Andy Irons to defend Mr Price Pro
22 June 2005
Reigning three-time ASP world surfing champion Andy Irons of Kauai, Hawaii, has confirmed he will be back to defend his title at this year's US$150 000 (R1-million) six-star-rated World Qualifying Series Mr Price Pro, which runs from 3 to 10 July at North Beach, Durban.
Irons powered his way to victory with two near-perfect scores in last year's Mr Price Pro final, leaving fellow competitors - Hawaiian Roy Powers, South African Greg Emslie and Floridian Damien Hobgood - in need of a huge combination of scores to catch him.
The Durban event, which he had skipped in the years before, seemed a good warm-up for Irons. He followed it up by clinching victory at the World Championship Tour event in Jeffreys Bay.
'I love South Africa'
"I'm really looking forward to it. I love South Africa, it's a great stop on the tour," said Irons. "My J-Bay win was definitely one of my favourites, and I'm looking forward to going
into Durban and warming up the year."
Irons, who is currently ranked fourth on the ASP World Tour ratings after a disappointing ninth-place tie in Fiji, will need some convincing results in the forthcoming leg if he is to win a fourth world title this year.
Stamped alongside his name in the heat draws will be five of the big six names in the world's top 45, including Hawaiian Sunny Garcia, Australian's Mark 'Occy' Occhilupo, Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson. Iron's brother Bruce is also and entrant in this year's event.
With the event's status as both one of the world's longest-running surfing events and the largest in Africa, it's no wonder the international surfing elite returns each year to light up the barrels of North Beach.
'My 2000 win was really big for me'
It's also a special event for former Mr Price Pro winner American Taylor Knox, regarded by his peers as among the best on tour. "My win there in 2000 was really big for
me," he said. "It is one of the longest-running contests and it was a real honour to win it.
"I grew up seeing pictures in the magazines of people winning this event and I had a couple of friends who were on tour before me, all of whom told me good stories about the waves in Durban, so I was stoked.
"It's a great place, you get a lot of people on the beach, and it's a good venue to watch surfing," Knox said.
"I seem to do well in Africa. I like the place, and Mr Price is one of the bigger wins I've had - and one of the ones I've enjoyed the most."
'You got to throw your heart in the ring'
Current world number two, Australian Trent Munro, is also hoping for a good result in Durban, having charged into the spotlight in the first half of the tour. Clocking up a third-place tie and a win in the opening two events, Munro will be out to hold onto his number-two position throughout the African leg.
"I guess the event has been
running for a long time and it's one that everyone wants to win, kind of like the US Open. It's a pretty relaxed kind of place and the waves get fun there, so why not do it?" said Munro.
"I like going there every year, although I've never done that well. I think the best I've done is the quarterfinals, so it would be nice to go out and get a decent result. And, of course, the plan is to win.
"Andy was pretty flawless last year. You got to throw your heart in the ring and give it a go. It's a good place to do it."
Munro is currently the top seed going into the event. But with the WCT in Reunion still to come, anything could happen.
The six-star Mr Price Pro for men will be held at the same time as the five-star event for women, from 3 July to 10 July. Sixty of the world's top female surfers and 200 of the top male surfers, including eight wildcards, will contest the $150 000 prize money and the 2005 Mr Price Pro title.
The Mr Price Pro Junior will run
on 2 July, showcasing South Africa's emerging surfing talent in 3A-rated girls' and 3A-rated guys' events.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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