Tim Reyes (USA), 28, former ASP World Title Race campaigner and current No. 126 on the newly-founded ASP World Rankings, will replace an injured Joel Parkinson (AUS), 29, 2009 ASP World Runner-Up and defending event winner, at the upcoming Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay.

Current Queensland Championship Circuit ratings leader Corey Ziems (Currumbin, Qld)) today claimed the 2010 WAECO Alley Classic securing a slice of Queensland surfing history etching his name once again alongside the likes of elite Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour competitors Joel Parkinson (Snapper Rocks, Qld), Luke Munro (Currumbin, Qld) and Adriano De Souza (Brazil) on the event’s winners list.

Ziems proved his 2007 Alley Classic win was no fluke, leaving nothing to doubt today as the famed Currumbin pointbreak delivered clean, contestable, 1m waves for the finals.

Aussies Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore may be the toast of the surfing world having wrapped up the men’s and women’s World Titles in Hawaii, but now the focus shifts to Australia’s fledgling junior stars to see if they can make history by claiming the world’s premier junior surfing event – the 2009 Billabong ASP World Junior Championships fuelled by Monster Energy – due to take place at Sydney’s North Narrabeen beach over eight days ning January 9th.

The winners will be crowned alongside Fanning and Gilmore at the ASP World Champions banquet in February, meaning Australia would hold four world titles concurrently, a first for the sport.

But the local contingent will have their work cut out for them if they are to reverse the trend that has seen Australia’s international reputation for dominance wane since Joel Parkinson last claimed the men’s title for the green ’n gold in 2001.

With the culmination of the 2009 ASP World Tour and ASP Women’s World Tour in Hawaii, the qualifiers for the 2010 ASP Dream Tour season have been decided.

Taking the Top 27 surfers from the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Top 15 from the 2009 ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) and three ASP wildcards, the 2010 ASP Top 45 are as follows:

ASP Top 27 (ASP World Tour)
Mick Fanning (AUS)
Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Taj Burrow (AUS)
Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Kelly Slater (USA)
C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Bobby Martinez (USA)
Damien Hobgood (USA)
Dane Reynolds (USA)
Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Taylor Knox (USA)
Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Dean Morrison (AUS)
Kai Otton (AUS)
Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)
Mick Campbell (AUS)
Chris Davidson (AUS)
Michel Bourez (PYF)
Ben Dunn (AUS)
Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Tiago Pires (PRT)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Roy Powers (HAW)
Drew Courtney (AUS)

Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, has been crowned the 2009 ASP World Champion, following a stunning performance at the Banzai Pipeline today.

Heading into the final stop of the 2009 ASP World Tour season, Fanning held the ASP ratings’ lead over fellow Gold Coast surfer Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, and with Parkinson’s Round 3 exit in today’s Billabong Pipe Masters at the hands of wildcard Gavin Gillette (HAW), 23, Fanning secured his second ASP World Title.

“I’m just a bit overwhelmed right now and I don’t quite know what to say,” Fanning said. “It was hard out there. I was trying to get ready for my heat and then Gavin (Gillette) got that one score as I was paddling out and, I don’t know, I just sort of slowed down.”

For the first time since 2003, the ASP World Title came down to the final event of the season at the Billabong Pipe Masters.

After nine events on the 2009 ASP Dream Tour, the race for the ASP World Title will culminate in a showdown between two lifelong friends at the final event of the season, the Billabong Pipeline Masters from December 8 – 20, 2009.

Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, former ASP World Champion (2007) and current ASP World No. 1, will face Gold Coast stable mate and current ASP World No. 2, Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, in the hunt for the 2009 ASP World Title as the two battle a minefield of the world’s best surfers and Pipe specialists at the Billabong Pipeline Masters.

“It’s been a few years since the ASP Title has come down to Pipe and I’m really stoked that it’s between myself and Joel (Parkinson),” Fanning said. “I guess it’s like a dream come true coming down to Pipeline and I’m really excited. There isn’t going to be any sand on the reef and hopefully we get a couple of really good days.”

