Beachley’s Fast Friendship With Area Surf Manages to Pay Off

Australian Layne Beachley made a point to reach California about a week before the start of the AirTouch Pro Surfing Championships.

“I wanted to get some new boards,” she said, “and get a feel for the surf.”

Her advance work paid off Saturday as she won the women’s division of the event.

Beachley finished with 29.77 points, handily beating runner-up and fellow Australian Kyle Webb (27.33).

“I’ve been staying in Santa Monica and I haven’t surfed in two days [since the quarterfinals],” Beachley said. “But I felt very confident in my surfing and I’m happy with it.”

Beachley, who finished third last year, said the victory will give her added confidence going into the U.S. Open, which starts Tuesday.

“Well, this time I finished first, so maybe I’ll take first at the U.S. Open,” Beachley said, laughing.

Beachley’s victory in the final was convincing, but the early elimination of world and defending champion Lisa Andersen and No. 9 Rochelle Ballard might have been the key.

“It might have been different,” Beachley said. “I can’t say I’m sad they didn’t make the finals.” Andersen and Ballard also will compete in the U.S. Open.

Megan Abubo of Hawaii finished third (26.47) and San Clemente’s Jayme Lee fourth (18.66).

It was Lee’s best finish in her career and judging from her reaction, you would have sworn she had won.

“It seems I was paddling the whole time I was out there,” Lee said, smiling. “I really didn’t think I would get into the finals. I was so nervous having to surf against people like this.”

After the third round of the men’s main event, eight surfers remain in contention for the four wild-card spots in the U.S. Open.

Marty Thomas of Long Beach kept his hopes alive by surviving a tough heat that included Sunny Garcia, who is ranked third in the world, and 19-year-old Kalani Robb, who is ranked fifth.

Thomas started slow, falling on a wave, but was able to rally midway through the 20-minute heat with a 6.60 ride that moved him into second place, where he finished behind Robb. Garcia finished fourth behind Michale Rommelse of Australia.

“In the past, when something like that [the fall] would happen, I would give up,” Thomas said. “But this time I told myself to keep going.”

Also advancing was Chris Ward of San Clemente. Ward, 17, started the heat with two good rides, but fell on his next two attempts, putting him in last place. To make matters worse, Ward was surfing without a leash so he lost time chasing his board after the falls.

Ward remained patient and caught enough waves late in his heat to finish second behind JoJo Olivenca of Brazil.

“I forgot my leash in my car, so I had to surf without it,” Ward said. “I’m a little nervous about tomorrow, but I’m stoked I got this far.”

North Carolina’s Ben Bourgeois, also 17, was edged by Ward, finishing with 18.67 to Ward’s 18.77.

Shane Beschen, ranked second in the world, advanced with fellow San Clemente surfer Dino Andino, who is also a wild-card candidate.

Also advancing was Jeff Deffenbaugh of Huntington Beach, who finished second behind two-time world champion Damien Hardman.

Ryan Simmons of Seal Beach, who won his heat, is the other county surfer still alive for a wild-card berth. Those who advance into today’s semifinals are guaranteed a spot in the U.S. Open. The men’s quarterfinals begin at 9:20 a.m.; the semifinals are at 11:20 and the final is at 12:45 p.m. Surfing starts at 8 with the junior quarterfinals.

In the longboard final, San Diego’s Joel Tudor made it look simple. He was clearly in control of the heat, defeating Colin McPhillips of San Clemente, Erik Somer of San Diego and Josh More of Huntington Beach.

“They [announcers] were playing my favorite James Brown CD,” said Tudor, 21, of the music playing during his heat. “It was a perfect day for longboarding--flat and fun.”