DEAN MORRISON FINISHES 2ND AT THE BILLABONG PIPELINE MASTERS

Spy Optic’s Dean Morrison finished 2nd in the Billabong Pipeline Masters, the final event on the 2007 Foster’s ASP World Tour and the last of the Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing Series at the world’s famous Banzai Pipeline, Hawaii. Morrison finished inside the Top 10 at World No. 9 with his 2nd place result.

It all came down to Dean competing in the four-man final with Bede Durbridge (AUS), Pancho Sullivan (HAW) and Joel Parkinson (AUS). The new ASP ‘Dual Heats’ format was used from Round 2 through the Quarterfinals and conditions at Pipeline, Backdoor and Off the Wall – the breaks within the contest zone today –were small and in the three-foot (one metre) range.

The lack of waves coming through during the final heat and the cramped lineup set the stage for the Australian Bede Durbridge to pull away from the crowd and position himself strategically to score another wave to further secure his lead and the winning title. Despite the crowded conditions and the shifty peaks, Dean was able to post a 7.8 score late in the final to withhold his strong second place finish.

Durbidge’s year end rating is World No. 5. He scored one of the highest single wave scores of the event, 9.50 out of 10.00, to run away with an unassailable lead into the Final.

"I don't think any of us expected that Pipe would go down like this when we packed our bags for Hawaii,” Morrison said. “It really did end up being more of a maneuver event rather than a barrel-riding event, and I was stoked to make it through to my first final of the year. Congratulations to Bede - he was absolutely ripping all day."

The ASP World Tour will now break until February TK when the 2008 tour kicks off on the Gold Coast of Australia.

For more information please visit www.aspworldtour.com and www.triplecrownofsurfing.com.

Billabong Pipeline Masters Final Results:
Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.67, Dean Morrison (AUS) 13.00, Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 9.60, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 7.43

- Surfeyes.com

WADE GOODALL WINS BILLABONG PHILIPPINES CLOUD 9 INVITATIONAL SURF CONTEST

Wade had only one week to relax between shooting for the Spy ’08 ad campaign in Europe and the Cloud 9 contest in the Philippines. Squeezing in a big bash at his house in Sunshine State, Australia, to celebrate his 21st birthday, he dusted off the surfboards and headed off to the Philippines.

Wade kept the good birthday vibes coming all week, defeating 48 of the world’s best tube riding specialists to win the coveted Billabong Cloud Nine Invitational in absolutely perfect 1.5-2m tubing waves located on the island of Siargao.

The tournament decider against close friend Vasicek was a one-sided affair in the end. Scoring a near perfect 9.10 on his opening ride before following up moments later with yet another long draining tube ride which was rewarded with an 8.30, the newly turned 21-year-old led from go to whoa in the 30-minute final.

“It was an amazing day, what more could I ask for,” said Goodall. “I turned 21 on the barge on the way over and the last three days have just been full of perfect barrel rides. None of my heats were easy the whole way through the draw. I guess I was just so happy to be getting tubed that I found a way through every heat.”

Goodall’s birthday treat earned him the accolade of 2007 Billabong Cloud Nine Invitational champion and a $7,500 pay day. Event beer sponsor San Miguel even donated 20 cases of beer to ensure he celebrated his birthday milestone in true form.

For more information: http://www.billabong.com.au


- Surfeyes.com

Dean Morrison - Spy's Coolangatta Kid

One of the original Coolangatta Kids – along with Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning – Dean Morrison is a natural talent who has tried not to let contest surfing get in the way of all his surf trips, and an almost supernatural accumulation of Time Spent in the Barrel.

Nick name: Dingo

Birth Place: Tweed Heads, Queensland, Australia

Current Living: Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia

Years Riding: 21, since I was 4 yrs old

Sponsors: Volcom, SPY, DVS, Prolite

Stance: Regular

Why Spy: They make the best sunnies

Team member since: 2005

After a big fall or injury: What motivates you to get up and do it again: I just love surfing

Favorite Trick: Tube riding

Describe how you feel when you can't ride due to and injury or travel, etc: Miserable

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: Home, Coolangatta, Australia

Describe your perfect day: In the morning: good waves with my mates, then come home and eat, sleep and do an evening surf. Early eve play a game of touch footie. Eat a good meal then sleep and do it again.

Favorite Spy sunglass and/or Goggle and why: Spy Cooper Polarized Optics

Contests or Freeride? Describe likes and dislikes: Contest. I love to compete against my mates. Winning is such a great feeling. Free surfing is also really enjoyable. Getting good waves with your mates is all time.

Most inspired by: Rabbit Bartholomew, my friends

Favorite Tunes: White Buffalo and rock

Where you coming from and what's next: Home getting ready for the WCT

What Videos will you featured in 2007: Volcom Dawn of the Stone Age

- Surfeyes.com

X GAMES 13 WRAP-UP! 2007



Another X Games has come and gone and without a doubt, it was one of the event’s all-time best! In the most-viewed X Games ever, Spy athletes not only brought home the medals, but were all over the television broadcasts and on EXPN.com.

The big winners were Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg in Freestyle Moto, and Kevin Windham in the first-ever Moto X Racing event. Both Twitch and K-Dub pulled out their respective tricks to bring home the bronze— Twitch had a great run, but in a call that left many in disagreement with the judges, he was upset in the semi-finals by Nate Adams. In a nail-biting race for silver and bronze in Moto X Racing, Kevin bode his time until a well-timed pass of Chad Reed brought him home in third. Also in the Freestyle Moto semi-finals, Jeremy Lusk went for broke, attempting a Back Flip-Heart Attack-Indian Air, but under-rotated and exploded on the landing. He walked away, but was pushed just shy of a medal.

Danny Way, though sidelined by his fourth knee surgery, was the go-to commentator for all things Mega Ramp, and he had his own featured blog on EXPN called fittingly D's Nötz.

Not to be out-done, Jeremy McGrath broke it down in his own “Nackity Nac” blog, also on EXPN. McGrath had a busy X Games, competing in both the Moto X Step Up and in SuperMoto. MC finished out of the medals, but was seen everywhere appeasing audiences both at the signing table and in various on-camera appearances.

The dust has settled from X Games 13, but if you missed any of it or just are needing a fix, head on over to EXPN.com to re-live the madness!!!

- Surfeyes.com