Sunset Beach, HAWAII - (Friday, November 24, 2006) - The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing kicked off its second stage at Sunset Beach today with the opening rounds of the prestigious O'Neill World Cup of Surfing. Rich in surfing history, this 32-year-old event boasts a winners list of the sport's true greats that began before many of today's starters were even born. Seven of the 22 surfers to have won this event since its 1975 beginning went on to become world champions. The remainder have featured highly on the international ranks and amassed many titles along the way. Over time, the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing has come to be considered as a predictor of champions and, for this reason, is one of the most esteemed titles on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour today.

One hundred and forty-four surfers gathered at Sunset Beach today, representing a total of 14 nations. Among the growing sea of new pro surfing faces are a smattering of surf stars who come close to spanning the life of the event. Conditions were good for the opening day, with Sunset offering waves in the range of eight- to 15-feet faces.

Former world champion Derek Ho, who first became a Triple Crown of Surfing Champion in 1984, is still making the grade going on his third decade with the Series. Ho, 42, advanced through two rounds today, eliminating several of the sport's newest stars: World Qualifying Series (WQS) #7-ranked Ben Dunn (Australia), Alain Riou (Reunion Island), and Hawaii's Ola Eleogram and Kalani Chapman.

Also taking to the lineup today, with mixed results, were former World Cup champions Fabio Gouveia (Brazil, 1991), John Gomes (Hawaii, 1993), and Myles Padaca (Hawaii, 2001). Gouveia and Gomes both surfed well but lacked strength in their second scores and were eliminated. (Each surfer's top two rides make up their total score.)

Still to surf, having been seeded into later rounds, are Sunny Garcia (Hawaii, 1994 World Cup champion), Joel Parkinson (Australia, 2002), defending Vans Triple Crown champion Andy Irons (Hawaii, 2004 World Cup winner), and two-time champion here Jake Paterson (Australia, 2003 & 2005).

The top scores from today's surfing were posted in round two and were earned by Kieren Perrow (Australia) - 17.66 points out of a possible 20, and 27-year-old Kauai surfer Jesse Merle-Jones - 16.66 points. Perrow is a former Top-44 ranked surfer while Merle-Jones is a part-time WQS competitor. Like many of the round's high-scorers, Perrow and Merle-Jones survived steep, critical take-offs on the looming Sunset Peak before going on to carve a string of solid turns across the broad expanse of wave that this venue is famous for."Everyone wants to have a big win in Hawaii," said Merle-Jones after his second round heat. "It will change your career... something you'll be remembered by forever.

"When you surf Sunset, you're at the mercy of the ocean. But really good waves came to me and I was thankful that happened.

"At any place, any venue, you can have your day. But at home you definitely feel a lot more comfortable. Just being at home, I really want to do well here. That's the goal. These events are really tough and all the best surfers in the world do them. Anyone trying to get a result has their work cut out for them, for sure."

Haleiwa, HAWAII - (Monday, November 20, 2006) - An increase in swell arrived on cue for the entrance of the top seeded surfers into the Op Pro Hawaii at Haleiwa's Ali'i Beach Park today, yet for many the injection of power and size was no guarantee for success. Now one round out from quarter final stage, only one of the Top 16-ranked World Qualifying Series surfers remains in the mix (Australian Dayyan Neve), and 15 of the top 32 seeds in the event have been eliminated. Defending Op Pro Hawaii champion Pancho Sullivan (Hawaii), and five-time winner of this event Sunny Garcia (Hawaii) were among the day's casualties.

After two days of lackluster waves, surf in the five- to eight-foot range came as welcome relief today, though the shifting direction of the peak played havoc with positioning and wave selection.

Frenchman Mikael Picon was the top heat-scorer of the day, eliminating California's Taylor Knox with 16.83 points out of a maximum 20 (9.33 and 7.5 individual wave scores). Of the elite World Championship Tour entrants, world No.2 Mick Fanning (Australia), No.3 Taj Burrow (Australia), and No.4 Andy Irons (Hawaii)

demonstrated the kind of flair, speed and power that have made them the best in the world. (Eight-time world champion elect Kelly Slater is not entered in this event but will enter the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Series mid-stream at Sunset Beach next week.)

"It was still pretty tricky," said Burrow, who has competed in this event each year for the past seven years. "They were mainly left-handers today and it's hard to know which lefts to pick since Haleiwa is predominately a right-hander. You had to watch a few heats to figure it out and then you definitely had to get yourself onto the best waves to win."

Burrow and Patrick Bevan (France) surfed strongly to eliminate Sullivan and T.J. Barron (Hawaii) in the final heat of the day.

Organizers expect that the last day of competition will be held tomorrow. Thirty-two surfers remain in contention and the field consists of 14 Australians, five Brazilians, five Hawaiians, two South Africans, three French surfers, two Mainland Americans, and one Spaniard. Over the past 21 years of this event, it has been won 10 times by Hawaii surfers, nine times by Australians, and twice by Californians.