Posted at 4:37 p.m., Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Perfect '10' lifts Parkinson to O'Neill World Cup title
Advertiser Staff
Australia's Joel Parkinson scored a perfect 10 in the final heat en route to winning the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing today.The final day of the contest was completed in 6- to 10-foot waves at Sunset Beach.
Parkinson received a perfect score after riding through a big barreling wave late in the final heat. He dominated the final, finishing with a two-wave total of 17.67 to win the $15,000 first-place check.
Jordy Smith of South Africa placed second with a score of 11.8.
Kaua'i's Andy Irons was third, and Fred Patacchia Jr. of O'ahu's North Shore was fourth.
The O'Neill World Cup is the second of three events in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.
Irons, who won the first contest last month at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach, is the overall leader in the Triple Crown standings. He is also the defending Triple Crown champion.
Current world champion Kelly Slater of Florida was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
The third — and final — contest of the Triple Crown is the Rip Curl Pro Pipeline Masters, which is scheduled to run between Friday and Dec. 20, when conditions are favorable at the Banzai Pipeline.
