By Press Release

ASSOCIATION OF SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) INTERNATIONAL

EVENT #7 ON THE 2006 FOSTER'S ASSOCIATION OF SURFING PROFESSIONALS (ASP) MEN'S WORLD TOUR

Boost Mobile Pro of Surf presented by Hurley
Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California, USA
September 12-16, 2006

BOOST MOBILE PRO OF SURF PRESENTED BY HURLEY WILDCARDS ANNOUNCED

Kelly Slater Picture Credit ASP Tostee

COOLANGATTA, Australia (August 10, 2006) – Bolstering an already stacked field of surfers competing in the 2006 Boost Mobile Pro of Surf presented by Hurley are none other than former world number two Rob Machado (USA), renowned Pipeline specialist Jamie O’Brien (HAW) and California young gun Dane Reynolds (USA).

Each of the enormously popular surfers will use their wildcard berths to go head to head with the world’s best surfers at San Clemente’s famed “Lower Trestles” when mainland America’s sole Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour stop hits Southern California from September 12–16, 2006.

Reynolds, who earned his wildcard spot after surfing his way through the Boost Mobile Pro of Surf Trials, which ran in conjunction with the 2006 U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif., will make his fourth appearance as a BMP wildcard surfer in September.

The highly touted 20-year-old was handed main event berths in 2003 and 2004 but has earned entry via the trials for the last two years. Reynolds beat former elite-tour surfer Shane Beschen (USA) and top World Qualifying Series (WQS) performers Asher Nolan (USA) and Brett Simpson (USA) in the Boost Mobile Pro of Surf Trials final in front of a huge crowd at the U.S. Open on July 29th to secure the final wildcard spot.

“Yea, I was given a wildcard in ’03 and ’04, but I had to surf my way through the trials to earn my spot the last couple of years,” Reynolds said. “It’s great to be handed a wildcard for sure, but you definitely feel like you deserve to be there when you have to beat guys like Beschen, Asher, and Brett to get one.”

Machado, who, as a Hurley and Boost team rider, was given a wildcard straight into the event based on his proven competitive prowess, has already won two of three WQS events he’s competed in this year – the Pipeline Pro and the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington. Though semi-retired, Machado has hinted that he might entertain thoughts of returning to the tour should he find himself in a position to do so after competing in the point-heavy European leg of the qualifying series this month.

O’Brien secured his wildcard into the event after earning the Boost Breakthrough Performer of the Year Award at last year’s Surfer Poll awards – an honor given to an athlete whose performance exceeds expectations and makes a statement. O’Brien has surfed in several Foster’s Men’s World Tour events, among them the prestigious Pipeline Masters which he won in 2004.

Defending champion Kelly Slater (USA), 2000 Trestles champ Andy Irons (HAW) as well as current world number two Taj Burrow (AUS) and standout rookie Bobby Martinez (USA), will likely draw the widely respected wildcards in the early rounds. With the World Title race still well and truly anyone’s, Machado, O’Brien and Reynolds could seriously impact the ratings leaders’ campaigns.

“Any one of these guys has the ability to win at a high performance break like Trestles,” Mark Fewell of Boost Mobile said. “They have all proven themselves against the top tour surfers before and no one will be thinking they have an easy draw by coming up against any one of the wildcards.”

The event minisite can be accessed via www.boostmobilepro.com where trials highlights, behind-the-scenes action, in-depth surf analysis and exclusive downloads will be available later this month. Members of the media can also visit www.boostmobilepro.com now to fill out an online application for media passes to cover mainland America’s only Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour event.

The event will be webcast live on www.aspworldtour.com and www.boostmobilepro.com starting September 12, 2006.

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