THE other OP PRO

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. - The other Op Pro, Presented By Surfer Magazine, June 11 to 23, is a one-of-a-kind floating surf contest, transporting cut-throat, winner-take-all competition to an isolated, exotic island wilderness. A $127,500 total prize purse-and the potential to take home the biggest paycheck in surfing history-plus the opportunity to surf the dream waves of Indonesia's fabulous Mentawai Islands is incentive enough to lure the world's six best men and four best women surfers to West Sumatra for the two week event.

"It's the best contest I have ever been involved with," says Australia's Mark Occhilupo, 2000 world professional champion and winner of last year's inaugural Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge. "I will never forget the surfing, the surfers and the beautiful vibe. The whole thing just felt so...historic."

Historic was also the equal opportunity provided to the world's best female surfers, who shared both the epic waves and the innovative format with the en.

"Women's surfing took a greater quantum leap during this single event than in the entire previous decade," explains Sam George, SURFER editor and other Op Pro co-director. "They really showed what was possible, when given the waves and the freedom to do so."

More of a floating expedition than a conventional surf contest, under cover of darkness and utilizing state-of-the-art satellite forecasting equipment the four-vessel Op Pro flotilla will travel from break to break searching out and competing in what have been called the best, most challenging waves
in the world.

"With the discovery of the Mentawai's in the early 1990s, surfing perfection was re-defined," says George, one of the world's best-known surf adventurers. "Who could have known that this forgotten island chain would offer waves with the symmetry and shape that every surfer dreams of?"

But this perfection comes at a steep price. Malarial jungles, poisonous sea-snakes, sharks, razor-sharp coral reef, powerful swells generated from massive storms as far south as Antarctica, violent tropical squalls, equatorial heat, total isolation...well, imagine the âEco Challenge but barefoot-and with no medical rest stops.

Competitors will be tested in multiple locations, taking advantage of the boats' mobility to access a variety of surf breaks and conditions. "Since waves will vary between left and right-hand breaks in large surf, barrels and smaller high-performance waves, the Op Pro is the ultimate test of a
surfer's all-around abilities," said Kevin Meehan, SURFER's senior publisher. "With this format, if the surf isn't good at one location, we pull up anchor and move to the next uncharted spot."

This year judges will be implementing a new "survivor" competition format that will accentuate the demanding nature of this wild Indonesian venue. All surfers will compete together (six in the men's division, four in the women's) in a series of heats, or rounds. After each round, the lowest scoring surfer will be eliminated, delegated to the boat, while the highest scoring surfer, rather than immunity, will win $5,000 and the right to wear the "Yellow Leader's Jersey" in the next round.

When the field has been whittled down to the top two male surfers, a "do or die" heat between the four previously eliminated men will give one surfer a second chance to compete for the $30,000 first place prize. The women are battling for $20,000 and $2,500 per heat. All competitors receive a minimum $5,000 appearance fee.

Surfers invited to attend include reigning world:
champion Sunny Garcia (Hawaii), 2000 Op Boat Trip Challenge winner Mark Occhilupo (Australia),
2000 Pipe Masters champion Rob Machado (California), (Florida), Tim Curran (California), Shane Dorian (Hawaii) and CJ Hobgood (Florida).

Women include current and three-time world champion Layne Beachley (Australia), Hawaiians Keala Keannelly and Rochelle Ballard, and Australia's Serena Brooke.

Last year's inaugural Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge, Presented by Surfer Magazine, which overcame one of the largest earthquakes in history, encouraged new and radical maneuvers. The groundbreaking format saw two and sometimes three-hour heats, culminating in the then-world-champion Mark Occhilupo (Australia) receiving the largest payday in professional history - $65,000.

The Op Pro is an Association of Surfing rofessionals (ASP) specialty event. The contest will be updated daily with results and photos available at www.surfermag.com.

THE other OP PRO MENTAWAIS--AN ASP SPECIALTY EVENT Presented by Surfer Magazine

THE DAILY RACING FORM
Parlay a few quid with Surfermag.com's unofficial OP PRO betting guide.

Padang, Sumatra (June 11, other)

It's 10pm. Our four boat armada (now officially known as the OP PRO) leaves the Harbor in Padang, and heads for the steamy, jungle waters off the Mentawai Islands. Tommorrow, the first day of the event waiting period begins.

The opening ceremonies of the OP PRO other went off at the lavish Hotel Bumimanang. Traditional dancers, a gamelon orchestra and a gourmet buffett highlighted the ceremonies. Gifts were also xchanged. Surfer magazine editor Sam George announced the commencement of a scholarship program in the name of Surfer magazine to a deserving young islander.

Today's arrival of OP PRO men's defending champion, Mark Occhilupo (and the other surfer's as well), has led many of us to speculate about who is favored to take this year's OP PRO crown. So, just as the Occster would do at his favorite TAB on the Gold Coast, we're going to offer you a little light-hearted handicapping to help you fill out your PICK SIX card. Just for the sport of it, here's our informal "book" on the event.

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