2001 ASP World Champion and current ASP Dream Tour stalwart C.J. Hobgood (USA) confirmed his status of top seed at the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 6-Star PRIME Hang Loose Pro, winning the first ASP Prime event of the year in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil. Raoni Monteiro made his third final in a row in Cacimba do Padre waves, but as last year, didn’t find the barrels to win.

“I’m stoked," Hobgood said. "Last year I put too much pressure on myself and it didn’t paid off. It was amazing to win right now in the ning of the season. I was lucky all day long finding those left barrels and I’m glad to be here in this amazing place."

Hobgood walked away with a US $20,000 winner’s check and 6,500 points to take the lead of the ASP World Rankings. Raoni pocketed US $10,000 and 4,875 points to place himself two steps below Hobgood on the ASP World Rankings where young Brazilian Alejo Muniz is the current No. 2. Here in Noronha Alejo and fellow coutryman Wiggolly Dantas was equal 3rd.

Chris Friend (Alexandra Headland, Qld) today claimed the inaugural 2010 Grade – 3 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Couran Cove Island Resort Pro Junior by less than one point ahead of the Gold Coast’s Mitch Crews (Currumbin, Qld).

In perfect 1.5-2m waves on Queensland’s (Australia) notorious South Stradbroke Island, Friend edged out Crews in a thrilling final, which saw the lead change multiple times before Friend shut the gate with a 9.50 registering a combined two-wave total of 16.00 (out of a possible 20) to Crews’ 15.00.

“That was one of the hardest heats I think I’ve ever surfed,” said and exhausted Friend.

Jeremy Flores (Capbreton/New Caledonia, FRA), 21, has hit Australia last week, the only French surfer of the ASP Top 45 getting back to work to prepare the 2010 ASP World Tour season opener, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.

The French prodigy, a former ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) champion in 2006 and ASP Roookie of the Year in 2007, went on rehabilitation in France after an ankle and foot injury forced him to pull out from the last three events of last year’s ASP World Tour, but is now ready to hit the line-up again.

Despite missing the Billabong Pro Mundaka, the Rip Curl Pro Search and the Billabong Pipeline Masters, Flores finished his 2010 campaign ranked inside the requalifying group, an impressive result for the 21 year-old phenomenon.

It’s official, the 2010 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games will be held in the perfect waves of Señoritas and Caballeros, Punta Hermosa, Peru, from October 21 until the 29, 2010.

After reviewing the list of applying nations, the ISA considered Peru to be the perfect location for the 2010 edition of the event. ISA President, Fernando Aguerre stated: “Peru, the birthplace of Latin American surfing has some of the best waves in the world. After the successful ISA World Masters Surfing Championship in 2008, the ISA is looking forward to a great Billabong ISA World Surfing Games in 2010.”

Airing Monday, February 8 at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) in Meet & Brotatoes, and re-airing several more times over the next month, FUEL TV will showcase the “The Making of Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D.”

“The Making of The Ultimate Wave Tahiti” is an in-depth look at the first ever IMAX 3D surf film. Featuring nine-time world champion Kelly Slater, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti follows a quest to find the perfect wave-riding experience. Filmed in Tahiti and among the islands of French Polynesia, the film showcases dramatic giant screen surfing action in a unique Pacific paradise.

This show will focus on intricacies of using such a complex camera, the challenges of weather in the tropics, and getting professional surfers to go surf when the conditions are less than ideal. See what happens behind the camera on such a monumental piece of surf film history.

It was a thrilling closure for the ASP WQS 6-Star Maresia Surf International. Ronco do Mar beach was completely full to see local surfer Heitor Alves overtake Alejo Muniz in a tight Brazilian Final – 16.07 X 16.00 points.

Heitor Alves, 26 years old, walked away with US$20,000 and received 3,000 points in the ASP One Ranking scoring a combined two-wave total of 16.07 (out of a possible 20) in tricky afternoon conditions while Alejo Muniz, 19 years old, managed to score an 8.17 and 7.83 pocketing US$10.000 and 2,250 points.

They both defeated Brazilian Alan Jones and Hawaiian Sebastian Zietz respectively in the semi finals. Alan and Sebastian finished in 3rd place winning U$5.000 and 1.688 points each. Now the crew will fly to Fernando de Noronha Island for an ASP WQS 6-Star that starts on Tuesday.

After an intense Final heat, Rodrigo Sphaier (BRA) conquers Piccolo Clemente (PER) and wins the title of Champion of the ASP LQS 6-Star Huanchaco Pro Peru 2010.

After four days of great surfing, Peru and Brazil found their way to the Final. Rodrigo Shepier and Piccolo Clemente gave it their all during the 35-minute Final, but in the end, the Brazilian found his way to the win and US$8,000 richer and the bearer of the title of champion.

The final day of the Huanchaco Longboard Pro Peru 2010 opened in less than ideal conditions. The waves had ped slightly from previous days, however that simply upped the competition for the remaining heats- four semifinals, all coming down to one spectacular final heat.

Conditions were choppy and erratic, but positive vibes and pure stoke prevailed at the Billabong-supported 5th Annual Luminox Manila Surfers Cup in La Union, the epicenter of surfing for the fast-growing Manila surf scene.

Onshore winds made good waves scarce throughout the weekend, but 26-year old Filipina architect Nikki Dela Paz took to the challenge, winning her fourth consecutive longboard championship. She also placed second in the shortboard division for this year’s event.

