Thu Nov 19 2009 07:00:00

HALEIWA, Oahu/Hawaii - Sunny Garcia, 39, was once quoted as saying that "tricks are for kids". Twenty years deep in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing presented by Rock Star Energy Drink, Garcia’s power surfing looked to be pulling rank again today. In the second-to-last heat of the day, Garcia posted the event’s highest two-wave total: 13.5 out of 20 points. But while Garcia enjoyed the moment, 20-year-old Clay Marzo, known world wide for a bottomless bag of convoluted tricks, was oblivious to the world and notching up a crowd-stunning score of 16.23 to close.

Garcia won his first Hawaiian Pro title here back in 1992, around the same time Marzo was first starting to show his affinity for water in his baby bath. His mind-blowing natural talent was front and center today as he became the only surfer to top Garcia.

Sunny is looking for a dream here, in search of his sixth Hawaiian Pro title and seventh Triple Crown title as the cameras of his documentary film roll. For Marzo, this is his grand appearance on surfing’s premier stage a total newcomer to the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

There were no subtitles required for Garcia’s powerful hacks and well-honed ship-to-shore rides. But spectators scrambled in the sand to put a name to the futuristic, fins-free, spinning moves that Marzo threw with the ease of a card dealer.

"It was a whip, blowie or a throw tail," said a deadpan Marzo.

"I was super stoked the lefts were going today. It was kinda of windy and soft, but it was fun waves.

"Hale’iwa is a fun wave. I surfed it since NSSA’s. I’m pretty comfortable because I did good on some of those contests. It’s a fun wave. I just want to make a couple of heats and do pretty good because it’s my first year."

Earlier in the day, southern Californian pair Tanner Gudauskas and Nathan Yeomans breathed a sigh of relief as they advanced one step closer to their goal of qualifying for the 2010 ASP Dream Tour.

Sitting on the bubble of qualification, at 17th on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) ratings, Gudauskas mixed it up with his own version of airs, fins-free turns and on-rail gouges to win his heat.

"Before my heat I was worried about how my board was going to go," said Tanner. "It’s a 5’7" "Dumpster Diver" shaped for my brother Dane. It felt good the last couple days and I asked him if I could ride it today. My first couple waves I was falling and I was wondering if I made the right choice. But I got the ones at the end and my luck changed and my rhythm changed."

If Tanner Gudauskas can crack the Top 16 of the WQS, he’ll join his other brother Patrick on the elite world tour. "Either way it goes, I’ll either be a (Dream Tour) travel buddy with Pat or a (WQS) travel buddy with Dane."

Yeomans was equally successful today and next faces 2007 Vans Triple Crown champion Bede Durbidge (AUS) and Vans star John John Florence (HAW) in the next round.

Find out the call for the day, each day, as soon as it’s made by Director Randy Rarick by signing up for mobile text alerts at triplecrownofsurfing.com

For the latest surf updates, stay tuned to Surfline.com, the official surf foreer of the Vans Triple Crown Triple Threat. All the action will be broad live on the web at triplecrownofsurfing.com, as well as on Hawaii television on Oceanic channel 250.