Friday, November 20, 1998

G-Shock win puts
Tavares in charge

The surfer from Brazil takes
the Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa and
grabs the lead in the
Triple Crown race

By Greg Ambrose
Special to the Star-Bulletin

The outcome of the G-Shock Hawaiian Pro was set long before the four wahine contestants paddled out for the final heat yesterday.

It was Maria "Tita" Tavares' turn.

In a day of intense warfare between world champion Layne Beachley and the Brazilian bombshell, the two women warriors took turns winning heats.

It wasn't planned, but it was eerie.

When the final heat rolled around, it was Tavares' turn to win her second straight Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa.

Now the battle royal shifts to Sunset Beach for the Roxy Pro, the third event of the Triple Crown of Surfing for women. Although Tavares is first in line to win the Triple Crown title, Beachley knows just what she has to do to earn her second consecutive Triple Crown.

"I've got to get a bigger board and paddle better. I'm looking forward to Sunset."

Beachley began the day's competition surfing like a tigress, as competing against Tavares brings out the beast in her.

"She's so cocky, it makes me surf better and paddle harder to beat her," Beachley said.

Beachley battered the long lefts into submission with multiple backside bashes, winning the first heat easily.

Tavares noted Beachley's success on the lefts and shifted over from the rights during their rematch in the next heat, taking that round from her Australian competitor.

Beachley redoubled her efforts during the third meeting of the two, and took the waves apart, catching everything that moved and slamming it with authority.

During each heat the other two unfortunate contestants could only watch the duel with dismay before being ousted.

The waves increased in size and consistency during the contest, and by the time the final four wahine hit the water, Haleiwa girl Megan Abubo was confident of a hometown victory.

Aussie Prue Jefferies hoped for an upset, while Beachley and Tavares were just keen to resume the battle.

With her first wave, an overhead left that Beachley slammed repeatedly, it looked as though she was going to break the pattern of heat victories between her and Tavares.

Then, slowly, Tavares took control of the heat. First to fall was Jefferies, who incurred a paddling interference against Tavares when the two went after the same wave.

Tavares then began dismantling the waves one dynamic maneuver at a time, turning square off the bottom and soaring vertically to stitch the wave's lip with the nose of her board.

Male competitors who had never seen Tavares in action before were amazed.

"She surfs so hot, she springs out of her turns and into sections," said Ross Williams.

"She's ripping, she's got good technique. She's one of the first girls I've seen that actually pumps the board," said Brad Gerlach.

Tavares seemed to be on every good wave in the heat, at times paddling right past Beachley to snag choice set waves.

"I was so frustrated," Beachley said. "I was looking for her with a wave coming and twice she popped up right behind me in position. My wave selection was poor, and I let her paddle past me. I should have been more aggressive. Her two biggest scores were on waves I let her get."

Meanwhile, Abubo ripped the few waves she caught, but mostly she was starved for good rides.

"I just didn't get the waves," she said. "It's tough when it's mostly lefts."

As Beachley's frustration mounted, she began to select waves unwisely, and fall off when forcing maneuvers. Worse, paddling back out from low-scoring waves, Beachley would get pounded by set waves that Tavares was riding as she increased her lead over the hapless world champion.

When the final horn sounded, Tavares was smiling in victory.

"I was always in the right place for the waves," Tavares said in a simple analysis of her success. "It feels better than last year."

And now the stage is set for a showdown at Sunset. Tavares is first in the Triple Crown ratings, with Beachley close behind in third and Abubo comfortably in fifth. Whoever wins the Roxy Pro probably will also win the Triple Crown.