O’Neill Rider Jarrad Howse Takes Aim on CT Again

By: PRESS RELEASE

June 12, 2007

Jarrad Howse’s qualification for the ASP Championship Tour in December of 2005 was the stuff Hollywood movies are made of. He arrived in Hawaii well outside qualifying position and with only the Triple Crown events at Haleiwa and Sunset Beach remaining, his chances of joining the CT in ‘06 looked bleak. The demanding conditions of Oahu’s North Shore and stiff competition from CT surfers and the best Hawaiians makes the Triple Crown one of the toughest challenges in professional surfing. Jarrad needed not one decent result, but two outstanding results to have a chance. A Quarterfinal finish at Haleiwa kept his hopes alive and Jarrad joined a number of Qualifying surfers on the bubble. But Jarrad was still in need of a fifth place finish or higher (3rd in the semi’s or better) at the WQS finale, the O’Neill World Cup at Sunset Beach.

Sunset Beach is probably one of the trickiest places to not only surf but compete at. Jarrad showed he was up for the challenge advancing through his first two rounds, which included surviving fifteen-foot closeouts that filled the Sunset Beach channel during the round of thirty-two. If maxed-out Sunset wasn’t enough of a challenge, Howse had to face the three-time World Champion Andy Irons, six-time Triple Crown Winner and former World Champion Sunny Garcia, and North Shore master and winner of the first jewel of the Triple Crown at Haleiwa Pancho Sullivan in the quarterfinals. Quarterfinal finishes at Haleiwa and at the O’Neill World Cup at Sunset Beach was something Jarrad could hang his hat on. But to qualify for the WCT, he needed to get through this nightmare of a quarterfinal and place third in the semi-final to earn at least a fifth place finish in the O’Neill World Cup and a birth in to the ‘06 CT.

Completing the Hollywood story, Jarrad put the final touches on his story-book ending by beating Pancho Sullivan and Sunny Garcia to advance to the semi’s. Jarrad had fulfilled a lifetime dream to join the CT. He was ready for a new chapter in his career that included all the fruits of the labor of a CT surfer- great waves, great lifestyle, and big money. Unfortunately along with the great rewards of the CT come great challenges in the form of well-seasoned veterans that know the man-on-man game, know the waves, and know they have an advantage at the top level.

After a string of bad results during his rookie season and failing to qualify through the WQS Jarrad got sent back to the WQS in ‘07. This isn’t the first time a rookie grinded his way to the ‘CT only to be thrown to wolves and eaten up. There have been many great surfers that didn’t bounce back. Before the ‘06 CT season was over Jarrad realized the Championship Tour, the tour he dreamed of competing on, and the tour he was about to say goodbye to was still the tour he wanted to be a part of. “I recall thinking this is where I want to be. One year isn’t enough to evaluate your success. It was a lifetime goal (to qualify,) I think I relaxed a little bit, but having been there before is a huge motivator to get back.”

Motivated to once again compete against the best Jarrad regrouped. “I set new goals. I wanted to win an event, I wanted to win the WQS, I wanted to aim for the top.” On top of the QS is where Jarrad is in the process of going. Back-to-back finals in major WQS events at Scotland and the Maldives have Jarrad sitting in the number four position of the QS. With the top fifteen spots qualifying for the CT in ‘08, Jarrad is feeling good about his chances, “It feels amazing to be in this commanding of a position at this time of the year.” The Six-star Prime event of Scotland and Five-star Prime event of Maldives couldn’t have had more different settings, but Jarrad’s recent approach has remained constant, “I just felt like I was in a really good head space at both events. I rode different boards. In Scotland it was sheer determination. I worked my guts out. It was easier in the Maldives. I seemed to get eight (point rides) early in all my heats, but in both events I felt I could win.”

Jarrad could be in unfamiliar territory this time around. Instead of taking it down to the wire, Jarrad may secure a qualifying position before stepping foot on Oahu’s North shore this winter. “It was so exciting qualifying at the last event in ‘05, I wouldn’t change a thing; maybe just for my friend’s and family’s nervous system. But getting it done early would definitely be a confidence booster and it would let me know I should be there (on the CT.)”