17 February 2004

It's a tough life as a pro surfer
Situated 600km off of the South West of Sri Lanka the remote Maldives archipelago consists of over 1200 pristine, low-lying coral islands spanning 800km North to South, straddling the equator and partitioning the Indian Ocean straight down the middle. These remote, tranquil, palm fringed islands are bordered by protective azure lagoons and are simply picture perfect, and it's here that O'Neill are heading for the Deep Blue Open.

The unique waves found in these sapphire waters are the product of a consistent and well-groomed pulse that marches up from Indonesia. Many of the waves that detonate on the remote reefs are only accessible by boat; coupled with a water temperature that never drops below 27° c and an air temperature in the high 80°'s, what more could a surfie wish for...

Boat drop format and tense final
The past 3 editions of the Deep Blue Open have hosted some nail biting contest showdowns in prime conditions. Last year Lohi, the break nicknamed the ‘wave machine’ extracted the utmost in performance out of the assembled surfers - competition was intense with high scoring heats and cruel eliminations the reoccurring theme.

In a final that lived up to expectations, Australia’s Trent Munro, finally emerged from a heavily weighted Brazilian affair to take the Deep Blue Open title with a powerful display of top to bottom surfing. The Maldives win started a domino effect that saw the dominant goofy footer rack up win after win on the European leg of the QS tour. This year the boat drop format will again enable the O’Neill Deep Blue Open to utilise the break holding the most optimum conditions of the day for competition. Check out all the action from last year’s event on-line at www.deepblueopen.com.

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