Sandy Beach delivered the goods for the Dave and Buster’s Pro, part of the USBA Body Glove Tour, which took place July 10-11. According to a USBA press release, the surf was in the three-to-six-foot face range with epic high
Sandy Beach delivered the goods for the Dave and Buster’s Pro, part of the USBA Body Glove Tour, which took place July 10-11.
According to a USBA press release, the surf was in the three-to-six-foot face range with epic high tide half point (surf break) rights and lefts.
Brazil’s Gulilherme Tamega, 37, took top honors in the highly contested Pro Men’s division.
“It’s really good to be at Sandy Beach,” he said. “It was a hard final, I knew I had to get the best waves and I could hear the crowd cheer for the Hawaiians, so I had to get through that.”
Current World Champion, Kaua‘i’s Jeff Hubbard snagged waves right at the horn and had the crowd screaming from the start. The final was a high performance battle as the lead changed several times during the 25-minute heat.
Local favorite Trevor Kam lit up the water in three finals in the afternoon. Kam, just 18 and a Sandy Beach local, had the gallery screaming at his every move.
“This was so great,” he said. “I love it, it’s good to perform at Sandy’s in front of the home crowd. I am stoked to beat a couple of the guys I look up to.”
“It’s good to see Kam doing well here, he is the future,” Hubbard said.
Trevor was the first USBA rider to compete as an amateur and make it into a pro division final. The pro division was battling it out for a $6,000 purse.
Tamega is a six-time World Champion and won the final with a tube ride, to air roll spin, to air roll on a right.
Taking top honors for the big-air award was Jacob Romero, who scored perfectly on an incredible back flip on day one of competition.
In the Drop Knee Pro, it was Jeff’s brother Dave Hubbard who edged out Bud Miyamoto, also from Kaua‘i, for top honors.
“It was a tough final with really good waves,” said Dave. “It is good to take home the trophy against such a high caliber of riders.”
The Woman’s Pro was handled by Karla Costa Taylor. Taylor scored high on an air roll spin and solid combination waves, just beating out Claudia Ferrari. Both Brazilian women are now living in Hawai‘i. Taylor is making her come back after having two beautiful boys.
Claudia Ferrari (Hawai‘i/Brazil), Roberta Bitzer (Brazil/Hawai‘i) and Kelly Gordon (Maui) where not far behind, placing in the order listed. All girls surfed with precision as only one point separated second and third, and third and fourth.
Two-time USBA National Champion Roberta Bitzer said she has “broken my 2010 curse of not making a final” and is now looking to join Taylor on the World Tour again in 2011.
