Hawaiian Locals Look to Summer Triple Crown

The members of the Hawaiian ASP met recently at Pupukea Recreation Center on the North Shore of Oahu to discuss and vote on various topics, including a “Summer Triple Crown” for the WQS competitors. Below is a short chat with ASP Hawaii’s Randy Rarick.

SURFERMAG.COM: How serious is this talk of a summer multi-event WQS series?

RANDY RARICK: Well, we have had some inquires about sponsorship. The series could go, especially the event in March (1st-10th) at Sunset Beach that Pancho Sullivan pulled the permit on. We are looking at whether it (the series) should be three contests back-to-back or spread out through the summer months. We have had some interest in tying it in with the Duke Foundation summer events. I’ve been super busy with the Triple Crown, so this stuff is still on the back burner. I even got sick I’m working so much, so really, there is only so much I can do. Even with all these good intentions…it is going to take six months to pull it all together.

SURFERMAG.COM: So the concept is to have a WQS “Summer Triple Crown”; is that to help the local guys qualify for the WCT?

RANDY RARICK: Well the plan is, if this event, the one Pancho and his dad are putting together, if it comes together as a Four-Star, the Hansen’s Pro to a Five-Star event, and the others are Three-Star or better, held in town, and the Xcel Pro goes to a Four-Star. All of a sudden you have a pretty solid schedule.

SURFERMAG.COM: All that in one calendar/competition year?

RANDY RARICK: That is our goal. Those surfers who don’t have the sponsorship or money to travel can stay home and still get the points to get better seeding.

SURFERMAG.COM: So Hawaii is just catching up to the rest of the world?

RANDY RARICK: That’s the plan. That is why there are sooo many Brazilians on the tour, cause they’ve got a really strong domestic circuit with a lot of high-ranking events, so those guys stay home, do really well, and BOOM, they’re on the tour. And, to some extent, the Europeans have done a really good job as well.

SURFERMAG.COM: So we are back to the schedule…
RANDY RARICK: Another thing I’m trying to do is schedule the new events when the WCT is surfing so the WCT guys don’t come and take up all the WQS slots, because that has been a big problem. The Triple Crown is a classic example. The ‘CT guys eat up 20 to 30 spots. So these 20 to 30 local guys get bumped onto the alternate list. That is good for publicity, obviously, good for our events, but our goal at ASP Hawaii is not to generate publicity so much but rather to make good events for our sponsors and qualify our guys for the ‘CT.

SURFERMAG.COM: Any spots being tossed around yet?
RANDY RARICK: Ala Moana Bowls is our primary, probably get one at Kewalo’s, personally I’m trying to stay away from Sandy Beach, I personally like Maili Point, and it has many sections that work on a variety of swells. But I have a feeling we are going to end up with the traditional town spots.

SURFERMAG.COM: O.K. Let us know when the vote comes in on the schedule.

RANDY RARICK: You’ll be contacted by Faith…or call them.

Note: The women will have an event that will most likely not be sanctioned by the ASP at Pipeline, March 11-21, 2005. The permits were pulled by Betty Depolito and the event is scheduled to have surfing and bodyboarding at serious Pipe