LAST CHANCE SALOON' FOR RALLY CLUB COMPETITORS

'LAST CHANCE SALOON' FOR RALLY CLUB COMPETITORS
Twelve stages to settle final accounts

Twenty-eight crews drive into the 'last chance saloon' this weekend (November 1 & 2) as the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Virgin Atlantic RallySport Championship reaches its conclusion with an event new to the Club's calendar, the BRC Winter Rally; this gravel event comprises 12 stages split into three routes, one on Saturday evening and two on Sunday.
The Saturday start is slated for 6.00pm, following scrutineering in the Searles Factory Yard - four stages will be run in Searles. On Sunday, the rally will restart at 9.00am, with four stages in Guinea comprising the second route; after the lunch halt in the Searles Factory Yard at around mid-day, the final route will use the Searles stage, but running in the reverse direction to Saturday.
Paul Bourne starts at number one in the Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/

New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9, one of nine four-wheel-drive cars on the running order; with regular co-driver Stuart Maloney out of the island defending national honour in the final round of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship at the South Dakota Circuit in Guyana, Bourne will have Mark Kinch alongside him.
Bourne has already put the BRC Rally Championship title out of reach of the opposition, but can still be caught in the battle for Modified 8-WRC in the Virgin Atlantic Championship; he has a nine-point advantage over Roger Skeete, who will have Robert Simmons on the notes as usual in the Michelin/FB Batteries Subaru Impreza WRC S9.
Skeete starts at number three behind Roger Hill and Graham Gittens in the Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC; since acquiring the car shortly after Sol Rally Barbados, Hill has been growing more confident with each outing, and has been edging closer to the Subaru opposition - in the recent BRC Gravel Rally, he split Bourne and Skeete on three of the eight Searles stages and might have finished second, but for a disappointing showing at the 'dexterity-style' stages which concluded that event.
SuperModified 11 is also to be settled this weekend, as Nick Gill (Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3) and Jonathan Still (Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Castrol Oils BMW M3) do battle for the last time this year. Two weeks ago, Gill ended the day seven seconds ahead, but they had shared fastest stage times equally - four each on the loose, one each at the Gymnasium dexterity; there is all to play for this weekend.
In SM9, current points leader Josh Read (Automotive Art Toyota Starlet) is returning to action after failing to score in the second part of the Motoring Club of Barbados Inc's Sailor Gully double-header last month, then missing the BRC Gravel Rally two weeks ago. His absence has allowed James Betts (Makita/All Terrain Plus/Star Products/Champion Auto Wrecker/Kendal Sporting/Quik Start Auto Opel Corsa) to reduce his lead to just 16 points, so a further good Group battle is in prospect. Betts is another with a change of co-driver, to team-mate Jeremy Gonsalves, whose own regular co-driver, BARL racer Natasha Farnum, is also in action in Guyana this weekend.
Modified 7 is looking healthier again after a low entry last time out - Ron and Giselle Layne are back in action in their SDRR Hydraulics & Industrial Spares Inc/Pavements & Foundations Nissan Sunny, as are Freddie Gale and Kyle Proverbs in the Gale's Hatcheries/Nassco/Trident White/VP Racing Toyota Corolla RunX. Group leader Adrian Linton is yet another competing with a different co-driver - in his case, he is keeping it in the family, sister-in-law Alecia having her first outing in the Ravensden/Crane and Equipment/Garbage Gobbler/Morris Straker Construction/Subzero Vauxhall Astra GSi.
Other familiar names returning to competition include Adam Alleyne, who will co-drive for Neil Corbin in the Nassco Ltd/Jason Jones/Auto Solutions Toyota Starlet and Lindsay Farmer, who will be guiding Neil Barnard through the day in the Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Ignis Sport.
The BRC Winter Rally will finish at the BCTSA Club House with a social, during which the Club will be showing some of the European television coverage of Sol Rally Barbados 2008, which has featured on stations including Men & Motors, Motors TV and Sky Sports; all are invited.

BRC Winter Rally - November 1/2
2008 BRC Rally Championship, round six
Running order

1 Paul Bourne/Mark Kinch (M8-WRC Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
2 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (M8-WRC Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC)
3 Roger Skeete/Robert Simmons (M8-WRC Michelin/FB Batteries Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
4 Trevor Manning/Derek Edwards (M8-WRC Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII)
5 Barry Gale/Cherie Edghill (M8-WRC Trident White/Simpson Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
6 Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (M8-A Shell/Hankook Tyres/Gunk/Odyssey Batteries Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
7 Sean Dowding/Jason Cozier (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
8 Sean Gill/Michael Cummins (SM10 Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Swift)
9 Mark Hamilton/Clive Howell (SM10 McEnearney Quality Inc/Consolidated Finance/Automotive Art/Dunlop Ford Escort MkII)
10 Geoff Noel/Kreigg Yearwood (P4 Globe Finance/Ezone/DeWalt/Automotive Art/Sunbeach Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)
11 Michael Worme/Brian Gibson (P4 Cot Media Group/Details Car Valet Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
12 Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (SM11 Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Castrol Oils BMW M3)
14 Nick Gill/Sue Rogers (SM11 Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3)
15 Jason Clermont/Mario Clermont (SM11 Linda's Disco BMW M3)
16 Adrian Linton/Alecia Linton (M7 Ravensden/Crane and Equipment/Garbage Gobbler/Morris Straker Construction/Subzero Vauxhall Astra GSi)
17 Freddie Gale/Kyle Proverbs (M7 Gale's Hatcheries/Nassco/Trident White/VP Racing Toyota Corolla RunX)
18 John Corbin/Owen Proverbs (M7 Corbins Garage/Klark-Odio Toyota Corolla)
19 Ron Layne/Giselle Layne (M7 SDRR Hydraulics & Industrial Spares Inc/Pavements & Foundations Nissan Sunny)
20 James Betts/Jeremy Gonsalves (SM9 Makita/All Terrain Plus/Star Products/Champion Auto Wrecker/Kendal Sporting/Quik Start Auto Opel Corsa)
21 Josh Read/Mark Jordan (SM9 Automotive Art Toyota Starlet)
22 Ryan Wood/Raymond Parris (SM9 4W's/Aqua Pur/Flyin' Fish/Crane & Equipments Toyota Starlet)
23 Stuart White/Jason O'Neal (SM9 4W's/Aqua Pur/Flyin' Fish/Crane & Equipments Toyota Starlet)
24 Neil Corbin/Adam Alleyne (SM9 Nassco Ltd/Jason Jones/Auto Solutions Toyota Starlet)
25 David Williams/Dario Hoyte (SM9 Chelsea Car Rentals/CaribPak International Couriers/IBox Services/Castrol/Roxy Supermarket/Paintless Dent Removal/Dynamic Limo Services Toyota Starlet)
26 Allan Maynard/Eric Allamby (SM9 Marshal Trading/El Tigre Catamaran Cruises/Surfside Wellness Centre/Woodworks/Lubriguard Lubricants/SDRR Hydraulics & Industrial Spares Inc/Gliptone Johnson Toyota Starlet)
27 Edward Corbin/Rodney Clarke (M6 Rezults Autoshop/Klark-Odio/Corbins Garage Daihatsu Charmant)
28 Danny Williams/Reuben Nelson (M6 Sunbury House/Neptune Tours/Barbados Paragliding Association Ford Fiesta)
29 Neil Barnard/Lindsay Farmer (P2 Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Ignis Sport)

