ISLE FILE
Fanning surfs on at Hale'iwa
Advertiser Staff
The big names of surfing finally got a chance to show their stuff in the Reef Hawaiian Pro yesterday, and they did not disappoint.
Newly crowned world champion Mick Fanning of Australia and two-time defending Vans Triple Crown of Surfing champion Andy Irons of Kaua'i both advanced through the fourth round yesterday.
The completion of the third round and 14 of 16 heats of the fourth round were run yesterday in wave-face heights that ranged from 10 to 20 feet — with a few even bigger — at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach.
The Reef Hawaiian Pro is the first contest in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series.
As top seeds in the contest, surfers such as Fanning and Irons received byes for the first two days of competition last week.
Fanning, who clinched the world title in Brazil a few weeks ago, had the best heat of the day. He received a two-wave total of 17.5 to win his fourth-round heat.
"This is pretty much the only place where you can have three events in three amazing locations," Fanning said. "I'm real excited to be a part of it."
Irons, the defending champion of the Reef Hawaiian Pro and the Triple Crown series, advanced through his fourth round heat yesterday.
Fellow Kaua'i surfer Roy Powers beat Irons, but both surfers advanced (the top two from each four-man heat advance).
Sunset Beach's Pancho Sullivan, the 2005 Hawaiian Pro winner, also advanced yesterday, as did Bruce Irons — Andy's younger brother.
There are 40 surfers remaining for the final day of competition, and 13 of them are from Hawai'i.
Others from Hawai'i advancing yesterday were Granger Larsen, Ian Walsh, Sean Moody, Tonino Benson, Nathan Carroll, Evan Valiere, Mason Ho, Makua Rothman and Dusty Payne.
Wai'anae's Sunny Garcia, who owns a record six Triple Crown championships, showed up five minutes late for his heat and was eliminated. Garcia said he got stuck in the North Shore traffic. He is also recovering from a knee injury he suffered last week.
The final day of competition will run either tomorrow or Saturday. The surfers will take the Thanksgiving holiday off today.
For status of the event, call 596-7873 or visit www.triplecrownofsurfing.com.
GOLF
KIM, KONO ADVANCE
Kimberly Kim and Stephanie Kono each won two matches yesterday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Polo Golf Junior Classic at Reunion, Fla.
Kim, a former Big Island resident who now lives in Arizona, beat Pearl Jin of San Gabriel, Calif., 3 and 2, in her first-round match.
Kim then beat Sweden's Caroline Hedwall, 2 and 1.
Kono beat Alexis Thompson of Coral Springs, Fla., 2 and 1, in the first round.
Kono then ousted Tessa Teachman, of Baton Rouge, La., in 20 holes.
