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Joe Surf: Group of title hopefuls named

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Now that the 2011 Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Tour is complete — in case you’ve been in a coma, Kelly Slater won his 11th World Tour crown — the ASP has named the 34 competitors for next year’s ASP World Tour title:

1. Kelly Slater (USA), 2. Joel Parkinson (Australia), 3. Taj Burrow (Australia), 4. Gabriel Medina (Brazil), 5. Owen Wright (Australia), 6. Adriano de Souza (Brazil), 7. Julian Wilson (Australia), 8. Jordy Smith (South Africa), 9. Alejo Muniz (Brazil), 10. Michel Bourez (Portugal), 11. Josh Kerr (Australia), 12. Damien Hobgood (USA), 13. John John Florence (Hawaii), 14. Mick Fanning (Australia), 15. Jeremy Flores (France), 16. Heitor Alves (Brazil), 17. Miguel Pupo (Brazil), 18. Adrian Buchan (Australia), 19. Kieren Perrow (Australia), 20. Bede Durbidge (Australia), 21. Raoni Monteiro (Brazil), 22. Brett Simpson (HB and USA), 23. Adam Melling (Australia), 24. Kolohe Andino (USA), 25. C.J. Hobgood (USA), 26. Tiago Pires (Portugal), 27. Jadson Andre (Brazil), 28. Matt Wilkinson (Australia), 29. Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 30. Dusty Payne (Hawaii), 31. Travis Logie (South Africa), 32. Taylor Knox (USA), 33. Kai Otton (Australia) surfer wild card (next on the ASP World Rankings), 34. Yadin Nicol (Australia) surfer wild card (injury), first alternate: Fredrick Patacchia (Hawaii), second alternate: Willian Cardoso (Brazil), third alternate: Chris Davidson (Australia), fourth alternate: Thiago Camarao (Brazil).

Slater, who turns 40 next year, will begin his quest for a 12th title Feb. 25 at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in Australia. But if Slater wants to keep the sales up on those KE11Y hats and T-shirts, he might be better off stuck on 11.

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Huntington Beach’s Simpson will compete in his third year on the World Tour, while another local — Newport Beach’s Andrew Doheny — hopes to get there one day, but isn’t stressing on it. Doheny, 19, was featured in an article in Ghetto Juice Magazine and was asked about surfing on the world’s biggest stage.

Asked if he feels he “belongs” in the pro ranks, Doheny replied: “I don’t know ... I’d be the last one to say that about myself, but I guess all I can say is that I want to surf against those guys, but it’s hard to say exactly. I try not to think about ... I’m not motivated to surf to compare to someone above me or below me, I’m just working, trying to surf the best I can and take it one step at a time. Try not to think about it, just take it step by step.”

Doheny took a big step in October in the first competition of the three-stop World Juniors Tour, placing second in Bali. But he was knocked out early in the second tour stop in Rio a few weeks later.

Another noteworthy surfer on next year’s ASP World Tour will be San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino, who will be the youngest tour competitor — he doesn’t turn 18 until March 22.

Also from San Clemente, Patrick Gudauskas qualified for the tour. It’ll be Gudauskas’ third season on tour.

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Speaking of Ghetto Juice Magazine, it’s worth checking out (ghettojuicemagazine.com. They’ve put out 10 issues since starting up last year. Skip Snead (former editor of Surfing Magazine) and Joe McElroy (former art director of Surfing Magazine and vice president of global marketing of Hurley) put it together, calling the publication the “official voice of Orange County surfing and its impact on the world of surfing.”

Ghetto Juice got some big play last summer when they posted a video of the rescue efforts of a teen buried alive in the sand in Newport at 54th Street.

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The Christian Surfing Federation will host another Family Surf Fest at Oceanside Pier in Oceanside on Saturday.

Chris Williams, who runs Soul Surfing School in Laguna Beach, is the event coordinator working with CSF Director John Lindsley and really makes an effort to make the day as much about a fun day at the beach as it is a surf competition.

For more information or to sign up, go to christiansurfingfederation.com.

JOE HAAKENSON is an Orange County-based sports writer and editor. He may be reached at joe@juvecreative.com.

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