Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay Underway on Day 1 of the Waiting Period

JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Thursday, July 10, 2008) – The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay, stop 5 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour, has commenced in clean four foot (one metre plus) waves this morning – the first day of an 11-day waiting period.

The VonZipper Trials, a three-heat Billabong Pro wildcard decider, ran prior to the start of Round 1 today with inaugural event winner Mark Occhilupo (AUS), South African Rudy Palmboom and Hawaiian Granger Larsen earning berths into the main event.

Occhilupo has drawn eight-time ASP World Champion and ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) and Australian Dayyan Neve in Round 1. All 16 heats of the round are expected to be completed today. Heats will be 30-minutes in duration.

The Billabong Pro will be webcast LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com.

Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Roy Powers (HAW), Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 2: Bobby Martinez (USA), Jay Thompson (AUS), Ben Bourgeois (USA)
Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Ben Dunn (AUS), Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW), Bruce Irons (HAW), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Damien Hobgood (USA), Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Taylor Knox (USA), Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA), Dayyan Neve (AUS), Mark Occhilupo (AUS)
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS), Dane Reynolds (USA), Granger Larsen (HAW)
Heat 10: Taj Burrow (AUS), Tom Whitaker (AUS), Rudy Palmboom (ZAF)
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Chris Ward (USA), Royden Bryson (ZAF)
Heat 12: Luke Stedman (AUS), Mikael Picon (FRA), Daniel Wills (AUS)
Heat 13: Kai Otton (AUS), Neco Padaratz (BRA), Leonardo Neves (BRA)
Heat 14: Tim Reyes (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 15: Dean Morrison (AUS), Luke Munro (AUS), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
Heat 16: Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Michael Campbell (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS)