Posted at 8:48 p.m., Wednesday, November 8, 2006
North Shore's Patacchia requalifies for World surf tour
Advertiser Staff
Fred Patacchia Jr. of O'ahu's North Shore finished in third place in the Nova Schin Festival men's surfing contest Wednesday in 4- to 6-foot waves at Imbituba, Brazil.By finishing third, Patacchia is assured of requalifying for the elite World Championship Tour in 2007.
"I came here with a goal, and that goal was to be in requalification mode going into Hawai'i," he said. "I came here and accomplished that."
Patacchia is now ranked No. 14 on the 2006 WCT. The top 27 ranked surfers at the end of 2006 requalify for the 2007 tour. Patacchia entered the Brazil contest ranked No. 24.
Patacchia lost in Wednesday's semifinals to Florida's Damien Hobgood, 16.0-13.67.
Australia's Mick Fanning defeated Hobgood to win the contest. Fanning also moved up to No. 2 in the 2006 rankings.
Kaua'i's Andy Irons, who was eliminated in the third round, dropped to No. 5.
No. 1-ranked Kelly Slater of Florida has already clinched the 2006 world championship.
The final event of the tour is the Rip Curl Pro Pipeline Masters at the Banzai Pipeline, Dec. 8-20.
