Australian Mark Occhilupo & Hawaiian Rochelle Ballard Victorious In Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge, Capture Pro Surfing's Largest Purse.Sports Editors/Surfing Writers & Columnists MENTAWAI ISLANDS The Mentawai Islands are a chain of about 70 islands off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. Siberut (4,030 km²) is the largest of the islands. The other major islands are Sipura, North Pagai (Pagai Utara) and South Pagai (Pagai Selatan). , Indonesia--(BW SportsWire)--June 19, 2000 Reigning world champion Mark Occhilupo Marco Jay Luciano Occhilupo is an Australian surfer and winner of the 1999 World surfing champion title. Occhilupo - also known as Occy, began his professional career in the World Championship Tour (WCT) at the age of 17. (Australia) won the inaugural Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge presented by Surfer Magazine, a "floating" surf competition held in the Mentawai Islands, off the Sumatran coast in Indonesia, June 9 to 20. The groundbreaking event, highlighted by intense action and a futuristic contest format that saw two- and sometimes three-hour heats, culminated in the 34 year-old "Occy" receiving the largest payday in professional surfing history -- $65,000. Hawaiian Rochelle Ballard Rochelle Ballard is a professional female surfer who is a 10 year veteran the Association of Surfing Professional’s (ASP) World Championship Tour. She is considered the best female tube rider in the world and has been a pioneer to the advancement to women’s surfing in courageously charged into perfect six-foot barrel after barrel to claim victory in the women's portion of the Op Pro and the $37,500 payday. Striving to top incredible performances by two-time world champion Layne Beachley Layne Beachley born May 24 1972) is a professional surfer from Manly in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She is regarded as the best female professional surfer in history, having won the World Championship seven times. (Australia) and Serena Brooke Serena Brooke (born January 9, 1976) is a professional surfer from Coolangatta Queensland, Australia. Biography Brooke began to compete in amateur competitions in 1990 where she was crowned the Queensland amateur surfing title as well as the Australian National Title. (Australian), Ballard surfed with suicidal abandon. "Watching Layne and Serena on those bombs, I knew what I had to do," said Ballard. "The hard part was pushing myself over the ledge." The Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge, which overcame one of the largest earthquakes in history, encouraged radical maneuvers with a unique format that awarded points based on high-performance surfing in a variety of wave types and conditions. Tim Curran Tim Curran (b. August 14, 1977), is a musician, retired professional surfer and a spokesperson for the Surfrider Foundation. During his successful surfing career, he was one of the best surfers on the World Championship Tour, and was consistently in contention for the world followed an 11-second tube rider by boosting a "Rodeo" air, a move created at last year's Pipe Masters. The radical maneuver bloodied the young Californian and required eight stitches to close a chin wound. Bruce Irons Bruce Irons may refer to
n See irregular feeding. grazing 1. actions of herbivorous animals eating growing pasture or cereal crop. 2. area of pasture or cereal crop to be used as standing feed. See also pasture. the throwing lip while the other drags on the wave face. Said Bruce, "I heard angels sing on that one." "This was the best contest I have ever been involved with," said Occhilupo. "I will never forget the surfing, the surfers and the beautiful vibe. The whole thing feels so...historic."
Men's Overall Final Results:
1. Mark Occhilupo (Australia)
2. Bruce Irons (Hawaii)
3. Sunny Garcia (Hawaii)
4. Andy Irons (Hawaii)
5. Shane Beschen (San Clemente, Calif.)
6. Tim Curran (Oxnard, Calif.)
Women's Overall Final Results:
1. Rochelle Ballard (Hawaii)
2. Layne Beachley (Australia)
3. Serena Brooke (Australia)
4. Megan Abubo (Hawaii)
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