woman final, posting a two-wave total of 16.33 (out of 20). Her best wave received a near-perfect score of 9.5, which was the highest of the entire contest.

Heather Clark of South Africa was second with a score of 12.93. Kaua'i's Rochelle Ballard was third, and Australian Pauline Menczer fourth. Clark, Ballard and Menczer are already on surfing's World Championship Tour.

Bartels is trying to join them. The Magnolia Women's Pro is considered one of the important contests on the qualifying tour because it offered the maximum points allowed.

Through the first five qualifying events of this year, Bartels is ranked No. 1 with 3,420 points. She is more than 1,000 points ahead of the next surfer, but there are at least seven more important contests to come this year.

Bartels, who won $6,000 for her victory, needs to stay within the top 10 at the end of the year to have a chance at securing a spot on the elite World Championship Tour.

MORE SURFING

Longboard opener: Bonga Perkins placed seventh in the Oxbow Pro Brazil longboard surfing contest yesterday at Baleia Beach, Brazil.

Perkins was eliminated in the semifinals, and was the highest-placing surfer from Hawai'i.

Kekoa Uemura was eliminated in the quarterfinals. He and Perkins were the only Hawai'i surfers remaining for the final day of competition.

Phil Razjman of Brazil won the contest, which was completed in 6- to 8-foot waves.

It was the first of six events on the 2003 World Longboard Tour. All competitors had to surf on boards nine feet or longer.

GOLF

Phengsavath wins: Joe Phengsavath shot a 2-under-par 70 to defend his title at the Amatour Hawai'i Prince Memorial Tournament at the Hawai'i Prince golf course on Sunday.

Phengsavath finished at 144, two strokes ahead of Bruce Wong (73 yesterday). Ryan Perez (72) and Robbie Yoshimura (74) finished at 147.

Scores in For the Record.

CHING UPDATE

Ex-UH player improving: Former University of Hawai'i volleyball player Tony Ching, who was injured in a moped accident last Friday, has been transferred out of the intensive care unit and remains in stable condition, according to officials at The Queen's Medical Center.

Ching, 22, suffered head, chest and leg injuries when his moped collided with a car near a Makiki intersection.

The family is asking that no visitors come to the hospital.

"Tony is very tired and has suffered serious injuries," Ching's mother, Lynn, said in a statement released by the hospital. "We appreciate the fans and friends who have shown their concern these past few days, but we must let Tony rest and heal."