Booth Loses in Surfing Semifinals in France

Jeff Booth of Laguna Beach was eliminated in the semifinals Sunday in the Rip Curl Pro Landes surfing competition at Hossegor, France.

Booth was defeated, 84.5 to 78.6, by Gary Elkerton of Mooloolaba, Australia. Tom Carroll of Newport Beach, Australia, beat Elkerton, 69 to 68.5, in the finals.

Dino Andino of San Clemente and Seal Beach native Marty Thomas lost in the quarterfinals. Andino upset fifth-seeded Richie Collins of Newport Beach, 74 to 73, in the first round.

Eighth-seeded and tour points leader Brad Gerlach of Encinitas, a Huntington Beach High graduate, was upset in the first round, 48.5 to 46.5, by Stuart Bedford-Brown of Perth, Australia.