With sweeping cutbacks, fluid cross-steps, and smooth noserides, the tall-and-tanned Nikki left little doubt on why she’s racked up the most championships for any individual competitor in the Manila Surfers Association (MSA). Her victory punctuated last year’s historic triple-double (Nikki took top honors for 3 consecutive years in both shortboard and longboard divisions), a record that is the first of its sort in Manila surfing history.

“It was a bit frustrating at the Point with no waves appearing for the most part, plus winds blasting onshore, but I just decided to have fun and put in some scores,” says the perpetually stoked Nikki Dela Paz, “I’m just really happy to have won this, especially against all these talented surfer gals.”

“Philippine surfing’s totally taking off, and I’m really fortunate and blessed to get this tremendous support from the surf industry here,” reveals Nikki, “so my heartfelt thanks to my sponsors Aloha Boardsports as well as Stoked Inc (Billabong’s exclusive Philippine partner) for providing me these really cool Nixon watches and Von Zipper shades. Now if you can just give me waves, then I'll keep on surfing!”

Andrea Roxy Roxas also pulled off a surprise victory in winning the women’s shortboard comp amid the unpredictable swells. “I think I happened to be just at the right spot on the peak, so I pulled into a couple of waves that gave me just enough points to earn me the win,” exclaims Roxy. “I’m just so amped, and I can’t believe it’s real. I hope I don’t wake up from this dream,” she laughs.

In the men’s longboard division, Buji Libarnes, also an architect, relied on his trademark classic style and newly-honed technical noseriding skills to capture the longboard title for the fourth year. He took a respectable 3rd place finish in the shortboard event as well.

“I’ve been focusing a lot on my noseriding the last year or so,” reveals Buji. “I wasn’t really getting anywhere until Aloha Boardsports gave me this McTavish Noserider. And it’s a magic carpet that, I have to say, is the closest thing to walking on water.” Buji laughs, “I’d like to thank Bob McTavish for giving me this victory today.”

JP Sarmiento threw some nice spray as sunset hit the South China Sea in the sweet 3-foot peelers, authoritatively putting himself back at the top of the podium in the shortboard division he had won two years earlier.

“It was crazy out here today, wind all over the place,” says the soft-spoken JP, “but suddenly, good waves rolled in at sunset. It feels good to be back on top!”

In the beginner’s longboard group, Jimboy Tan won among his group of newbies and was as stoked as any champion. Jeffrey Nunag of the La Union Surf Club (LUSC) won his first longboard title as well, competing against other beginner surfers and new members of the LUSC.

Much to everyone’s excitement, critically-acclaimed and award-winning Filipino movie actor and all-around nice guy, Jericho Rosales took time off from his super busy schedule to support the event and even gamely joined the costume surf comp.

“I came to La Union as teenager about ten years ago, “ says Jericho, the Philippines’ de-facto surfing ambassador, “my acting career was just starting out, and the locals here welcomed me not just as a friend, but as a brother.”

“Building surf communities like La Union all along the thousands of kilometers of Philippine coastline would be amazing," Jericho Rosales points out, “look at the huge support in this Manila surfers event, from Billabong and Stoked Inc, Luminox and Rudy Project. Together, you know we can do this. I am honored to join them and the many others, so we can all work hand-in-hand to fire-up Philippine surfing!”

Manila Surfers Association President Viva Olalia-Guzman and her husband, orthopedic surgeon Doc Mark Guzman were visibly delighted when handing out the trophies with the help of MSA Chairman Attorney Ely Cresencio.

“We got lots of help from the La Union surf community, Luminox, and Rudy Project for the 5th annual Manila Surfers Cup. It’s great to see these non-traditional surf brands join the fun and recognize how big surfing is getting in the Philippines,” says Viva.

Viva continues, “as usual, Billabong and Stoked Inc with its President JV Borromeo gave us their all-out support again. We have a great working relationship, and more significantly, we’re very good friends. We’ve always been able to count on them.”

Viva confesses, "I’m a little tired after all the organizing work. Then too, I’m about to give birth this March to, unquestionably, a future wahine shredder,” laughs the young mother-to-be. "But I’m definitely committed to our 6th competition next year,” assures Viva.

Head judge Archie Martinez had good things to say about the Manila surfers’ progress, “every year the surfing gets better, and it shows in this year’s competition. We got new faces like 2nd-placer Pauline Reyes and Jaja Tan showing remarkable improvement. There’s even 18-year old Carla Sebastian, who scored two 3rd place finishes today!”

“We’ve also improved our judging skills,” says Archie. “Tim Hain (ISC Media Director) has worked wonders in being the bridge for us Filipino surfers to our more experienced Indonesian counterparts in Bali. Tim brought the highly-respected Arya Subyakto from the Indonesian Surf Championship (ISC) Tour to train us on world-class judging a couple of months ago. We’ve learned a lot from Tim and Arya,” smiles Archie Martinez.

It might not have been epic conditions in this years Manila Surfer’s cup, but the waves still came, everybody had a good time, and for the Manila surfers, good vibes and shared surf is definitely the best thing ever.

SOURCE: Manila Surfers Cup

Steve Jobs has presented the new Apple gadget - the iPad - showing everyone a YouTube HD video featuring surfing dogs.

Actions sports are growing between humans, but the animal world shows enthusiastic signs of passion for surfing as dogs ride waves for international audiences.

Corporate executives, like Steve Jobs or Richard Branson, also demonstrate that waveriding is one of the greatest lifestyles ever invented... And surfing sells their products, too.

Rip Curl has announced that the 2010 Rip Curl Pro Search "Somewhere In The Caribbean" will be held from October 30 to November 10.

The official location will not be revealed until the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, in April.

After Supertubos (Peniche), in Portugal, the mobile ASP Dream Tour event will definitely go exotic.