For further information, robin@bradfax.com

JUDGEMENT DAY FOR MUD DOGS

JUDGEMENT DAY FOR MUD DOGS
Nassco November Safari brings season to a close

With 60 points on offer for victory, and a spread of 30 covering the leading four combinations, anything could happen when the Nassco November Safari brings the curtain down on the Barbados Rally Club's 2008 Mud Dogs Safari Championship on Sunday, November 9.
Champion Driver of 2006 Leslie Alleyne and wife Anna-Lee lead the respective Driver and Navigator standings in their Bridgestone Tires/AutoZone Inc Mitsubishi Pajero iO; victories in the Toyo Tires March Safari and the Regional Fire & Security September Safari sandwich second place in the Shelbury Construction June Safari to give them each a total of 178 points.
Going in to the September event, the Alleynes shared the lead with Barry Gale and Neil Barnard - Champion Driver and Navigator in 2005 - in their Mitsubishi L200; they had finished second in March, then claimed their first June Safari win, but fourth place in September dropped them to six points behind the leaders.
Another 24 points behind, two crews are tied in third place - Sean Dowding and Kirk Watkins, like Gale and Barnard experienced rally drivers, have finished sixth, fifth and eight so far to amass 148 points in the Axis Construction Toyota Hilux, while Darrin White and Robert Warren (Flyin' Fish Nissan Frontier) finished fourth in March and 11th in September, collecting points equal to their better result as reward for setting the June Safari.
Dominic Brooker and Stephen Dear have slipped to fifth in the driver and navigator tables, although they remain the highest-placed novice crew in the SDRR Hydraulic & Industrial Spares Inc/Next Generation Electrical Inc/Joe Brooker's Building Ltd Toyota Hilux; after finishing seventh in March, then an impressive third in June, their September result of 16th cost them two places.
Third place in September, added to 22nd in March and seventh in June, has brought Chris Armstrong and four-time 'June' winner Wayne Clarke (Suzuki Samurai) into the Championship top 10 for the first time this season.
Route-setter for the Nassco November Safari is Phillip McConney, with assistance from Derek Gill - experienced competitors, they have each won the BRC's June Safari twice, McConney as a driver in 2004 (with Kenny Croney) and in last year's 50th Anniversary event (with Tyrone Moseley), while Gill has won from both sides of the vehicle, as navigator to Peter Bradshaw in 2002, then driver with Kevyn Yearwood three years later. A suitably challenging Safari to end the season is anticipated.
Entries for the final round of the Mud Dogs Safari Championship are now open at McEnearney Quality Inc, Wildey; the Briefing Meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday (November 4) at 7.00pm at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association's Clubhouse at Searles, Christ Church.
The event will start from Six Roads, St Philip, at 8.00am on Sunday, November 21, and finish at Kendal Plantion, St John, where a driver challenge will conclude the competition at around 4.00pm; the lunchtime stopover will also be at Kendal.

BRC Mud Dogs Safari Championship
Positions after round three
Navigators
1st Anna-Lee Alleyne (Bridgestone Tires/AutoZone Inc Mitsubishi Pajero iO), 178 points
2nd Neil Barnard (Mitsubishi L200), 172pts
3rd equal Kirk Watkins (Axis Construction Toyota Hilux) & Robert Warren (Flyin' Fish Nissan Frontier), 148pts
5th Stephen Dear (SDRR Hydraulic & Industrial Spares Inc/Next Generation Electrical Inc/Joe Brooker's Building Ltd Toyota Hilux), 134pts
6th Wayne Clarke (Suzuki Samurai), 122pts
7th equal Derek Edwards (Joe Brooker's Building Ltd Toyota Hilux) & Willie Hinds (Niccolls & Edghill Construction Ltd Jeep Wrangler), 114pts
9th Lisa Roett (Land Rover Defender), 108pts
10th Robin Hinds (Yardman/Kar Parts Store Land Rover Defender & Suzuki Samurai), 106pts

Drivers
1st Leslie Alleyne (Bridgestone Tires/AutoZone Inc Mitsubishi Pajero iO), 178 points
2nd Barry Gale (Mitsubishi L200), 172pts
3rd equal Sean Dowding (Axis Construction Toyota Hilux) & Darrin White (Flyin' Fish Nissan Frontier), 148pts
5th Dominic Brooker (SDRR Hydraulic & Industrial Spares Inc/Next Generation Electrical Inc/Joe Brooker's Building Ltd Toyota Hilux), 134pts
6th Edson Arthur (Rezults Auto Shop Toyota Hilux), 126pts
7th Chris Armstrong (Suzuki Samurai), 122pts
8th Paul Marshall (Mitsubishi L200), 118pts
9th Damian Brooker (Joe Brooker's Building Ltd Toyota Hilux), 114pts
10th John Sealy (Land Rover Defender), 108pts

ALL TO PLAY FOR AT BRC WINTER RALLY

ALL TO PLAY FOR AT BRC WINTER RALLY
Pressure on as Rally Club season comes to an end

