High-Performance Stage Set for World's Best at Hurley Pro at Trestles

- WSL / Rowland/ ASP Handout

Caption: 2013 event winner, Taj Burrow (AUS), will look to defend his title at Lower Trestles this year.
Credit: ASP/Kirstin

LOS ANGELES, CA/USA (Thursday, September 4, 2014): The Hurley Pro at Trestles, stop No. 8 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), will play host to the world's best surfers from September 9 – 20, 2014 and will recommence the hunt for the world surfing crown at one of the most high-performance waves on the planet in Southern California's Lower Trestles.

Lower Trestles made its debut on the WCT in 2000 when Andy Irons (HAW) claimed victory and has been hosting the world's best surfers for the past 15 years. Long a favorite stop on Tour, this high-performance wave peels across the Southern California coastline and will be an all-important contest in the battle to be crowned this year's ASP World Champion.

“Trestles is the skatepark of surfing,” said defending event champion Taj Burrow. “It's probably the funnest wave on the planet and lends itself to some of the highest-performance surfing you'll ever see. The level of talent this season is insane and you're going to be seeing the limits of power surfing and progressive surfing really pushed at this year's Hurley Pro.”

11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) has claimed victory at Lower Trestles five times in the last seven years. Since 2007 only reigning three-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) and defending event winner Taj Burrow (AUS) have been able disrupt Slater's dominance, winning in 2009 and 2013 respectively. After a runner-up finish at the previous event in Tahiti, the iconic Floridian currently sits at ASP World No. 2 behind current frontrunner Gabriel Medina (BRA).

“Was good to gain some ground somewhat with a Finals in Tahiti, but Gabriel (Medina) grabbing his third win of the season really puts him in a commanding lead,” Slater said. “Trestles has been a strong event for me historically and I'm generally pretty solid through the back half of the season. If we're going to stop him (Medina) though, we're going to need to start putting some wins on the board soon. Hopefully we get good waves.”

Local surfer Tanner Gudauskas (USA) secured the first wildcard for the event when he took the win over a tough field of competitors at the trials in July, using his local knowledge to navigate the tough conditions with ease.

Carlos Munoz (CRI) also earned a wildcard to compete in the Hurley Pro at Trestles after winning the Hurley Pro video trials over runner up Dusty Payne (HAW). Munoz will become the first Costa Rican to compete in a WCT event when joins the ASP Top 34, along with Gudauskas, to complete the field for the Hurley Pro at Trestles.

Hurley Pro at Trestles Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 2: Mick Fanning (AUS), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 3: Michel Bourez (PYF), Filipe Toledo (BRA), Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS), Carlos Munoz (CRI)
Heat 7: Adriano De Souza (BRA), Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Aritz Aranburu (ESP)
Heat 8: Kolohe Andino (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 9: Nat Young (USA), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Dion Atkinson (AUS)
Heat 10: Owen Wright (AUS), Julian Wilson (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 11: Josh Kerr (AUS), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 12: John John Florence (HAW), Bede Durbidge (AUS), Mitch Crews (AUS)

The Swatch Women's Pro Trestles, event No. 7 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP Women's World Championship Tour, will run in conjunction with the Hurley Pro at Trestles.

Swatch Women's Pro Trestles Round 1 Match-Ups: Heat 1: Malia Manuel (HAW), Dimity Stoyle (AUS), Alessa Quizon (HAW)
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Laura Enever (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Nikki Van Dijk (AUS), Mahina Maeda (HAW)
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Coco Ho (HAW), Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 5: Tyler Wright (AUS), Courtney Conlogue (USA), Pauline Ado (FRA)
Heat 6: Lakey Peterson (USA), Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), Johanne Defay (FRA)

The Hurley Pro at Trestles will be held from Tuesday, September 9, until Saturday, September 20, 2014 and will be webcast LIVE via aspworldtour.com.