2009 Xcel Pro Presented by Honolua Will Send Winner to Tahiti

Contest Champ Earns Trip, Entry into VonZipper Teahupoo Trials 2010

HALEIWA, OAHU, HAWAII – OCTOBER 19, 2009 – The 2009 Xcel Pro Presented by Honolua is set to kick off the North Shore’s winter surf season in style, with a waiting period set for October 30 through November 10.

In addition to a chunk of the $25,000 prize purse, this year’s Xcel Pro winner receives a trip to Tahiti and automatic entry into the VonZipper Teahupoo Trials in 2010, where he’ll compete for a wild card slot in the WCT Billabong Pro Tahiti.

The event is generously supported by presenting sponsor Honolua Surf Co. and associate sponsors VonZipper, Kustom, and official forecaster Surfline.

2008 event winner Pancho Sullivan returns to compete for what could be a fifth Xcel Pro title against a field stacked with local talent, including fellow ’08 finalists Kamalei Alexander, Danny Fuller, and Makua Rothman; 3X world champion Andy Irons (’97 Xcel Pro winner); and up-and-comers such as Hank Gaskell and Tyler Newton.

Now in its 26th year, the 2-Star 2009 Xcel Pro will once again return to Sunset Beach, as competitors from Hawaii and around the world compete at a world-class break famous for its ability to produce contestable, challenging big-wave conditions on a north or northwest swell.

“With the Tahiti Trials trip and entry thrown into the mix, this should be another exciting year for the Xcel Pro,” says Xcel president Ed D’Ascoli. “Our sponsors are a big part of making this event come together, and we hope to give the athletes an opportunity to be competitive, get some good waves, and maybe end up at Chopes.”

Surf News Network, Oahu’s local surf forecasting service, also supports the event as the official contest hotline (808-596-7873).

For more, please visit xcelpro.xcelwetsuits.com.

About the Xcel Pro
Celebrating its 26th anniversary this year, the 2009 Xcel Pro Presented by Honolua is a 2-Star ASP WQS event with a $25,000 purse, drawing pros and amateurs alike to world-class Sunset Beach along Oahu’s North Shore.

Honolua Surf Co. is the presenting sponsor of the event and is joined by associate sponsors VonZipper, Kustom, and Surfline. Surf News Network, Oahu’s local surf forecasting service, also supports the event as the official contest hotline (808-596-7873).

For more, please visit the contest Web site at xcelpro.xcelwetsuits.com.

About Xcel
Founded in 1982, Xcel International, Inc. (Xcel) is a global wetsuit brand distributed throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Rim. Headquartered on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, Xcel’s core wetsuit business focuses on the cutting edge of material and design development. Xcel’s primary markets include surf, dive, wakeboard, paddle, and sun (UV protection). In addition to its North Shore office, Xcel has retail locations on Oahu, Kauai, and Maui; and a warehouse/repair facility in California.

To learn more about Xcel, please visit www.xcelwetsuits.com.