Pancho wears the crown

Hawaiian veteran Pancho Sullivan was the man of the hour at the first event of the Hawaiian Triple Crown series, the O.P. Hawaiian Pro.

In good 6- to 8-foot plus surf at Haliewa on the North Shore late last week, the 32-year-old Sullivan threw his patentpending, big-gouging, powerhouse turns to earn him $15,000 and the win.

Not only did he win the World Qualifying Series event, he’s now leading the Triple Crown points race, and he solidified a spot on the elite World Championship Tour, making the jump to the big ranks, the tour he’s been chasing for years. It makes him the oldest qualifier.

Coming in second was 24-year-old Australian Mick Fanning, who’s No. 4 in the world in the WCT standings. Fanning had a tough start, breaking his leash in the early going, but he still gave Sullivan a run for the money and only needed a moderate score to win.

Third was Brazilian standout Raoni Monteiro, who moved up to ninth in the WQS standings and had his best showing thus far in Hawaii, winning $6,000.

A bit of big news was H.B.’s wonder kid, Brett Simpson, who surfed insane, placing fourth with some outstanding moves and waves. He cashed in on $4,000 and valuable points.

Simpson took some big guns out along the way, including world tour star “The Dingo” Dean Morrison and Excel Pro winner Ian Walsh in the round of 32.

In the quarters, he downed the big boy, Roy Powers, and in the semis took out ripping Aussies Joel Parkinson and Luke Munro.

Simpson is knocking on the door, moving up to number 20 on the qualifying series standings, a happening place to be.

The second event in the Triple Crown, the $125,000 O’Neill World Cup at Sunset, has already started with a big, shifty 8- to 12-foot west-northwest swell.

The list of winners at this prestigious event include a host of legendary surfers. Sunset local Michael Ho won it three times back-to-back: 1983, 1984 and 1985. The big wave shredder, Ian “Kanga” Cairns, won in 1976 and 1980. Aussie power surfer Tom Carroll won in 1982 and 1988.

Hawaiian and former world champ Sunny Garcia won in 1994 and 2000 and would like to take it again in his final year on tour.

The list continues with other greats: Shaun Tompson in 1977, Dane Kealoha in 1981, Johnny Boy Gomes in 1993, and, more recently the Big Island’s Myles Padaca in 2001, Australia’s Parko in 2002 and Jake Patterson in 2003 and three-time world champ “A.I.” Andy Irons last year.

The list of casualties is already getting long.

Losing out in the round of 162 was the youngest competitor, at 13, national champ John John Florence; former winners of the Sunset World Cup, brothers Derek and Michael Ho; and San Clemente hottie Dane Gudauskas.

Out in the round of 144 were Huntington’s rippin’ Shaun Ward; the pipe winner last year, Jamie O’Brien; and team Hawaii coach Rainos Hayes.

In the round of 132, losing out were former Seal Beach resident Chas Chidester and Oxnard’s Nathaniel Curran.

More big upsets in the round of 96 were Carlsbad’s Taylor Knox, former world champ Tom Curren, Hawaii’s “Bustin” Dustin Cuizon and Aussie terror Luke Hitchings.

And in the round of 64, new rookie of the year Freddy Boy Pattachia; Hawaiian big wave rider, who scored a lot of wins in the earlier rounds, Makua Rothman; Santa Barbara’s No. 2 in the WQS standings, Bobby Martinez; San Clemente veteran Shane Beschen; East Coaster Cory Lopez; and none other than H.B.’s finalist at the last event, shred master Brett “Simpo” Simpson.

Still hanging, the big guns, waiting for the new possible 6- to 10-foot plus west-northwest swell Friday and Saturday, are Pancho Sullivan looking for a possible Triple Crown title; former winner Sunny Garcia, trying to make it three times; another North Shore standout, Kalani Robb; East Coast main stay C.J. Hobgood; Aussies Parko and Fanning; trying to repeat last year’s feat, A.I.; and still in, Surf City’s Timmy Reyes, looking to go big. Good luck!

See ya. Fig over and out.

* RICK FIGNETTI is an nine-time West Coast champion, has announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last 12 years and has been the KROQ-FM surfologist for the last 18 years, doing morning surf reports. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.

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