The pressure is on this weekend (November 1/2) as the 2008 Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Virgin Atlantic RallySport Championship reaches its climax at the BRC Winter Rally; this new event on the Club's calendar is a gravel rally, featuring a total of 12 stages, split into three routes, one on Saturday evening and two on Sunday.
The re-named Virgin Atlantic championship was expanded this year, with competitors counting their five best results from each of the six-round BRC Rally and Sprint Championships towards their year-end Group total; with a maximum of 18 points to be scored this weekend - 15 for a Group win, plus a bonus point for the winner of each of the three routes - a few drivers will be feeling the pressure.
In Modified 8-WRC, Paul Bourne (Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/

Pirelli/New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9) has 102 points, a nine-point lead over Roger Skeete, who has scored in both the Michelin/FB Batteries Ford Escort WRC and Subaru Impreza WRC S9. And it will be a straight fight for the Group between those two this weekend, as Roger Hill does not collect Group points following his switch from the M8-A Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Celica GT4 to this Group with his Toyota Corolla WRC.
Hill does, however, feature in the fight for the overall Virgin Atlantic title, which is based purely on overall results and doesn't include route bonus points; Bourne enjoys a nine-point lead in this title chase - he has 105 points, compared with 96 for Skeete and 95 for Hill. This weekend, it will be vital for everyone to avoid unnecessary risks.
SuperModified 11 has been hot all year, Nick Gill and Jonathan Still trading times and position, often many times a day. Driving the Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3, Gill reaches the final round with a slender five-point lead over Still's Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Castrol Oils BMW M3; either could take the title.
Current SM9 points leader - and reigning Champion - Josh Read (Automotive Art Toyota Starlet) failed to score in the second part of the Motoring Club of Barbados Inc's Sailor Gully double-header last month, then missed the BRC Gravel Rally 10 days ago. That has allowed James Betts, whose season did not even start until Sol Rally Barbados, to slowly chip away at Read's lead.
As they reach the final, Betts is just 16 points behind the Starlet driver . . . if Read should be absent again, and Betts has a good run in the Makita/All Terrain Plus/Star Products/Champion Auto Wrecker/Kendal Sporting/Quik Start Auto Opel Corsa, then Read's position could also be under threat.
Points leaders in some Groups have totals that can no longer be challenged - Neil Armstrong (M8-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), Geoff Noel (P4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), Sean Gill (S10 Suzuki Swift), Adrian Linton (M7 Vauxhall Astra GSi), Ian Warren (M6 Peugeot 206), Garry Mendes (M5 Toyota Starlet) and Neil Barnard (P2 Suzuki Ignis Sport) - but there are still knife-edge battles to be fought for the 'best of the rest' title in some of those Groups.
The Briefing Meeting for the BRC Winter Rally, originally scheduled for tomorrow evening, will now be held on Thursday (October 30), at the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association (BCTSA) clubhouse in Christ Church; entries will be taken from 7.00 to 7.30pm, immediately after which the Briefing Meeting will start. The entry list will be published Friday.
All competitors must be ready for scrutineering in the Searles Factory Yard by 4.30pm, with the start scheduled for 6.00pm; four stages will be run in Searles before the overnight halt. On Sunday, the rally will restart from Guinea at 9.00am, with four stages in Guinea comprising the second route; after the lunch halt in the Searles Factory Yard at around mid-day, the rally will restart at 1.00pm, the final route comprising four stages in Searles, the course running in the reverse direction from Saturday.
The BRC Winter Rally will finish at the BCTSA clubhouse with a social. BRC PRO Neil Barnard notes: "During the evening, we will be showing some of the extensive European television coverage of Sol Rally Barbados 2008, which has featured across Europe on stations including Men & Motors, Motors TV and Sky Sports; all are invited to help our competitors celebrate the close of a hard-fought season."

For further information, robin@bradfax.com

TEENAGE BARBADIAN SURFER

TEENAGE BARBADIAN SURFER Lewis St John has been awarded a four-year pro contract worth thousands of dollars with Oakley, the popular sports clothes, equipment and sun glasses line.

St John's mother, Estelle St John, gave news this week of the lucrative deal, which will become effective in December for the former Foundation student, who reigned supreme at last month's New Edgewater Soup Bowl Pro Classic at Bathsheba.

As part of the new contract, St John, who has been sponsored by Rip Curl for the past two years, will receive euro3 000 worth of surfing clothes and another euro3 000 to purchase
surf boards.

"I think this is not bad for a 16-year-old," his mother told WEEKEND SPORT. "He will have all of his trips looked after. There is a budget of euro6 000 and he will receive a bonus if he does well in contests."

She said that Yann Martin, coach and European team manager of Oakley came to Barbados to coach Lewis and immediately recognised his potential.

"His current contract with Rip Curl is ending in December and Oakley will be taking over for the next four years to his Pro Junior age of 20.

"He will be going to Australia to be coached and trained and to watch all the junior competitions in Australia in January and February, next year," she said.

"When the Pro Juniors start back in April, he will participate in a few events in Australia," she added.

The young surfing sensation captured both the Junior and Men's Open titles at the recent classic.

A grandson of former Barbados Prime Minister, the late Sir Harold St John, Lewis was also featured in the July edition of the popular magazine, Surf Europe.

At last month's Soup Bowl contest, he dethroned Jamaica's Makka Pro champion, Johnathan Reece and beat out the likes of Guadeloupe's junior surfer Thibault Brenoel and former national surfing champion, Mark Holder.

He also created waves in contests in France, Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands during the summer months of July and August on the Associated Surfing Professionals (ASP) tour.

Surfing makes its first appearance on Olympic calendar

Asian Beach Games Asian Games Federation Kuta, Bali Indonesia 18 - 26 October 2008 Surfing Gold Medal at first Olympic recognized Beach Games, Bali Asian Beach Games > Espanol| : - - Surfing made its first appearance on an Olympic sport calendar of events, compliments of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the organizing Committee of the Bali Asian Beach Games in Indonesia. It was fitting that the Open division started the program and the surfing standard didn’t disappoint. Fast and powerful, aerials and floaters entertained the large crowd. The man-on-man final, in one metre waves, was an Indonesian affair with Made Raditya Rondi facing off against Made Widiarta. After a slow start Widiarta eventually got to the lead and wasn’t headed. Third place was Shigenori Suzuki (Japan) with Carlito Nogalo (Philippines) in fourth. Widiarta was mobbed by the crowd as he left the water, a popular win on his home beach. In a variation of event format, a discipline will be decided each day. The longboards are up tomorrow (Monday), then Women’s shortboard, Men’s Aerial and finally the team event to finish proceedings later in the week. So far the experiment has been a great success. Surfing athletes competing represent Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and The Maldives. It is a big achievement for surfing to appear here, with the Philippines only recently forming their national Association and affiliating to their National Olympic Committee and The Maldives and Vietnam surfers being represented in such a major event for the first time. Mohamed Irishad was the highest scorer for the Maldives and Dinh Nguyen Van making the highest wave score for Vietnam. Facing up to the powerhouse Asian surfing nations was a hard but exciting way to enter international competition and great experiences were gained. The medal presentation will take place at a formal ceremony at the conclusion of the whole program. As an innovation of the OCA, the Beach Games have brought together seventeen (17) sports, competing for Olympic medals around the Bali locations of Sanur, Nusa Dua, Serangan Island and Kuta Beach. Most sports are new to the Olympic family of sports. Entry is only through National Olympic Committee nomination and within Asia surfing is a new and very underdeveloped sport in terms of organisation, but the OCA see it as a major youth sport and have been willing to give it a chance to shine in its arena. The beach infrastructure has been managed by the Indonesian Surfing Union national body, judges are all ISA accredited and the ISA appointed Head Judge is Mr Paul Young (Australia). ISA VP Alan Atkins is the ISA Technical Delegate. Contest Director is Mr Tipi Jabrik, supported by Mr Oom Arya and Mr Wayan Pica. A great contribution “for a better surfing future.” The Bali Asian Beach Games 2008 are sponsored by Pertamina, Samsung, Swatch and “Visit Indonesia 2008”. About International Surfing Association (ISA) The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980. ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since. The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Maile Aguerre (Hawaii) and Mike Gerard (USA). Previous reports: # 1 : Garut Widiarta wins gold at the first Asian Beach Games # 2 : Yuta Morimoto wins longboard Gold at 1st Asian Games # 3 : Coming soon # 4 : Coming soon www.ocasia.org www.isasurf.org www.asianbeachgames.com

Surfing Gold Medal at first Olympic recognized Beach Games

Surfing Gold Medal at first Olympic recognized Beach Games

Surfing made its first appearance on an Olympic sport calendar of events today, compliments of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the organizing Committee of the Bali Asian Beach Games in Indonesia.

It was fitting that the Open division started the program and the surfing standard didn’t disappoint. Fast and powerful, aerials and floaters entertained the large crowd. The man-on-man final, in one metre waves, was an Indonesian affair with Made Raditya Rondi facing off against Made Widiarta. After a slow start Widiarta eventually got to the lead and wasn’t headed. Third place was Shigenori Suzuki (Japan) with Carlito Nogalo (Philippines) in fourth. Widiarta was mobbed by the crowd as he left the water, a popular win on his home beach.

'Kelly Slater for the Love' coming out on Chronicle Books

'Kelly Slater for the Love' coming out on Chronicle Books

Literature News 'Kelly Slater for the Love' bio released by Chronicle Books Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 20 October, 2008 : - - This month, Kelly Slater won an unprecedented 9th surfing world championship. Next month Chronicle Books releases 'Kelly Slater: For the Love' in which Kelly Slater talks about what it is like to be Kelly Slater: professional surfer, world-class athlete, environmental and social activist, musician and worldwide celebrity. Whether it is for the love, for the money or for the fun, Kelly Slater has done it all--ridden the best waves, won a record number of world championships, and changed surfing forever. "Kelly Slater: For the Love" is his story in his own words. It's a riveting visual tour of an unconventional and unparalleled life. Veteran surf journalist Phil Jarrat interviewed Kelly and dozens of Kelly's closest friends and fellow surfers (Tom Curren, Shaun Thompson, Jeff Hornbaker, Pamela Anderson, Eddie Vedder, and more) to capture untold stories, intimate memories, and great moments, along with Kelly's thoughts on politics, environmental advocacy, music, surfboard design, the highs and lows of competition, and what it feels like to be inside the tube. Filled with previously unpublished photographs from some of surfing's most celebrated photographers, Kelly Slater: For the Love offers total access to the inner workings of the best surfer on the planet today. 'Kelly Slater: For the Love' By Kelly Slater with Phil Jarratt. Foreword by Jack Johnson. 192 pp, 200 color photos. Publication Date: November 17, 2008 Check our More Info www.chroniclebooks.com

BOURNE MAKES IT FOUR OUT OF FIVE

BOURNE MAKES IT FOUR OUT OF FIVE
Mixed fortunes on BRC Gravel Rally

Having slipped to fourth place mid-morning, reigning Champions Paul Bourne and Stuart Maloney fought back for a fourth win in this year's Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Rally Championship on Sunday (October 19) in the Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/

New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9.
Nothing was certain until the end of a fascinating day of mixed fortunes for nearly every one of the front-running crews, the gravel stages making for a much more level playing field than tarmac. Despite the heavy rains of the previous week, the loose stage in Yorkshire on which the bulk of the BRC Gravel Rally would run was in near-perfect order by the Sunday morning start, while the return from tarmac to loose had brought fans out in their numbers.
Roger Skeete and Robert Simmons (Michelin/FB Batteries Subaru Impreza WRC S9) declared their intentions early, fastest on the first run, beating Bourne by 13/100ths of a second - it was already shaping up to be an action-packed day, and it was barely nine o'clock in the morning!
Although Bourne responded next time out, snatching a 1.6-second lead, he lost around 10 seconds to an off-track excursion on the third run, which dropped him to fourth. With three top four stage times, Roger Hill and Graham Gittens (Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC) moved up to second, four seconds behind Skeete and one second ahead of Barry Gale and Cherie Edghill, who had made an excellent start in the Trident White/Simpson Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI.
Behind Bourne, Trevor Manning and Derek Edwards were fifth in the Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, but the last stage before lunch ended their hopes of a good result, when the brakes seized after an off on the final corner, costing three minutes; even so, Manning was delighted to get within two seconds of Bourne on the day's final loose stage. Bourne fought back just before lunch, cutting three seconds off Skeete's advantage to reclaim second place.
A good tussle during the morning for fifth position saw Neil Armstrong and Barry Ward (Shell/Hankook Tyres/Gunk/Odyssey Batteries Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI) a little over one second ahead of Geoff Noel and Kreigg Yearwood (Globe Finance/Ezone/DeWalt/Automotive Art/Sunbeach Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) at lunch.
The fight for supremacy in the two-wheel-drive classes was an intruguing one, too; sixth quickest overall on the day's first stage, Sean Gill and Michael Cummins had a few problems during the morning in the Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Swift, but were highest-placed two-wheel-drive at lunch.
Behind them, Jonathan Still and Heath Hazell were "best of the rest" on their first outing in the new Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Castrol Oils BMW M3 being shaken down for Rally Jamaica; their advantage over the Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3 of Nick Gill and Sue Rogers was just hundredths of a second, while Mark Hamilton and Clive Howell were only a second adrift in the newly-acquired McEnearney Quality Inc/Consolidated Finance/Automotive Art/Dunlop Ford Escort MkII.
With the stage reversed after lunch, Bourne clocked a perfect four fastest times; he chipped away at Skeete's advantage by a second or two each on stages five and six, but he clearly had his work cut out . . . at least until Skeete mirrored Bourne's indescretion of the morning, dropping around eight seconds on stage seven. That put Bourne back in charge and Hill less than two seconds adrift of Skeete, as everyone turned their attention to the two dexterity-style stages at the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium . . . and that was where it was Hill's turn to suffer.
With the final-day crowds at the Barbados Motor Show filling the spectator areas, there were two runs, the second during a brief shower. Sean Gill was fastest on the first, with Bourne tied for second fastest-time with Adrian and Jonathan Linton (Ravensden/Crane and Equipment/Garbage Gobbler/Morris Straker Construction/Subzero Vauxhall Astra GSi), while the Lintons topped the sheets second time out, ahead of Still and Armstrong.
For Hill, however, 15th and 18th in the two short stages - times were just above and below the minute mark - meant the good work of earlier in the day was compromised; having arrived at the Gymnasium lying third, he would drop to fifth behind Gale and Armstrong. Sean Gill led the two-wheel-drive brigade home, sixth overall.

BRC Gravel Rally - October 19
2008 BRC Rally Championship, round five
Provisional results

Overall
1st Paul Bourne/Stuart Maloney (M8-WRC Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9), 17m 14.19s
2nd Roger Skeete/Robert Simmons (M8-WRC Michelin/FB Batteries Subaru Impreza WRC S9), 17m 20.56s
3rd Barry Gale/Cherie Edghill (M8-WRC Trident White/Simpson Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 17m 23.64s
4th Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (M8-A Shell/Hankook Tyres/Gunk/Odyssey Batteries Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 17m 33.71s
5th Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (M8-WRC Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC), 17m 38.97s
6th Sean Gill/Michael Cummins (SM10 Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Swift), 18m 06.99s
7th Geoff Noel/Kreigg Yearwood (P4 Globe Finance/Ezone/DeWalt/Automotive Art/Sunbeach Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), 18m 11.67s
8th Nick Gill/Sue Rogers (SM11 Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3), 18m 34.21s
9th Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (SM11 Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Castrol Oils BMW M3), 18m 41.68s
10th Adrian Linton/Jonathan Linton (M7 Ravensden/Crane and Equipment/Garbage Gobbler/Morris Straker Construction/Subzero Vauxhall Astra GSi), 18m 42.49s
etc

Groups
Modified 8-WRC 1st Bourne/Maloney; 2nd Skeete/Simmons; 3rd Gale/Edghill; etc
Modified 8-A 1st Armstrong/Ward
Production 4 1st Noel/Yearwood
SuperModified 11 1st Gill/Rogers; 2nd Still/Hazell
SM10 1st Gill/Cummins; 2nd Mark Hamilton/Clive Howell (McEnearney Quality Inc/Consolidated Finance/Automotive Art/Dunlop Ford Escort MkII), 18m 57.24s
SM9 1st James Betts/Dean Serrao (Makita/All Terrain Plus/Star Products/Champion Auto Wrecker/Kendal Sporting/Quik Start Auto Opel Corsa), 19m 48.30s; 2nd David Williams/Dario Hoyte (Chelsea Car Rentals/CaribPak International Couriers/IBox Services/Castrol/Roxy Supermarket/Paintless Dent Removal/Dynamic Limo Services Toyota Starlet), 20m 31.59s; 3rd Stuart White/Jason O'Neal (4W's/Aqua Pur/Flyin' Fish/Crane & Equipments Toyota Starlet), 20m 36.20s; etc
Modified 7 1st Linton/Linton; 2nd David Brewster/Rashid Phillips (SRG Engineering/Castrol/E W Wood Classic Ltd Peugeot 205GTi), 25m 39.15s
Modified 6 1st Edward Corbin/Rodney Clarke (Rezults Autoshop/Klark-Odio/Corbins Garage Daihatsu Charmant), 19m 24.89s
Production 2 1st Neil Barnard/Barry Hill (Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Ignis Sport), 20m 35.27s

For further information, robin@bradfax.com

RALLY STARS 'LET LOOSE' ON SUNDAY

RALLY STARS 'LET LOOSE' ON SUNDAY
Local crews start preparations for Rally Jamaica

The running order published today lists 25 crews ready to be 'let loose' on Sunday (October 19) as the 2008 Barbados Rally Club switches back from tarmac to gravel for the Club's penultimate rally of its 51st competition season; the final round will run over the November 1/2 weekend.
Reigning BRC Rally Champion Paul Bourne will start at number one with regular co-driver Start Maloney in the Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/

New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9, one of nine four-wheel-drive cars listed. With three victories in four rounds under their belts, the current points-leaders will be seeking to consolidate their Championship advantage.
Close observers of island motor sport are looking forward to Sunday's contest, as Bourne is just one of those entered who will be using the event as the start of his preparations for the loose-surface Rally Jamaica in early December. Bourne missed the BRC Gravel Sprint in March, as his new car had not arrived in the island, so will be looking to build on his experience with it on Rally Trinidad.
That said, the two drivers seeded immediately behind him are also using their recently-acquired machinery on a gravel event in anger for the first time - both Roger Hill and and Roger Skeete have upgraded since the start of the year, so Sunday's event promises some real excitement.
Hill, who has scored in all four qualifying rounds with co-driver Graham Gittens, will see action in the Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC, while Skeete and Robert Simmons will campaign the Michelin/FB Batteries Subaru Impreza WRC S9, which has replaced the Ford Escort WRC in which Skeete won the March Gravel Sprint.
Many fans are hoping that Trevor Manning, a master on the loose, will get the opportunity to shine this weekend in the Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII; co-driven by Derek Edwards, Manning is still in capable of improving his position in the Rally Championship standings with two events to run.
There will be others, however, concentrating on the two-wheel-drive classes, particularly those in which the power is delivered to the road through the rear wheels. Jonathan Still is another making preparations for Jamaica - he and co-driver Heath Hazell will also be hoping to move the Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Castrol Oils BMW M3 back in the Rally Championship top 10 . . . but there is some new competition.
BRC Chairman Mark Hamilton is returning to action this weekend with a newly-acquired Ford Escort MkII; with backing from McEnearney Quality Inc, Consolidated Finance, Automotive Art and Dunlop, he and co-driver Clive Howell will be hoping for a successful debut for the new car, which will run in SM10.
Of course, Still and Hamilton will also have to deal with the front-wheel-drive Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Swift of Sean Gill and Michael Cummins, while the Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3 of Nick Gill and Sue Rogers cannot be discounted either.
Competitors are expected to assemble at Searles Factory Yard in Christ Church at 7.00am on Sunday, ready for an 8.30am start. Eight gravel stages are planned, four run in each direction, before the entire field heads for the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium for two short tarmac stages, scheduled for shortly after 3.00pm, following which the event will close with an 'Expression Session'. While the two stages will count towards the overall results of the BRC Gravel Rally, the Expression Session will not be compulsory - those competitors who chose to participate will be allowed one minute to 'express themselves', after which the crowd will decide the winner.
While the recent heavy rains have presented BRC organisers with some headaches, they are determined that the event will run; a course inspection Friday morning was positive, the hot sun of the previous 24 hours having done much to improve conditions.

BRC Gravel Rally - October 19
2008 BRC Rally Championship, round five
Provisional running order

1 Paul Bourne/Stuart Maloney (M8-WRC Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
2 Roger Hill/Graham Gittens (M8-WRC Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Corolla WRC)
3 Roger Skeete/Robert Simmons (M8-WRC Michelin/FB Batteries Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
4 Trevor Manning/Derek Edwards (M8-WRC Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII)
5 Barry Gale/Cherie Edghill (M8-WRC Trident White/Simpson Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
6 Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (M8-A Shell/Hankook Tyres/Gunk/Odyssey Batteries Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI)
7 Sean Dowding/Jason Cozier (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
8 Sean Gill/Michael Cummins (SM10 Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Swift)
9 Mark Hamilton/Clive Howell (SM10 McEnearney Quality Inc/Consolidated Finance/Automotive Art/Dunlop Ford Escort MkII)
10 Geoff Noel/Kreigg Yearwood (P4 Globe Finance/Ezone/DeWalt/Automotive Art/Sunbeach Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX)
11 Michael Worme/Brian Gibson (P4 Cot Media Group/Details Car Valet Subaru Impreza WRX STi)
12 Jonathan Still/Heath Hazell (SM11 Hitachi Power Tools/Ocean Spray/Philips Lighting/Crane & Equipments/Castrol Oils BMW M3)
14 Nick Gill/Sue Rogers (SM11 Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3)
15 Calvin Briggs/Hulita Brathwaite (SM11 Ford Escort MkII)
16 Adrian Linton/Jonathan Linton (M7 Ravensden/Crane and Equipment/Garbage Gobbler/Morris Straker Construction/Subzero Vauxhall Astra GSi)
17 James Betts/Dean Serrao (SM9 Makita/All Terrain Plus/Star Products/Champion Auto Wrecker/Kendal Sporting/Quik Start Auto Opel Corsa)
18 Daryl Clarke/Russel Brancker (SM9 Mom's Pasta Products/Area 5 Auto Works/Paintless Dent Removal/Caribbean Surf Network/Chicken Pen Racing Mitsubishi Mirage)
19 Stuart White/Jason O'Neal (SM9 4W's/Aqua Pur/Flyin' Fish/Crane & Equipments Toyota Starlet)
20 Neil Corbin/Aaron Kirton (SM9 Nassco Ltd/Jason Jones/Auto Solutions Toyota Starlet)
21 David Williams/Dario Hoyte (SM9 Chelsea Car Rentals/CaribPak International Couriers/IBox Services/Castrol/Roxy Supermarket/Paintless Dent Removal/Dynamic Limo Services Toyota Starlet)
22 Ryan Wood/Raymond Parris (SM9 4W's/Aqua Pur/Flyin' Fish/Crane & Equipments Toyota Starlet)
23 Jeremy Gonsalves/Natasha Farnum (SM9 Makita/All Terrain Plus/Star Products/Champion Auto Wrecker/Kendal Sporting/Quik Start Auto Suzuki Swift GTi)
24 Edward Corbin/Rodney Clarke (M6 Rezults Autoshop/Klark-Odio/Corbins Garage
Daihatsu Charmant)
25 Neil Barnard/Barry Hill (P2 Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Ignis Sport)
26 David Brewster/Rashid Phillips (M7 SRG Engineering/Castrol/E W Wood Classic Ltd Peugeot 205GTi)

For further information, robin@bradfax.com

BRC Rally Championship

BOURNE LOOKING TO MAINTAIN POINTS LEAD
'Expression Session' to end BRC Rally Championship event

Three victories in the first four rounds of the 2008 Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Rally Championship have given reigning Champion Paul Bourne a seven-point advantage, as competitors prepare for the season's penultimate event, Sunday's (October 19) BRC Gravel Rally.
Slated to start at 8.30am from the Searles Factory Yard in Christ Church, the event promises eight loose-surface stages, with four run in each direction, before the entire field heads for the grounds of the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, where the 2008 Barbados Motor Show will have reached its final day.
Two further stages are planned, before the event closes with an 'Expression Session'; while the two stages will count towards the overall results of the BRC Gravel Rally, the Expression Session will not be compulsory - those competitors who chose to participate will be allowed one minute to 'express themselves', after which the crowd will decide the winner.
Entries close at 4.00pm on Wednesday (October 15), with the Briefing Meeting scheduled for 7.30pm at the Gymnasium on the same day; competitors are expected to assemble at Searles Factory Yard by 7.00am on Sunday at the latest.
With regular co-driver Stuart Maloney alongside in his Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9, Bourne has claimed three maximum scores so far this year, his only retirement being day one of Sol Rally Barbados 2008, which counted as two points-scoring opportunities. His roll at the end of the morning's second Dark Hole stage left him a non-finisher on the Saturday.
The only other winner this year has been Roger Skeete, who topped the points table that day with Robert Simmons in the Michelin/FB Batteries Ford Escort WRC; having scored in only one other round, however, Skeete currently lies eighth.
Co-driven in the Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Swift by Michael Cummins, Sean Gill led the standings after round three, having finished second to Bourne and Skeete in the first two rounds, then fourth on day two of Sol Rally Barbados. One of only four drivers to claim top 10 points in every round so far, Gill is now just seven points adrift of Bourne, a signal achievement in the island's fastest two-wheel-drive entry.
A further three points behind Gill is Roger Hill, another to have scored in every event. With co-driver Graham Gittens, he finished third, fourth and sixth in the first three rounds in the Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Celica GT4, then put his newly-acquired Toyota Corolla WRC to good use in the Motoring Club of Barbados Inc's Plus Rally of the Sun & Stars, claiming his best result of the year, second to Bourne.
Despite having missed April's Automotive Art Shakedown Stages, at least as a competitor rather than Zero Car, Trevor Manning lies fourth, 10 points behind Hill. With co-driver Derek Edwards, Manning finished third of the BRC runners on both days of Sol Rally Barbados in the Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, but could manage only sixth on the MCBI event.
There are year-end trophies up for grabs for the top five drivers in the BRC Rally Championship and competition promises to be tough for the last couple of positions; between Manning, who has 25 points, and Skeete on 18, there are three other drivers, each of whom could improve his position in the remaining two events.
On 22 points, scored from just two events, is Barry Gale (Trident White/Simpson Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI); Group N front-runner Geoff Noel has 20 points in the Globe Finance/Ezone/DeWalt/Automotive Art/Sunbeach Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, in which he has scored in every round, while Neil Armstrong is one further point behind in the Shell/Hankook Tyres/Gunk/Odyssey Batteries Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI.
The top 10 is completed by the Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3 of Nick Gill, the fourth driver to have claimed top 10 finishes in every round, and Ian Warren's remarkable 4W's/Aqua Pur/Flyin' Fish/Crane & Equipments/MQI Repair Centre/Details Car Valet/Automotive Art Peugeot 206.
The vagaries of current weather patterns permitting, Sunday's event promises some class action as competitors see their points-scoring chances diminishing. The final round of the BRC Rally Championship is slated for the weekend of November 1/2.

BRC Rally Championship
Positions after round four

1st Paul Bourne (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRC S9), 45 points
2nd Sean Gill (SM10 Suzuki Swift), 38pts
3rd Roger Hill (M8-A Toyota Celica GT4 & M8-WRC Toyota Corolla WRC), 35pts
4th Trevor Manning (M8-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII), 25pts
5th Barry Gale (M8-WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 22pts
6th Geoff Noel (P4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), 20pts
7th Neil Armstrong (M8-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 19pts
8th Roger Skeete (M8-WRC Ford Escort WRC & Subaru Impreza S9), 18pts
9th Nicholas Gill (SM11 Mazda 3), 15pts
10th Ian Warren (M6 Peugeot 206), 10pts.

BOURNE LOOKING TO MAINTAIN POINTS LEAD

BOURNE LOOKING TO MAINTAIN POINTS LEAD
'Expression Session' to end BRC Rally Championship event

Three victories in the first four rounds of the 2008 Barbados Rally Club (BRC) Rally Championship have given reigning Champion Paul Bourne a seven-point advantage, as competitors prepare for the season's penultimate event, Sunday's (October 19) BRC Gravel Rally.
Slated to start at 8.30am from the Searles Factory Yard in Christ Church, the event promises eight loose-surface stages, with four run in each direction, before the entire field heads for the grounds of the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, where the 2008 Barbados Motor Show will have reached its final day.
Two further stages are planned, before the event closes with an 'Expression Session'; while the two stages will count towards the overall results of the BRC Gravel Rally, the Expression Session will not be compulsory - those competitors who chose to participate will be allowed one minute to 'express themselves', after which the crowd will decide the winner.
Entries close at 4.00pm on Wednesday (October 15), with the Briefing Meeting scheduled for 7.30pm at the Gymnasium on the same day; competitors are expected to assemble at Searles Factory Yard by 7.00am on Sunday at the latest.
With regular co-driver Stuart Maloney alongside in his Banks/Texaco/B-Mobile/Pirelli/

New-Tech Subaru Impreza WRC S9, Bourne has claimed three maximum scores so far this year, his only retirement being day one of Sol Rally Barbados 2008, which counted as two points-scoring opportunities. His roll at the end of the morning's second Dark Hole stage left him a non-finisher on the Saturday.
The only other winner this year has been Roger Skeete, who topped the points table that day with Robert Simmons in the Michelin/FB Batteries Ford Escort WRC; having scored in only one other round, however, Skeete currently lies eighth.
Co-driven in the Simpson Motors/Automotive Art/Shell V-Power/Yokohama Suzuki Swift by Michael Cummins, Sean Gill led the standings after round three, having finished second to Bourne and Skeete in the first two rounds, then fourth on day two of Sol Rally Barbados. One of only four drivers to claim top 10 points in every round so far, Gill is now just seven points adrift of Bourne, a signal achievement in the island's fastest two-wheel-drive entry.
A further three points behind Gill is Roger Hill, another to have scored in every event. With co-driver Graham Gittens, he finished third, fourth and sixth in the first three rounds in the Mobil 1/Nassco/MotorMac Toyota Celica GT4, then put his newly-acquired Toyota Corolla WRC to good use in the Motoring Club of Barbados Inc's Plus Rally of the Sun & Stars, claiming his best result of the year, second to Bourne.
Despite having missed April's Automotive Art Shakedown Stages, at least as a competitor rather than Zero Car, Trevor Manning lies fourth, 10 points behind Hill. With co-driver Derek Edwards, Manning finished third of the BRC runners on both days of Sol Rally Barbados in the Shell V-Power/Simpson Motors/Garbage Master Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, but could manage only sixth on the MCBI event.
There are year-end trophies up for grabs for the top five drivers in the BRC Rally Championship and competition promises to be tough for the last couple of positions; between Manning, who has 25 points, and Skeete on 18, there are three other drivers, each of whom could improve his position in the remaining two events.
On 22 points, scored from just two events, is Barry Gale (Trident White/Simpson Motors Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI); Group N front-runner Geoff Noel has 20 points in the Globe Finance/Ezone/DeWalt/Automotive Art/Sunbeach Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, in which he has scored in every round, while Neil Armstrong is one further point behind in the Shell/Hankook Tyres/Gunk/Odyssey Batteries Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI.
The top 10 is completed by the Castrol Syntec/Lysol/Listerine/Vita Malt/Hennessy/McEnearney Quality Inc Mazda 3 of Nick Gill, the fourth driver to have claimed top 10 finishes in every round, and Ian Warren's remarkable 4W's/Aqua Pur/Flyin' Fish/Crane & Equipments/MQI Repair Centre/Details Car Valet/Automotive Art Peugeot 206.
The vagaries of current weather patterns permitting, Sunday's event promises some class action as competitors see their points-scoring chances diminishing. The final round of the BRC Rally Championship is slated for the weekend of November 1/2.

BRC Rally Championship
Positions after round four

1st Paul Bourne (M8-WRC Subaru Impreza WRC S9), 45 points
2nd Sean Gill (SM10 Suzuki Swift), 38pts
3rd Roger Hill (M8-A Toyota Celica GT4 & M8-WRC Toyota Corolla WRC), 35pts
4th Trevor Manning (M8-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII), 25pts
5th Barry Gale (M8-WRC Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 22pts
6th Geoff Noel (P4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), 20pts
7th Neil Armstrong (M8-A Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI), 19pts
8th Roger Skeete (M8-WRC Ford Escort WRC & Subaru Impreza S9), 18pts
9th Nicholas Gill (SM11 Mazda 3), 15pts
10th Ian Warren (M6 Peugeot 206), 10pts
etc

For further information, robin@bradfax.com

Kelly Slater secures his ninth ASP World Title in Spain

Kelly Slater : photo ASP Cestari/Covered Images Team News Kelly Slater Secures Ninth ASP World Title in Spain Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 October, 2008 : - - Mundaka, Basque Country/Spain - Kelly Slater, 36, has won a record ninth ASP World Title after advancing out of Round 3 of the Billabong Pro Mundaka – the ninth event of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour. Slater came into the event needing an equal ninth finish to clinch the title, he secured that by beating local wildcard Eneko Acero (EUK) in four foot waves at Mundaka this morning. “It’s going to take a little while to sink in,” Slater said when mobbed at the water’s edge. “I’m probably going to have to call home and talk to family for it to really hit me.” Slater’s 2008 crowning comes 16 years after securing his first ASP World Title at age 20. He is the oldest and youngest surfer in ASP history to win a world title. The now nine-time ASP World Champion joined the tour in 1991 and won his first ASP World Title in 1992. When asked if he had ever dreamed about achieving such a feat when he came onto the scene 17 years ago, Slater was close to speechless. “I never even thought about it,” Slater said. “It never even popped into my head. It’s crazy.” Kelly Slater & Taylor Knox : photo ASP Kirstin/Covered Images Despite entering his 14th year on tour already the owner of most every accolade in professional surfing, 2008 has been a banner year for Slater. With five wins in the first seven events of the year, a second place finish at the last event in France and a Round 4 berth at the Billabong Pro Mundaka later today, Slater is on track to post his most successful season to date. Slater’s winning average in 2008 is 89 percent at present. “I felt a lot more at ease this year,” Slater said. “It’s probably my personal life. That’s the biggest change in my life. I’m happy and settled and I’ve got the support there that just feels amazing. Nothing else has really changed, I’ve worked with my boards a little bit here and there and I’ve always worked on my mind and my emotions, but something just really clicked into place this year.” After winning his first ASP World Tour title in 1992 and claiming five titles in a row from 1994 to 1998, Slater went into semi-retirement at age 26 citing burnout and lack of motivation. He returned to the tour full-time in 2003, lost a heart-wrenching title race to Andy Irons (HAW) that same year, and wasn’t able to reclaim the crown until 2005. Slater cruised to title No. 8 in 2006, finished World No. 3 in 2007 and is once again World No. 1 after winning his ninth ASP World Title today. “In 1996 I had a good year – I won 7 out of 13,” Slater said. “In 1996 I won five events of 12 – but both years I was counting ninths at the end of the year. This year I’ve won five events of eight, I’m sitting on a second and I still have a throwaway to spare. The depth of success I’ve had this season is the deepest of my career.” Kelly Slater : photo ASP Kirstin/Covered Images With such a monumental lead so early in the season, it was less a matter of if Slater would win the title, and more a matter of when. “I think there were key heats this year, a few I had with Taj, Parko and even Bobby in Fiji, where I got waves under the other surfers’ priority and won important heats, that it really sunk in that it was going to happen,” Slater said. “It was probably JBay where it really sunk in.” Slater was quick to acknowledge 2007 ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) and the support he’s given him both professionally and personally today. “When Mick won last year I was obviously really stoked for him.” Slater said. “I think I knew from the first contest last year that Mick was going to win. He was really focused and he didn’t have anything standing in his way mentally or emotionally. He was the one person who sent me text when I was looking at leaving that said, ‘We need you to stay on tour. Don’t worry, you’ll find that personal stuff. It will happen,’ and now it has. Even though he is the toughest competitor on tour he’s always been a good friend and I have a lot of respect for Mick.” Because Slater lost interest after winning five titles in a row from ’94 to ’98, and then toyed with retirement again after winning No. 7 and No. 8 right after each other, it would seem like winning back to back titles might have lost its appeal for the world’s most decorated surfer. “No, winning them back to back is still pretty sweet,” Slater said with a smile. “If I can go back to back starting now that would be pretty sweet. It is really nice to come back and win it after you lost it the year before though. I’m sure if Mick were to come back and win one, or Andy were to come back and win one – C.J., any of those guys, they would definitely say how sweet it is to win it again.” For Kelly Slater’s complete biography and career details visit www.aspworldtour.com/kellyslater. ASP Records Held by Kelly Slater: Most ASP World Titles: Nine (2008, 2006, 2005, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1992) Most ASP World Tour Victories: 39 Oldest ASP World Champion: 36-years-old (2008) Youngest ASP World Champion: 20-year-old (1992) Highest Heat Total: Only perfect 20 out of 20 ever earned (Tahiti – 2005) Most Event Wins in a Season: Seven in 1996 Congratulations Kelly Slater !