Globe team rider, Damien  Hobgood (USA) won the Globe WCT Fiji in near perfect six foot waves on the reef known as Cloudbreak. Hobgood defeated Australian rookie Shaun Cansdell  from New South Wales, Australia.
 
Both surfers in the final were easily the form athletes of the event and in the hotly contested 30-minute affair, Hobgood  grabbed the upper-hand early and went on with the job to take a well-deserved  victory.
 
The turning point in the final came when both surfers took advantage of a set with Cansdell taking the first wave, using his priority. While Cansdell’s wave was solid it was nothing on Hobgood’s, which was larger and had a tremendous barrel section.
 
Damien's wave scored a 9.17 with a long barrel section and series of critical turns on the biggest wave of the heat.
 
“The second wave in that set was really doubling up on itself and it looked really glassy so I started going for the barrel,” said  Hobgood. “I then remembered what I was yelling to CJ in the heat before… to go  for turns… but it barreled and it reeled all the way down the  line.”
 
After the set the ocean, which had been pumping in simply flawless waves all day, slowed and Hobgood squeezed what he could out of the  swell to get revenge for Cansdell’s defeat over his twin brother in the second  semi-final, while Cansdell was stuck for quality waves.
 
  Fortunately I had the better of that exchange early and was able to get on a  roll.”
 
Hobgood was forced to miss last year’s event after  succumbing to a shoulder injury in the event prior to the 2005 version of the  Globe WCT Fiji and this year’s victory was as he said “truly a  blessing”.
 
“It’s great to grab the win [after missing the event last year]. It was hard watching the webcast last year, but things happen for a reason and i was just praising the Lord to be back here in this beautiful place again. There’s no event that you want to win more than your sponsor’s event and it’s great to claim one for Globe.”

The win for Hobgood is his third Foster’s ASP Men’s World Championship Tour victory and this result now boosts him to third place on the ratings behind second placed Bobby Martinez (USA) and number one ranked Kelly Slater (USA).
 
For rookie Cansdell the final was literally a dream come  true and although he couldn’t overcome the rampaging Hobgood, the result has  given him a huge confidence boost that puts him in a good place to earn his maiden WCT victory sometime soon.
 
“It was a good final. I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t put together a really good heat but I’m still stoked to get second in an event and just get to a final at this level,” said Cansdell. “I’ve always expected the most out of myself and that’s what it takes. I'm just so stoked. It’s a dream of mine to come here and the place is as good as I ever imagined."
 
“The turning point in the final was that set when I took off on the first one and Damien had the second, because after that no more really good ones came in. I was sitting waiting and being patient and then I grabbed a wave and lost priority and it all fell apart from there.”
 
In the first semi Andy Irons was taken out by Damien Hobgood in a one sided affair that saw Irons struggle to find the bigger scoring waves. And despite not being at full strength due to an  infection he picked up while competing in the previous event in Tahiti, his  performance was admirable and the result for him also has him in a position  where he can still challenge for the world title.

In what was  probably the most entertaining heat of the day, the CJ Hobgood and Shaun Cansdell semifinal two showdown had the vocal crowd screaming themselves hoarse. Going blow for blow it was in no way an easy encounter for either yet the rookie prevailed on the day through sheer brilliance. 
 
Damien Hobgood was full of praise for the  multitude of tour rookies who he envisions will cause more upsets before the year is done. 
 
“The guys who retired at the end of last year were so good and I thought that maybe this year wouldn’t be as gnarly as last year with all the new faces. But I think now that these guys are going to be even gnarlier because they are all just really good surfers.”
 
For a full rundown of the event; including results, photos, videos and the Wha' Happn daily wrap show go to www.globefiji.com.