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Hawaiian Ezekiel Lau Wins the Vans World Cup of Surfing

HONOLULU – (Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013) — Hawaii’s own Ezekiel Lau, 20, posted the largest victory of his young career today by winning the prestigious 39th annual VANS World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach – the second stop of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing hydrated by vitaminwater®. Lau’s win earned him $40,000 and sees him close the year at 35th position on the ASP world rankings. While that doesn’t qualify him for next year’s elite World Championship Tour, it does guarantee him an excellent seed. He also holds a shared lead on the coveted Vans Triple Crown series rankings with Michel Bourez (Tahiti) heading into the third and final event of the series – the Billabong Pipe Masters, where he is a local wildard entry.

Lau made a late tube-riding charge from behind to turn the tables on Damien Hobgood (Fl., USA) and Raoni Monteiro (Brazil) in the latter half of the 30-minute final. Fourth place was Frederico Morais, 21 (Portugal), who was announced the JN Chevrolet Rookie of the 2013 Vans Triple Crown. Lau went on the hunt and found his way onto the biggest waves of the final that also offered high-scoring tube riding potential. His final scoreline was 15.5 points out of 20 (8.67 and 6.83 point rides). Hobgood was second on 14.3; Monteiro third with 12.33, and Morais on 7.16.

For Lau and Morais to reach the final was an exceptional feat in itself. Both surfers entered the Vans Triple Crown with low seeds and therefore are surfing each event from the very first round. To reach the final they surfed seven rounds and endured every type of ocean and weather condition ranging from storm force winds and rain to wave face heights of 25 feet. They also knocked off the biggest names in surfing on the way: Lau took out 11-time world champion Kelly Slater (Fl., USA) in the round before the quarters today; and Morais twice beat John John Florence (Hawaii), eventually eliminating him in their semi-final.

“I can’t believe it.” said Lau. “I was building confidence through each heat.  It seemed like things were going in my favor and I was just getting the waves I needed at the right time, so having that confidence going into the final felt good.