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Newcomer establishers eighth position
by George Mojo
02/07/2007:// Just four events into his rookie season on the 2007 World Championship Tour, and Insight's Kai Otton has already established himself a major threat to the world's best surfers, holding down eighth position on the current ASP ratings.
'Ottz' wasted no time during his first major event on Australia's Gold Coast in March, reaching the fourth round with a couple big heat wins. He then upped the ante last month in Tahiti during the Billabong Pro Teahupoo, securing a semifinal berth at the infamous wave venue and jumped to #10 on the ratings.
Then in Chile last week he charged more meaty waves during the Rip Curl Pro Search event, posting the highest combined heat scores of round one - including a near perfect 9.93 ride - which proved the third highest of the entire tournament.
He was ultimately stopped in round four, but there is little shame losing to three-time world champion Andy Irons, especially when he goes on to win the same tournament.
The result pushed him further up the ratings to number eight, and he now leads the charge for "Rookie of the Year" status.
"At this stage I'm over the moon with my year and my current position," said Ottz. "I was really keen to get of to a good start and I have achieved that.
"With my good result in Tahiti and then backing it up with a 9th in Chile, it's given me great confidence for the rest of the year... and moved me closer to my goal of 'Rookie of the Year'," he added.
The ASP tour now heads to Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa where Otton will be perfecting his backhand attack. He'll be joined by fellow team-mate Luke Stedman on the famed J-Bay walls.
The pair recently spent time together in Bali, together with the rest of Insight's international surf team, creating the next installment in the brand's award winning ad campaign imagery.
The dates have been set for the end-of-season British Longboard Union Series Final in Cornwall
American Nathaniel Curran opened his French campaign with a win in his opening heat at the Sooruz Lacanau Pro, in France
Generation "Next" will hit the stage at Duke's OceanFest on Monday, August 18, in the Grade 1, $5,000 Macy's E-Series Junior Pro at Kuhio Beach, Waikiki
Six major retailers have agreed to implement new labelling on cotton bud packaging following persuasive action by SAS and MCS
Newquay surfer Russell Winter narrowly missed out on a place in the last 80 of the Sooruz Lacanau Pro, in France
Britain's Russell Winter bounced back from a disappointing first round exit at the recent Rip Curl Boardmasters in Newquay to make it through to round two of the Sooruz Lacanau Pro in France
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