The ASP WQS Tour hit the midway point following the completion of the Mr. Price Pro, which was held in Durban, South Africa last week. Australia’s Chris Davidson pulled out the big victory with a win over the crowd-favorite, South African Travis Logie. “I’m stoked I made the final and beat the local boy,” Davidson said. “It was tough for Travis surfing little right-handers on his backside so it definitely favored me. I’ve got tens here in the past, but I was the underdog out there today, so it felt good to come home with the win.”

The win puts Davidson at 7th on the WQS standings as the tour gets set to begin the business end of the year with the upcoming U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach on July 18-27. Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA) nabbed a 3rd in Durban and now finds himself once again atop the ‘QS rankings. It’s still early, but with the strong result and subsequent rise in the standings, Gudauskas is looking like a solid bet to end up with a spot on the 2009 Dream Tour. “I’ve never done well in Durban so to get a third today is a great result for me,” Gudauskas said. “I’m really excited to be back at No. 1, it’s a very long season so I just want to continue bettering my results.”

World champion Sunny Garcia’s quest to return to the WCT next year continues on. He has made no secret of his strong desire to make another run on the ‘CT, and with his current 8th place standing the powerful Hawaiian is in a strong position to finish in the top 15 and do exactly that. He has had quite a bit of success at Huntington Beach and is undoubtedly looking forward to the opportunity of solidifying his position with a solid result at the nation’s only ASP WQS 6-Star event.

Current WQS Standings after the 6-Star Mr Price Pro:

1. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 9119
2. David Weare (ZAF) 8688
3. Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 8650
4. Nathaniel Curran (USA) 8600
5. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 8363
6. Drew Courtney (AUS) 8356
7. Chris Davidson (AUS) 8332
8. Sunny Garcia (HAW) 8162
9. Nathan Yeomans (USA) 8100
10. Austin Ware (USA) 7838

The conditions and performances held on the final day of competition for the 6.0 Lowers Pro proved to be almost perfect, highlighting an overall successful debut onto the WQS scene for Nike 6.0. ASP Top 45 member Ben Bourgeois took out a loaded group of finalists on his way to victory in surf that could be classified as ‘almost’ perfect Trestles. Fred Patacchia, Joel Centeio, and Pat Gudauskas all came to battle it out with Bourgeois in the final but none were able to overcome the consistency and power displayed by the Carlsbad, Ca. resident. After the event, Bourgeois let it be known how excited he was to be taking home this huge win - “I’m stoked, it’s always good to get a win, and all those guys in the final are good friends of mine. My last win was in England, and Lowers is always a great event.”

Formerly known as the Body Glove Surfbout, the 6.0 Lowers Pro will move from a 4 star event as it was this year to a 6 star event in 2009. This is huge, in that the results have a significant meaning to competitors trying to qualify for the WCT. There is currently only one other 6 star event in North America. Adding another and holding it at the famed break of Trestles is a big step in helping to bring back relevance to the ASP North American leg of the WQS. Nike 6.0 is undoubtedly thrilled to be a part of that.

Congratulations to Ben Bourgeois- The 2008 winner of the 6.0 Lowers Pro!

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The future of professional surfing continues to look brighter and brighter. Brazilian Adriano De Souza is a big reason why. He took home a huge victory this past week at the Mark Richards Pro, defeating last years WCT rookie of the year and current 4th place contender Jeremy Flores in the final. Adriano himself is sitting tied for 9th on the Dream Tour, and at only 21 years of age has emerged as Brazil’s favorite to bring home a world championship.

Adriano announced his arrival on the world surfing stage in 2004, when he became the youngest ever surfer to be crowned the ASP World Junior Champion at just 16. He ended the following year as champion of the WQS; which was enough to see him qualify for the world tour in 2006.

Adriano surfs fast, almost “Mick” Fast. His heats are electric and that has been especially true at Snapper and Bells. Brazil has long been awaiting to have one of their own crowned ASP world champion, and Adriano de Souza is looking to do just that.

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Former world champion Sunny Garcia had high hopes for the Mark Richards Pro. Garcia was looking to use the 6-star WQS event as a springboard back onto to the elite men’s tour, but after this event those plans will be temporarily put on hold. In his very first heat at the event, The 38-year-old Hawaiian was nudged out of second place by less than a point in a last minute effort by Aussie Nick Riley from Queenscliff in Sydney.

Sunny played it off and was gracious in defeat. With that being said, this result undoubtedly does not sit well with the surfer who spent most of his career near the top.

“I’m a little unhappy that I didn’t make my heat because I did expect to do well,” he said. “Nevertheless, I’m here and I’m having fun. “I’ve got nothing to prove, I’ve got a world title and a triple crown - for me this is just icing on the cake.”

So where does this leave Garcia’s comeback? The tough part for him is that he is trying to get back on a tour that is as loaded and competitive as ever. We all know Sunny is an unbelievably talented surfer, but at the age of 38 and having faced quite a bit of turbulence over recent years he is facing an uphill battle just to even make it back on tour, let alone be considered once again amongst surfing’s elite.

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