ISLE FILE
Andy Irons surfs to fifth in Australia
Advertiser Staff
Kaua'i's Andy Irons tied for fifth place in the Quiksilver Pro men's surfing contest yesterday.
The final day of the four-day contest was run in 2- to 4-foot waves at Snapper Rocks, Coolangatta, Australia.
Irons won his fourth-round heat in the morning, then lost in the quarterfinals to eight-time former world champion Kelly Slater of Florida, 17.0-10.94.
"I think Andy is ahead of me six to three after that heat," Slater said. "I'm trying to catch up but I've only beat him a couple of times, so beating Andy anytime is good."
Slater went on to win the contest, defeating 2007 world champion Mick Fanning of Australia in the final.
Slater received $30,000 for the win. Irons earned $9,000.
The Quiksilver Pro was the opening event of the 2008 World Championship Tour, so Slater is now ranked No. 1.
The next event, the Rip Curl Pro, is scheduled to start March 18 at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia.
POWERLIFTING
KIHEI'S MOSER TAKES GOLD MEDAL IN SNATCH
James Moser of Kihei, Maui, won the gold medal with a snatch lift of 353 pounds at the Senior Nationals at Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday.
Moser, 18, finished second in the clean and jerk portion with a lift of 407 pounds. He was the youngest competitor in his weight class.
His total of 760 pounds was a personal best. It was enough to qualify Moser, who weighs more than 200 pounds, for the U.S. Olympic Trials as he attempts to make it to Beijing for this summer's Olympic Games.
SAILING
HAWAI'I COED TEAM SECOND AT STANFORD
The University of Hawai'i coed sailing team finished second at the Jeremy McIntyre Team Race over the weekend at Stanford, Calif.
The Rainbows, ranked No. 15 in the nation, finished with a 16-5 mark during the 10-team, two-day event. Stanford won with a 19-2 record. South Florida was third and Navy was fourth.
Hawai'i went 15-3 in the double round-robin qualifying round, and 1-2 in the championship round.
Hawai'i's next competition is the St. Francis Intersection in San Francisco, March 29 to 30.
SOFTBALL
GRAND CANYON BLANKS BYU-HAWAI'I TWICE
Grand Canyon shut out Brigham Young-Hawai'i in both games of a Pacific West Conference doubleheader yesterday at BYUH field in La'ie.
In the first game, Megan Niver pitched a four-hitter with no walks and two strikeouts as Grand Canyon beat BYU-Hawai'i, 2-0.
Erica Ritter scored both runs for the Antelopes.
BYU-Hawai'i's Katresha Veazie pitched a four-hitter with one walk and six strikeouts. Both runs against her were unearned.
In the second game, Michelle Farrell pitched a four-hitter and Randi Johns batted 4 for 5 as Grand Canyon won, 11-0, in a game shortened to six innings.
Leslie Fester batted 2 for 3 for BYU-Hawai'i, which committed six errors.
Grand Canyon is 7-8-1 and 2-0, while BYU-Hawai'i is 3-16, 2-4.
