A weekly feature about surfing in Hawai'i. Submit comments or story ideas to dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 535-8101.

The ASP World Tour will be back in action next week in Australia.

The Rip Curl Pro will feature men's and women's competition April 7 to 18 at Bells Beach. It is the second stop on the 2009 world tour for both men and women.

Four Hawai'i surfers are in the men's contest: Kekoa Bacalso, Dustin Barca, Fred Patacchia Jr. and Roy Powers.

Patacchia has been awarded a top 16 seed, which comes with a bye in the first round. Defending world champion Kelly Slater of Florida is the No. 1 seed.

In the women's division, defending world champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia is the top seed.

Hawai'i surfers in the women's draw are Melanie Bartels, Alana Blanchard and Coco Ho.

FIRST DAY OF WOMEN'S CONTEST COMPLETED

The opening day of the Culturization Tidal 9 Pipeline Women's Pro was run earlier this week at the Banzai Pipeline.

The bodyboarding division ran three rounds of heats. The shortboard surfing and longboard surfing divisions did not run.

Brazil's Neymara Carvalho, the 2008 women's world champion of bodyboarding, advanced to the quarterfinals. Hawai'i competitors advancing to the quarterfinals were Emilia Perry, Claudia Ferrari and Lindsay Yasui.

The bodyboarding division will offer points for the International Bodyboarding Association's 2009 world tour.

Contest officials have until April 14 to complete two more days of competition. The second day is expected to run either Monday or Tuesday.

For updates visit www.pipegirls.com.

MAUI'S GASKELL TAKES THIRD IN CALIFORNIA

Hank Gaskell of Maui placed third in the Vans Pier Classic last week at Huntington Beach, Calif.

California surfers Mike Losness and Dillon Perillo placed first and second, respectively.

Dege O'Connell of Maui and Jason Shibata of Pearl City were eliminated in the semifinals.

The contest was part of the ASP World Qualifying Series.