Top surf stars for Mr Price Pro
26 June 2007
The eighth annual six-star World Qualifying Series Mr Price Pro kicks off on Durban's Golden Mile on Friday, and entries for the long-running event, formerly known as the Gunston 500, have been received from around the globe.
Over 100 entries have been received in the men's division alone. These include sizeable South African, North America, Australian, and European contingents.
In total, over 200 male and female surfers from the world's leading surfing countries will be in action in Durban, in search of valuable ASP ratings points and a portion of the R1-million in prize money on offer.
ASP World Tour competitors
A number of the world's elite top 45 Foster's ASP World Tour competitors have confirmed their participation, including Australia's Troy Brooks, Ben Dunn, Tom Whittaker, Kai Ottan, Luke Stedman and Luke Munro, the USA's CJ Hobgood and Chris Davidson, Brazilians Victor Ribas and Raoni Monteiro, as
well as South Africa's Ricky Basnett and Royden Bryson.
Over the last seven years, the Mr Price Pro has produced a host of big-name winners. Former world number five Taylor Knox of the US won in 2000. Three Brazilian victories followed, with Peterson Rosa winning in 2001, Beto Fernandez in 2002 and Neco Padaratz in 2003.
Former three-time ASP World Champion Andy Irons of Hawaii took the title in 2004, with his brother, Bruce, keeping it in the family in 2005.
South African drought broken
Finally, in 2006, local boy Ricky Basnett brought South African surfing out of the shadows by becoming the first South African to win the event since Shaun Tomson's six-year winning streak under the Gunston 500 banner in the 1970s.
One of the longest-running professional surfing events in South Africa, the Mr Price Pro made its way into the record books in 2001 by becoming the first surfing competition in the region to pay out more than
R1-million in prize money.
Six years on, prize money stands at R1 075 000 across all three divisions, paying out R875 000 in the men's event, R175 000 in five-star WQS women's competition, and R25 000 across the 2A-rated pro junior girls' and boys' divisions, making it one of the most lucrative surfing events in South Africa.
Programme
Rolling out over 10 action packed days, the Mr Price Pro kicks off on Friday 29 June with the 2A-rated Surfing South Africa, pro junior events, which will run through to the next day.
The six-star WQS men's trials start on Sunday 1 July, while the main men's and women's events get under way on Monday 2 July. The the seeded surfers are expected to take to the water for the first time on Thursday 5 July.
The women's final takes place on Saturday 7 July, and will be followed by the men's finals on Sunday 8 July.
The entire 10-day event will be broadcast live on the web at Mr Price Pro.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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