Joel Parkinson has conquered the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, in Sunset Beach, Hawaii.

Sunny Garcia started the final with a long and speedy barrel, scoring a 9.47 point wave.

During the first half of the grand finale, the Hawaiian veteran surfer was in complete control of the situation.

Sunset Beach was pumping 15-20 foot waves and Joel Parkinson managed to score a 7 point ride.

Near the end, Parko took the lead with a 6.17 point wave and won the event.

The "Rebel Tour" might kick off in 2010, ASL reports.

The so-called ESPN Champions Surf Tour (CST) has already signed with top professional surfers like Dane Reynolds, Andy and Bruce Irons, Ry Craike, Taj Burrow, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Mitch Coleborn, Clay Marzo and even Kelly Slater.

According to ASL, Slater will have more information shortly, but stills reserves a lot of details about the new surfing circuit.

There are still important surfers to accept to change clothes, like ASP's loyal athletes Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson and Jordy Smith.

During the Mundaka event, everyone thought that the "rebels" were losing their heat to the historic WCT, but things are still uncertain.

A large gathering of surfing dignitaries from all over Australia enjoyed the official opening of Surfing Australia’s new headquarters at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast. Formerly based in northern NSW at Casuarina Beach, Surfing Australia’s move to Coolangatta was motivated by the need to better position itself in a surf and business related area.

“This move strategically positions Surfing Australia in a more business orientated environment for our commercialisation process.” said Surfing Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Andrew Stark. “Nationally and Internationally the Gold Coast is recognized as surfing’s heartland” added Stark

“This year’s Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Men’s World Champion will be a Gold Coaster whether it be Mick Fanning or Joel Parkinson and there’s every chance Gold Coast’s Stephanie Gilmore will successfully defend her ASP Women’s title as well and it’s essential that Surfing Australia is well established in this perfect business and cultural environment.”

Surfing Australia’s High Performance Training Centre will appropriately stay at the Casuarina Office utilising the wide variety of surf breaks on the Tweed Coastline along with the outstanding training facilities in the Casuarina Precinct while the head office in Coolangatta caters for the ten full time staff attached to Surfing Australia.

A large gathering of surfing dignitaries from all over Australia enjoyed the official opening of Surfing Australia’s new headquarters at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast.

Formerly based in northern NSW at Casuarina Beach, Surfing Australia’s move to Coolangatta was motivated by the need to better position itself in a surf and business related area.

“This move strategically positions Surfing Australia in a more business orientated environment for our commercialisation process.” said Surfing Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Andrew Stark.

“Nationally and Internationally the Gold Coast is recognized as surfing’s heartland” added Stark

“This year’s Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Men’s World Champion will be a Gold Coaster whether it be Mick Fanning or Joel Parkinson and there’s every chance Gold Coast’s Stephanie Gilmore will successfully defend her ASP Women’s title as well and it’s essential that Surfing Australia is well established in this perfect business and cultural environment.”

Surfing Australia’s High Performance Training Centre will appropriately stay at the Casuarina Office utilising the wide variety of surf breaks on the Tweed Coastline along with the outstanding training facilities in the Casuarina Precinct while the head office in Coolangatta caters for the ten full time staff attached to Surfing Australia.

Surfing Australia Chairman Norm Innis, formerly Managing Director of Quiksilver Asia Pacific and then General Manager Quiksilver International through the 90’s and early 2000’s, officially opened the office on the office rooftop deck overlooking the perfect point breaks from Snapper Rocks through to Kirra.

“As part of our restructure of the Surfing Australia organization, the Board of Directors felt it was important for Surfing Australia to have a higher profile and be more easily accessible. The Gold Coast office in Coolangatta, next door to the ASP International office, is arguably placed at the epicenter of the Australian surfing world. To continue our High Performance Centre at Casuarina allows us the best of both worlds, and enables the organization as a whole to be well placed for our growth, as we continue to put new initiatives in place” said Norm Innis.

SOURCE: Surfing Australia