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30/07/2007:// British number one Russell Winter had to settle for just 375 WQS tour points after bowing out in his opening heat at the Honda US Open of Surfing.
The Newquay surfer finished third to Australian Darren Turner and Hawaiian Mason Ho in round two at Huntington Beach, narrowly missing out on a place in the last 96.
Winter, who is the top British seed going into the UK Rip Curl Boardmasters in Newquay, is 51st in the WQS rankings.
Thousands of people are expected to converge on Fistral Beach for the event which gets underway on Tuesday, August 7th.
In California, though Winter could only watch on as America took top honours.
C.J. Hobgood, from Florida won the US Open title defeating Frenchman Jeremy Flores in the final.
Hobgood, current No. 25 on the elite Foster's ASP World Tour, claimed his third ASP WQS event of the season, in weak 1-2ft waves, with a combination of flowing carves and exciting aerials.
"I don't know what's going on; I've entered four WQS events in North America and won three of them," Hobgood said.
"I guess I've just been getting really good boards at home and I've been feeling more comfortable having my family close. It's a great feeling to get these wins here in the States; I just wish I could transfer some of these wins onto the World Tour," he added.
At 25th on the elite Foster's ASP World Tour, Hobgood's requalification for 2008 is uncertain at the present halfway point, however today's win rockets the phenomenal goofy-footer from 45th to 18th on the ASP WQS.
"It would be stupid of me not to do a few more WQS events this season," Hobgood said.
"I'm going to go to Japan and then I am going to the Hossegor event, but that being said, I will be thinking about the World Tour event at Trestles even while I'm at these next two. The elite tour is obviously my focus, but having the backup rating never hurts."
Flores, the current world number 12, looked near unbeatable throughout the second half of the tournament.
The prodigious Hossegor surfer performed with unmatched wave selection and speed, yet failed to find the scoring rides in the Final.
"I feel like I was surfing pretty good throughout the event, but the waves just got really bad for the final day," Flores said. "It is unfortunate, but I made the semis last season and the finals this year so that is an improvement. Maybe next year I can get a win here," he said.
Top seeds took control of the ASP World Qualfying Series 6-Star Buondi Billabong Pro Portugal posting big scores and impressive performances in the good three to four foot waves on offer at Ribeira d’Ilhas
Briton Russell Winter's run in the Buondi Billabong Pro in Portugal came to an abrupt end when the Cornishman finished last in his second round heat
The upcoming Boost Mobile Pro presented by Hurley may be the closest thing eight-time ASP World Champion and ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) has to a home court advantage on the ASP World Tour
Home advantage saw Lee Ann Curren claim top spot in Rip Curl Pro Junior Mademoiselle at Les Bourdaines in Seignosse
The August Bank Holiday weekend saw a hive of activity at the inaugural Quiksilver Skins invitation competition, one of the most innovative contest formats to grace the circuit
Champions tell the story of their success step by step
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