Xcel Pro will kick off North Shore season
| • | With loss comes gain for Big Island resident |
Advertiser Staff
The famous North Shore surfing season will begin next week with the 23rd annual Xcel Pro Presented by No Fear men's professional contest.
The Xcel Pro will take place on the three days when conditions are best at Sunset Beach between Oct. 27 and Nov. 10. It is the first event of the big-wave season on O'ahu's North Shore.
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing contests will follow the Xcel Pro.
"The goal of the Xcel Pro is still to give the young Hawai'i surfers a chance," Xcel owner Ed D'Ascoli said. "But as our prize money has increased, we're seeing more of the international surfers entering."
The Xcel Pro will offer $75,000 in prize money this year — an increase of $25,000 from last year. D'Ascoli said the additional prize money came through sponsorships from No Fear and several other companies.
Maui's Ian Walsh won last year's Xcel Pro, and is expected to enter again this year. Other Hawai'i surfers expected to enter include Jamie O'Brien, Sean Moody, Nathan Carroll, Hank Gaskell and Myles Padaca.
On the days when the contest is running, a live Web cast will be available on xcelwet suits.com.
The top-ranked surfers in the world — including recently-crowned 2006 world champion Kelly Slater of Florida, and Hawai'i surfers Andy Irons, Bruce Irons, Fred Patacchia Jr., Roy Powers and Pancho Sullivan — will not enter the Xcel Pro because they will be competing in another contest in Brazil.
