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RED, WHITE, BLUE, AND GOLD
USA's Julia Christian and Team Australia earn gold at the Lost Energy Drink ISA World Surfing Games
By:
Mike Cianciulli
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October 23, 2006
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"Get up here mate. It's a celebration. We got a gold medal!"
USA Coach Peter "PT" Townend said, relaying the vibe from Huntington Beach to C.J. Hobgood via cell phone. Julia Christian had just claimed the first gold medal in ten years for America after narrowly beating Brazil's Jacqueline Silva by less than a tenth of a point.
"Anything other than the gold was a letdown to our expectations," said a slightly disgruntled yet positive C.J. "But it still feels cool to have a USA jacket on and fly your flag." |
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A WCT-heavy Australian team took an early lead and never looked back, thanks to Luke Stedman, Tom Whittaker and Jesse Miley-Dyer all finishing in the top six. Brazil was the runner's up, while Team USA settled for the bronze medal. "It feels like we turned the corner. We've been close so many times," said PT. "For us to finally get one [gold medal] and have the national anthem played, it sends a signal in our home country." Especially since the USA finished a dismal 19th during the last World Surfing Games which took place in 2004 in Ecuador. Christian was part of that squad and managed to finish with silver, although there was no national support for the USA's athletes. "It feels so good. I was so irritated because I came so close in Ecuador," Christian beamed as the realization of gold sunk in. "I was out this year to get the gold; it was my goal. Last time there was no one there from the US and it feels good to have a team backing you up." Perhaps Christian's biggest support came from a freckle-nosed 14-year-old from Santa Ana named Courtney Conlogue. Conlogue was the only American to stay on the qualifying side of the double-elimination brackets the entire event until she had a shocker during the Womens' final with an unfortunate turn of Mother Nature. Nonetheless, her copper medal speaks volumes to the international field she'll be facing at the ISA World Junior Champs in 2007. Ultimately, individual placings factor into the overall team standings, but even with two gold medals South Africa couldn't quite bump the USA's strong squad from third place. Longboarder Matthew Moir's and Open Men's competitor Jordy Smith's victories did fuel the "brus" past Hawaii and France as the field was narrowed down over the course of eight days. "All the 'CT boys made it that much harder and I thank them for doing this contest."
-- Jordy Smith, after his Open Mens win at the Lost Energy Drink ISA World Surfing Games
"I knew Wardo was going to be here, so I thought I'd have to be able to do something bigger," Smith explained, moments after his victory. "All the 'CT boys made it that much harder and I thank them for doing this contest." Smith actually had to fight his way through the loser's bracket during the weeklong marathon and was nearly eliminated after a timing error put his back against the wall. Back in repercharge round three, the HB sand was buzzing. Five minutes into his heat, Smith hadn't checked in and was nowhere to be found. All of a sudden he was spotted by the parking lot and his team shouted for him to get out there. Smith sprinted up the sand while emptying his pockets and threw his jersey on. He jumped in the water in his walk shorts and proceeded to demolish the four-foot, glassy conditions -- emerging victorious in the dire seconds of the heat. USA's Pat O'Connell didn't join him until the repercharge final, in which O'Connell and Smith were able to eliminate Whittaker and Brazilian Alejo Muniz. The ISA judges enjoyed Pat-O's "backside boogie" all week as the semi-retired Dana Point local was able to take out some WCT athletes on his route to an individual bronze. "It's good to still be in the hunt," smiled Pat. "At first it was an excuse not to be at work everyday. But I feel like I was surfing good and had a chance to win. So, if I had a chance to win, then why not be here?" But perhaps what stands out more is the fact that these high-caliber surfers made the effort to represent their nations for the love of surfing. As Pat sums it up best, "When you look to the beach and see all the American flags waving. It's really motivating; it's amazing." 2006 LOST ENERGY DRINK ISA WORLD SURFING GAMES RESULTS Gold: Australia Silver: Brazil Bronze: USA Copper: South Africa MENS RESULTS Gold: Jordy Smith (ZAF) Silver: Luke Stedman (AUS) Bronze: Pat O'Connell (USA) Copper: Armando Daltro (BRA) WOMENS RESULTS Gold: Julian Christian (USA) Silver: Jacqueline Silva (BRA) Bronze: Rosanne Hodge (ZAF) Copper: Courtney Conlogue (USA) LONGBOARD RESULTS Gold: Matthew Moir (ZAF) Silver: Benjamin Skinner (UK) Bronze: Harley Ingleby (AUS) Copper: Bonga Perkins (HAW) MENS BODYBOARD RESULTS Gold: Manuel Centeno (POR) Silver: Hugo Pinheiro (POR) Bronze: Andrew Lester (AUS) Copper: Alvaro Padron (SPA) WOMENS BODYBOARD RESULTS Gold: Kira Llewellyn (AUS) Silver: Neymara Carvalho (BRA) Bronze: Natasha Sagardia (PRI) Copper: Heloise Bourroux (FRA) MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |
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