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CHINA WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN…

1/10/12: Cory Lopez finishes with a Silver Medal for Team USA at the ISA China Cup. Chris Ward finishes 5th. Cory lead most of the final but was overcome at the end by Heath Joske – who caught the two best waves of the final in the last 5 minutes. Congrats to Cory and Chris. For complete results CLICK HERE

1/9/12: To watch live CLICK HERE. Chris Ward and Cory Lopez both advance out of qualifying round – heat 4. If they both make it out of the next heat they’ll be in the final. Ward is riding a water logged board that Cory says is dripping water all over the place they’re staying at.

From the ISA site – “I started off in a bit of a rhythm; I was lucky to get a nice scoring wave early and back it up,” said Chris Ward (USA), who’s yet to lose a heat in China. “I knew [teammate Cory Lopez] needed a good score at the end so I paddled as deep as I could and those guys followed, so it pulled them out of position and Cory got a good wave to help get through.”

When competition resumes tomorrow morning, American’s Ward and Lopez will meet the Frenchmen, Lacomare and Martin, in Qualifying Round 5, in what will surely be a compelling 25 minutes of surfing.

1/8/12: The Monster is going to China… not only that, it’s with his old partner in crime – Lopey! Be afraid… be very afraid. China is probably one of the few countries left to not feel “The Wrath of Ward”. Young Taylor Clark , who also rides for …Lost surfboards rounds out the crew. – Mayhem’s Blog

Contest has started and Ward and Cory were the standouts on day one – both advancing out of their first two heats in the “qualifying” rounds. They’re in the same heat in round 3. Here’s a couple words on day one from the ISA website.

Using a strict power-surfing display, Team USA’s Chris Ward was one of the standouts of the day in the Open Men, winning both of his Qualifying Round heats. “Conditions have been excellent, you can fit a lot of maneuvers on this wave,” said Ward, who only surfed once before the contest began in order to rest a nagging knee injury. “It’s kind of a longer, softer Lower Trestles.”

Photos courtesy of hainaninternationalsurfingfestival.com

Team USA

Chris Ward – Fear and Loathing in China.

Team USA’s Chris Ward

Cory Lopez took the Silver Medal in Mens.

Chris on his water logged board.

Chris is actually half Tai which is pretty close to China.

Chris’ roommate Cory Lopez.

Team USA’s Cory Lopez

Peru’s Cristobal de Col

Cristobal de Col

Cristobal de Col

Cory Lopez

Cory Lopez

Team USA’s Taylor Clark

Taylor Clark

Surf in China?

“It’s kind of a longer, softer Lower Trestles” – Chris Ward

Taylor Clark and fellow competitor.

Cristobal del Col

Cristobal de Col

Cory Lopez

Cory Lopez