Wrapping up the season

RICK FIGNETTI

The women’s Assn. of Surfing Professionals season concluded with the

$60,000 Billabong Maui Pro, held in perfect 4- to 5-foot Honolua Bay.

It was a Cinderella story for Aussie Layne Beachley, who lost to

countrywoman Samantha Cornish in the 35-minute final by the slimmest

of margins, 15.3 to 15.0. But Beachley, who was trailing in the

overall points race in the second half of the season, secured her

sixth world title in a row by making the final.

Hawaiian Keala Kennelly was in the lead after wins at Tahiti and

Teahupoo, but lost to Cornish by a hair, 14.0 to 13.95, in the semis.

Kennelly was stunned, but said she’s ready to give it her all in

2004. Beachley, on the other hand, said she just never gave up, and

there was a slight opening in the door way for her to claim the title

again.

Placing equal third in the semis was South African Heather Clark,

who was ripping too. The rest of the final standings: fourth,

Australian Chelsea Georgeson; fifth, Cornish; sixth, Australian Trudy

Todd; seventh, Peru’s Sofia Mulanovich; eighth, Australian Lynette

MacKenzie; ninth, Hawaiian Rochelle Ballard; 10th, Brazil’s

Jacqueline Silva. That’s it ‘til next year for the ladies.

XBOX AT PIPE

The Xbox Gerry Lopez Pipeline Masters, meanwhile, has run to round

three. World champ Andy Irons and six-time world champ Kelly Slater

both won their heats in round one and have advanced to round three.

This year’s title race between “Slates” and A.I. will depend on

who gets a little farther in the event than the other.

Losing out in round two were Taj Burrow, Taylor Knox and Shane

Dorian, while winning heats and advancing were Australians Mick

Fanning, Danny Wills and Mark Occhilupo. Still in it are Corey Lopez

and wild cards Bruce Irons and Pancho Sullivan, to name a few.

The surf’s been small but there’s a possibility of running again

soon. The local mountains got a trace of snow from the last storm and

are up and running for the holidays. Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, Snow

Valley and Mountain High have anywhere from six inches to two feet of

machine- groomed, packed powder and hard pack. With the cool air

temperatures, they’ve been blowing snow too -- opening up more

terrain.

Did I hear that “the Waterman,” Chris Ryan, who’s a regular at the

pier, has been picked up by San Clemente clothing company, Lost.

Well, we’ve known he’s been lost for years. A lot of people who think

there’s a seal barking in the line-up are wrong, ‘cause it’s actually

none other than, if you guessed it, you’re right.

That’s it for now, see ya.

* RICK FIGNETTI is an eight-time West Coast champion. He owns a

surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714) 536-1058.