Updated at 9:09 p.m., Friday, May 4, 2007
Hawai'i surfer advances in longboard championship
Advertiser Staff
Bonga Perkins of Hale'iwa advanced to the fourth round of the Oxbow Pro World Longboard Championship Friday.Perkins defeated California's Dodger Kremel, 11.5-8.3, in the third round. He is scheduled to face Brazil's Eduardo Bage in the fourth round.
The third round was completed Friday in 4-foot waves at Anglet, France. It was a day of upsets as the top two seeds were eliminated, including Hawai'i's Ned Snow.
Australia's Josh Constable, the 2006 world champion, was eliminated in the third round by fellow Australian Harrison Roach.
The second-seeded Snow of the Big Island was upset by Australian wildcard Jackson Close, 14.25-13.0.
Perkins and Keegan Edwards are the only Hawaii competitors remaining among the 16 surfers still in contention in the fourth round. Edwards is scheduled to face Brazil's Jamie Viudes in the fourth round.
Honolulu's Kai Sallas was also eliminated in the third round.
The winner of the Oxbow Pro will be crowned the 2007 world champion of longboard surfing.
MORE SURFING
Three from Hawai'i win heats in Tahiti
Hawai'i surfers Andy Irons, Bruce Irons and Pancho Sullivan won their respective first-round heats at the Billabong Pro Tahiti Friday.
The opening day of the event was completed in 3- to 5-foot waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.
Sullivan's two-wave score of 15.93 was the second-highest total of the first round. He received scores of 9.1 and 6.83 late in the heat.
Bruce Irons had one of the best rides of the day, receiving a score of 9.17 for a barrel ride.
As first-round winners, the Irons brothers and Sullivan advanced directly to the third round. Fred Patacchia Jr. of O'ahu's North Shore placed third in his heat and will have to surf in the second round.
