Registered or Premium Member? LOG IN | Become a Member: TRY PREMIUM FREE
|
HANK GASKELL WINS XCEL PRO
Maui regularfoot takes down Sullivan, Padaca and Beschen in pumping Sunset
|
November 2, 2009
12490 visits
|
|
CONDITIONS:
Three days of damn fine Sunset Beach, ranging from four feet up to ten feet (Hawaiian). "Long period WNW swell from former West Pacific Typhoon Lupit peaked for Oahu's North Shore on Sunday, November 2nd," says Surfline forecaster Kevin Wallis, though there were great waves on Saturday and today's finish as well.
|
|
It also gives the local boys a chance to shine in their own backyard, which is always a good thing before the squillions of visitors start pouring into HNL and down Kam Highway. And Maui's Hank Gaskell has been quietly charging the North Shore for a few years now, and deserved the win in the tough final. OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS: The final was so tight that no one knew who won until the lei giving ceremony, which means they all ripped -- Pancho's won out here a bunch of times before, as has Myles Padaca and Shane Beschen used to be number two in the fricken world before moving to the North Shore. "I felt good out there today," Gaskell said. "I was trying to get the middle runner waves and just do my own thing." The strategy worked in the long final, and now Gaskell gets a wildcard into the Billabong Pro Tahiti Trials next May. "I'm really excited for Chopes," Gaskell said when asked about the Trials trip. "I haven't been there yet -- it'll be a new experience at one of the best waves in the world. I can't wait." QUOTE: "It's an amazing start for my winter - I've never had a result this good in my life." --Gaskell +++ RESULTS 1 - Hank Gaskell (HAW) 2 - Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 3 - Myles Padaca (HAW) 4 - Shane Beschen (HAW) Xcel Pro Past Champions 1984 Kerry Terukina 1985 Denton Miyamura 1986 Hans Hedemann 1987 Ronnie Burns 1988 Michael Ho 1989 Richard Schmidt 1990 Michael Ho 1991 Michael Ho 1992 Sunny Garcia 1993 Kaipo Jaquias 1994 Derek Ho 1995 Kaipo Jaquias 1996 Michael Ho 1997 Andy Irons 1998 Pancho Sullivan 1999 Bruce Irons 2000 Pancho Sullivan 2001 Gavin Beschen 2002 Fred Pattachia 2003 Pancho Sullivan 2004 Fred Pattachia 2005 Ian Walsh 2006 Evan Valiere 2007 Joel Centeio 2008 Pancho Sullivan MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |