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MEDAL MEDLEY
C.J. Hobgood, Australia win gold, Team USA scoops silver at ISA World Games
By:
Mike Cianciulli
Photos: All photos: A.J. Neste/Surfing America
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October 19, 2008
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C.J. Hobgood wasn't planning on surfing in the ISA World Games.
But all it took was some rousting by the Aussie contingent to get Hobgood to sign on to the American squad.
Country representation is a major factor in the International Surfing Association (ISA). 29 teams flooded the sands at Costa da Caparica, Portugal for a weeklong, double-elimination event where national pride and Olympic-recognized medals replace a cash purse. |
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Hobgood, who was joined on the PacSun USA Surf Team by fellow ASP World Tour surfer Ben Bourgeois and Aussies Kai Otton and Dayyan Neve, blazed towards the finals by mixing it up with the Aussies on a regular basis. However, a few variables - like an on-fire Tamaroa McComb and an emerging Costa Rica squad - surely made Ceej earn it. But in the end, it could be called the chance of a lifetime for Hobgood. "Joey [Buran, USA Team coach] told me I might never get this chance again," Hobgood said after the final. "I started thinking about when Benny won [the ISA Juniors in 1996] in Huntington. I just remember the whole experience and how rad I thought that was. I wanted to do it for our country." "I just remember the whole experience and how rad I thought that was. I wanted to do it for our country."
-- USA gold medalist, C.J. Hobgood
The Australian contingent is always about national pride and keeping the level of ISA competition as high as the flags that fly over their camp. The Green and Gold squad put three men in the Open final, Harley Ingleby in the Lonboard final and had 2007 ISA World Junior Champ and 2008 ASP WQS Womens Champ Sally Fitzgibbons combo the final in Womens. "To win gold, representing our country really meant a lot," Fitzgibbons said. "Some of the 'CT guys never got to do that before so it was really big for Australia." Aussie coach and former ASP World Tour surfer Jake Patterson backed up that notion. "We always fight and never give up. Our team on paper is phenomenal so they made my job really easy," said Patterson. "We just all put it together at this event. Yesterday [Saturday] was the clincher when we only lost one guy. That was huge." But aside from Australia and USA's brilliant performances, the ISA offers a platform for developing surf nations to mix it up with the big boys. Costa Rica was the talk of the event, putting three surfers in the top six in Open Mens, along with a gal in the top six of Womens. A female bodyboarder was the first-ever Puerto Rican to win an ISA medal and France also tested Brazil for the bronze medal, settling for fourth. But regardless of the final points standing, every surfer at the ISA World Surfing Games leaves a better ambassador for the sport. As ISA President Fernando Aguerre put it, "Only one person will win the event, but you each are winners in your respective countries." 2008 ISA World Surfing Games Official Results: World Champions Gold: Australia - 17,238 pts. Silver: USA - 14,284 pts. Bronze: Brazil - 12,610 pts. Copper: France - 11,819 pts. Open Men Gold: C.J. Hobgood (USA) Silver: Heath Joske (AUS) Bronze: Dayyan Neve (AUS) Copper: Kai Otton (AUS) Open Women Gold: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) Silver: Marie Dejean (FRA) Bronze: Camila Cassia (BRA) Copper: Lauren Sweeney (USA) Bodyboard Men Gold: Marcus Lima (BRA) Silver: Manuel Centeno (POR) Bronze: Hugo Pinheiro (POR) Copper: David Lee (ZAF) Bodyboard Women Gold: Natasha Sagardia (PRI) Silver: Heloise Bourroux (FRA) Bronze: Rita Pires (POR) Copper: Lilly Pollard (AUS) Longboard Gold: Matthew Moir (ZAF) Silver: Harley Ingleby (AUS) Bronze: Taylor Jensen (USA) Copper: Phil Rajzman (BRA) Aloha Cup Gold: France Silver: Portugal Bronze: Costa Rica Copper: South Africa MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |