QUIK PRO SET TO GO FOR 2009

QUIK PRO SET TO GO FOR 2009 18th February 2009

The Quiksilver Pro is ready to go as the launch event for the ASP 2009 World Tour.

Looking at the Surfers' stats on the ASPWorldTour.com website it was a shock to see that Kelly Slater, nine times World Champion, has only recorded around $1.8mil in career winnings. You'd hope Kelly's earnings from other areas, such as sponsorship, have been a touch better.

Seeing surfing as the most challenging sport in the world, I largely agree with Matt Hoy who says that Kelly Slater is arguably "the greatest athlete in the world today".

But to provide a monetary winnings comparison, the Men's winner of the Australian Open Tennis Championship received $2mil - and the runner up got $1mil - just for the 2009 event!

How do Kelly Slater's career winnings compare? Check Slat's career winnings at www.aspworldtour.com

This may be a reflection of the overall economic value that the sport is perceived as delivering to the economy. The Australian Tennis Open this year was estimated to have generated over $70mil into the economy with over 600,000 visitors to the event.

While the Quik Pro and the World Tour is indeed popular, I don't think it's in the same monetary league.

And there's no problem with that. For those who love surfing, and being a surfer, the lifestyle offers its own benefits that are not necessarily quantifiable, and exceed in value, pure monetary amounts.

Julian Wilson ready to charge on special 'Cancer Awareness' surfboard, that seems to be going pretty good

Billabong used the phrase 'Only a surfer knows the feeling'. In the light of the current economic climate I think we'll all have plenty of opportunity to spread 'the feeling' around a little.

To Kelly Slater, the Top 44, the WQS competitors, and surfers all around the world, have a great 2009 and and may it be beneficial in every way!

Here's the PR release for the Quik Pro from Mandy McKinnon:
Recently retired world tour surfer DANNY WILLS (Byron Bay, AUS) and rising star JULIAN WILSON (Coolum, AUS) have been awarded main event wildcards into the upcoming Quiksilver Pro presented by LG Mobile.

Though at opposite ends of their careers both surfers are capable of causing damage to the worlds top 45 in the season-opening ASP men's world tour event on Australia's Gold Coast from February 28th to March 11th.

After more than a decade as a full time pro surfer, Wills, 33, announced his retirement at the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii in December last year.

"It's a big change after knowing no different for the last fifteen years but it was my choice to give it away. I'm really stoked to be finished and I'm enjoying home life with the family," said Wills.

"There will be no pressure at all (in the Quiksilver Pro presented by LG Mobile) it will be great to be on the side of the hunter and not the hunted this year," added the highly respected competitor.

Good to see Danny Wills honoured with Wildcard entry and looking forward to the biggest result

Wills and Wilson will draw one of the worlds top three rated surfers of either nine-time world champion Kelly Slater (USA), world no.2 Bede Durbidge (Gold Coast, AUS) or world no.3 Taj Burrow (Yallingup, AUS) in round one of competition.

Twenty-year-old sensation Wilson will be competing in his third consecutive Quiksilver Pro presented by LG Mobile as a wildcard. Entering with experience on his side this year, Wilson could prove more dangerous than in 2007 when he relegated Slater (Florida, USA) into the sudden death round two heats with an opening-heat win.

"I haven't got anything to lose. I love it," said Wilson.

"Surfing against the worlds best is fun, you learn a lot and I know the wave at Snapper so I'm excited to make the most of this amazing opportunity. Kelly (Slater) would be fun to draw," added Wilson.

The prodigious talent has just bounced back from an ankle injury - that had kept him out of the water for the last three months of 2008 - with a pro-junior win earlier in January.

Will Snapper be firing for the contest? The even is mobile to pick up the best waves from D'bah to Straddie

"I spent 3 months out of action and it feels so good to be surfing again," said Wilson.
"I won my first event back, I'm not at one hundred per cent just yet but I'm winning so my confidence is there," added Wilson.

Again this year Wilson will be riding and auctioning a pink surfboard at the Quiksilver Pro to raise awareness and funds for the national breast cancer foundation.

The third and final wildcard will be granted to the winner of the Quiksilver Pro Trials to be staged in conjunction with the Roxy Pro Trials on Friday, February 27th.

The season-opening ASP women's world tour event the US$90,000 Roxy Pro presented by LG Mobile and the opening men's world tour event, the US$340,000 Quiksilver Pro presented by LG Mobile will commence on Saturday February 28th and run through to March 11th.

Matt Hoy provides some insightful commentary 'Back Stage' - let's hope Barton Lynch gets a chance to join him, along with Potz, on the commentary mic

Both opening world tour events are mobile, granting access to some of the best surf breaks on the planet. The tournament will be based at Snapper Rocks yet can travel from Stradbroke Island to Duranbah Beach on the QLD/NSW state border in search of optimum waves.

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