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HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Sunday, April 25, 2010) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour is amidst the third event on the 2010 calendar with the Billabong Pro Santa Catarina, and the opening rounds saw American rookies Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 24, and younger brother Tanner Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 21, post solid Round 1 victories while nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL), 38, rebounded in Round 2.

With the ASP World Title events narrowing the field of 45 competitors down to 32 at the halfway mark of the season, the first five events will play a crucial role in all competitors’ chances at battling for the 2010 ASP World Title through the back half of the season.

Tanner Gudauskas started off his Billabong Pro Santa Catarina campaign in impressive fashion, relegating ASP Dream Tour staples Dean Morrison (AUS), 29, and Kai Otton (AUS), 30, to Round 2 while advancing directly through to Round 3. With a 33rd and 17th currently in his score line, the young rookie is out to post a breakthrough performance in Brazil.

“I don’t have any more pressure on myself at this event than I do at any other,” Gudauskas (Tanner) said. “Shea Lopez (former ASP World Tour campaigner) gave my brother and me some good advice: he said, the first two events were wave-catching contests and this one is a wave-riding contest. The field is a bit more level and Brazil is where Pat and I need to make our moves.”

Older brother Patrick Gudauskas, who is currently rated 23rd on the ASP World Title Rankings, clinched his Round 1 victory over Australian talent Ben Dunn (AUS), 24, and ASP World Tour staple Kieren Perrow (AUS), 33.

Round 1 was also a success for several ASP World Title campaigners on the American front, with Dane Reynolds (Ventura, CA), 24, Bobby Martinez (Santa Barbara, CA), 27, 2001 ASP World Champion C.J. Hobgood (Melbourne, FL), 30, twin brother Damien Hobgood (Satellite Beach, F), 30, and veteran Taylor Knox (Carlsbad, CA), 38, all advancing through to Round 3 with Round 1 victories.

Slater, who is fresh off of a victory at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, had a sluggish start to his Billabong Pro Santa Catarina campaign, suffering an early round loss, but appeared back in form in Round 2 when he put on an amazing performance to oust dangerous wildcard Messias Felix (BRA).

“I was just lost at sea yesterday,” Slater said. “Every wave I paddled for seemed to evaporate after one turn. In today’s heat, I was just focused on getting a lot of waves and picking ones that would allow for a lot of maneuvers. It worked out and I’ll keep tweaking things as we move forward.”

Slater, who is currently sitting at ASP World No. 2 on the ASP World Title Rankings, suffered a severe foot injury at Bells despite his eventual victory and is catering to his tender foot in an attempt to build momentum throughout the remainder of the event.

“It’s still pretty ginger,” Slater said. “I didn’t tape it today because I’m no doctor and sometimes when you tape it, it stresses other parts of the foot. It went fine though. It feels good to put a heat together here and hopefully I can build a bit of a rhythm.”

The Billabong Pro Santa Catarina hosts a waiting period from April 23 through May 2, 2010 and is webcast LIVE via www.aspworldtour.com

Slater rings his fourth bell. Not only did Kelly win the event, but over all the CI team killed it! Sofia placed second in the womens, Dusty won the expression session on his 6-0 rookie and Tom Curren defeated Occy in both Icon heats.

Not bad for the safest turn Dane performed the whole contest.

Taylor Pre-heat moment.

If you look closely you will see Taylors rail grab, adding a little extra flair to the standard floater.

Tanner about to put on a show.

With so many airs being busted out, there’s bound to be some big crashes, Tanner takes one on the head for the team.

Pat getting in the rhythm.

Pat Gudauskas putting it on rail at Winkipop during round 3.

Pat Gudauskas carving back into the pocket again at Winkipop during round 3.

After 9 days of waiting for waves, Pat finally gets some top to bottom waves to surf.

Dusty Payne blew up in his round 3 heat against Kelly Slater, netting a 9+ score on his first ride. He backed it up with a medium range score and wasn’t able to put Kelly away.

Dusty Payne again in round 3. Not holding anything back and pushing this manuever through the lip.

From Left to Right:

1. 6′0″ x 19 ” x 2  5/16″  Proton, squash tail
2. 6′2″ x 18 ½” x 2 ⅜” mbm+ step up , rounded pin
3. 6′1” x 18 ½” 2 5/16″ Rookie, round tail

Dane spent more time above the waves than on them.

The crowds came to see Kelly and he didn’t disappoint.

Kelly slater tears up another Snapper Rocks wall.

Dane Reynolds tucks into a small but perfect super bank peeler.

Dane Gudauskas turned out to support his bro’s Tanner and Pat.

Dusty Payne proved his new school style of surfing is the way of the future.

Despite torrential downpours the crowds flocked to Snapper Rocks, Australia to watch the action.

Snapper Rocks is one of the longest most perfect right hand waves in the world. Dusty Payne was lucky enough to enjoy it with only one other guy out. Usually if it was this good, there would be no less than 300-500 people in the water at any given time.

Pat Gudauskas, Tanner Gudauskas, and Dylan Graves make a trek down to Mexico to escape the el nino rains that flooded the California coast in January. Video by Vans http://www.vans.com/

What happens when the three Gudauskas brothers all end up in the same heat? We’ll find out soon as heat #6 of the round of 32 in The O’neill World Cup of Pro Surfing approaches. What makes this heat even more interesting is the fact that Tanner is sitting on the bubble of qualifying for the WCT. Going into the event in 16th place on the WQS, he needs to better his lowest result of 1225pt to finish in the top 15 to make it to the big leagues. With a huge round of 64 heat win of 14.24 in big 15+ Hawaiian conditions, Tanner is now in a position to better his lowest result by 300pts with at least a 3rd place finish in the round of 32. Given that there are several surfers right behind him in the ratings, every point is going to count towards his qualification. What strategy will the Gudauskas brothers use? Only time will tell…

What would you do?

Check out the live action of The O’neill World Cup of Pro Surfing.

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Sunday, November 22, 2009) – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star PRIME Reef Hawaiian Pro saw up and coming American talent Tanner Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 21, keep his hopes for a spot on next year’s ASP World Tour alive when he advanced through to the Round of 32 behind ASP Dream Tour Title hopeful Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta, AUS), 28.

Gudauskas, who is currently sitting in the No. 17 position overall on the ASP WQS, attacked the six-to-eight (2 metre) surf on offer at Haleiwa at the second to last event of the 2009 season on the Grind. The youngest of the Guduaskas trio needs to find his way through one more heat in order to claim a spot on the 2010 ASP World Tour.

“I would be stoked to get a really good result here,” Gudauskas said. “I’m taking it heat by heat, just having fun. I don’t have anything to lose. I don’t have the points to qualify and I have to go out there and get them. I’m having a great time.”

The young goofy-footer’s advancement into the Round of 32 was no easy task, as he took out Vans Triple Crown legend Pancho Sullivan (North Shore, HI) to advance through the crucial heat.

“I just kind of figured I would need a hell of a lot to make that heat,” Gudauskas said. “I was psyching myself out because these guys have no flaws. Pancho (Sullivan) is pretty much a Triple Crown hero and Parko is a world champ contender. I just figured I would have to try as hard as I could and it was epic because there were tons of waves in the beginning of the heat, and there was no weird stuff.

Gudauskas will continue his Reef Hawaiian Pro campaign tomorrow morning. Competition will resume at 8am local time.

For all of the LIVE Vans Triple Crown action log on to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org