Posted on: Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Patience pays off for Australian at Banzai Pipeline
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Jono Bruce proved yesterday that he is qualified to compete with the world's best bodyboarders.
Bruce, who is from Queensland, Australia, won the Pipeline Pro World Qualifying Tour contest yesterday at the Banzai Pipeline.
The final day of competition was completed in sloppy, wind-blown 3- to 5-foot waves.
"I was hoping for it to be perfect Pipe, but it wasn't so we just had to go out and do what we could with it," said Bruce, 21.
Because the Pipeline waves were not producing their famous barrels, many of the competitors attempted difficult aerial maneuvers yesterday.
Bruce was able to complete several spectacular moves, especially in the 30-minute final.
"I was just focusing on getting two good waves rather than going after lots of waves," he said.
He was joined in the four-man final by fellow Australians Dave Winchester and Josh Kirkman, and Kaua'i's Jeff Hubbard.
Kirkman and Hubbard battled for the lead early with their own aerial moves, but Bruce said he never lost his focus.
"It was a half-hour heat, so I knew I had plenty of time," he said. "I just kept waiting for the better waves."
One of those better ones came with about 10 minutes remaining in the heat. Bruce responded with four moves — an aerial barrel roll, two 360-degree spins, and then another aerial on the inside section.
The judges rewarded him with a score of 7.5, which was the best score of the heat. He finished with a two-wave total of 13.5.
Kirkman was a close second with a two-wave score of 13.0. Hubbard, who was the only Hawai'i competitor to get past the third round, placed third with a score of 11.0. Winchester was fourth with a score of 7.0.
Bruce dedicated the victory to a fellow Australian bodyboarder who was killed in a traffic accident on O'ahu's North Shore on Sunday.
"He was part of the Australian community in bodyboarding, so we were all upset," Bruce said.
The contest was part of bodyboarding's World Qualifying Tour. The top competitors from the qualifying tour earn spots on the World Super Tour.
With yesterday's victory, Bruce is expected to earn a spot on the 2004 Super Tour.
Australian Damian King won the 2003 Super Tour championship on Sunday. He did not enter yesterday's event.
Only two Hawai'i bodyboarders qualified for the 2004 Super Tour: Hubbard and Mike Stewart.
Final results
1, Jono Bruce (Australia). 2, Josh Kirkman (Australia). 3, Jeff Hubbard (Hawai'i). 4, Dave Winchester. 5 (tie), Mitch Rawlins (Australia) and Luis Villar (Brazil). 7 (tie), Sasha Specker (South Africa) and Cedric Dufaure (France).
Surfing
• Faith Riding Pro: The fifth annual Ezekiel Faith Riding Pro will be held at Sunset Beach on the three best days between Thursday and Jan. 28.
The contest is part of surfing's World Qualifying Series, and will feature many of Hawai'i's top big-wave surfers.
• Eddie alert: With several large swells expected to hit O'ahu's North Shore this week, the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational could run at Waimea Bay.
The contest can be held only when wave-faces are at least 30 to 40 feet high and surfable. For daily status of the events, call 596-7873.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
