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JEEP® BRAND SIGNS AS PRESENTING SPONSOR OF O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC
-Athletes Announced for the Men’s Four-Star World Qualifying Series Event At Steamer Lane-
Santa Cruz, Calif., October 12, 2005 – Primedia’s Action Sports Group (ASG) is pleased to announce the addition of Jeep® Brand as presenting sponsor of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic. Northern California’s premier surfing event, the four-star O’Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep, will once again return to Santa Cruz’s legendary Steamer Lane on October 19-23, 2005 as the third and final stop of the Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series. As the official vehicle of the O'Neill Cold Water Classic, Jeep brand will showcase three vehicles on-site and contribute to the weeklong events and festivities surrounding the contest. Surfing’s finest talent from all over the world will compete for the $75,000 prize purse in the final World Qualifying Series (WQS) event on the U.S. mainland. Taking center stage will be World Championship Tour (WCT) competitors Cory Lopez and Timmy Reyes, WQS stand-outs Roy Powers and Bobby Martinez as well as Santa Cruz natives Jason “Rat Boy” Collins and the 2003 Cold Water Classic champion Kieran Horne. Current Macy’s California Trifecta point leaders, Asher Nolan and Nathanial Curran will compete in the Cold Water Classic in hopes of winning the $5,000 Trifecta bonus purse. The Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series was created by ASG in an effort to fundamentally strengthen American professional surfing. The Trifecta, which unites the Body Glove Surfbout presented by Adio, the Op Newport Classic and the O’Neill Coldwater Classic presented by Jeep under a common banner, gives American surfers a chance to earn valuable points in their quest to advance to the ASP’s WCT. As the last stop of the Trifecta series, the Cold Water Classic will determine the winner of the Trifecta points race and the $5,000 bonus purse. Since its inception in 1987, the O’Neill Cold Water Classic has been the stage for some of the world’s best surfing talent. The natural architecture of the arena-like setting is the perfect place to watch surfers battle it out in the cold, rugged conditions of Steamer Lane. After the cancellation of last year’s contest due to poor conditions, the 2005 Cold Water Classic will return to the legendary surf spot. “We are honored to have hosted this event for the last twenty years and are thrilled to watch the event become such a part of the area's history,” says Marc Prefontaine, promotions manager for the Santa Cruz-based O’Neill. “Steamer Lane is the only venue of its kind and that is why we are so persistent with the location, even when she doesn't want to cooperate.” This year organizers have taken the added precaution of securing permits at Waddell Creek, a break 20 miles north of Santa Cruz, to ensure that the contest will go on even if the conditions at Steamer Lane are stubborn. In an effort to raise funds to benefit the O’Neill Sea Odyssey (OSO), commemorative glasswear will be sold through a promotion with Coors at various Cold Water Classic parties before and during the week long contest. As of April 2004, OSO has engaged over 30,000 youth between fourth and sixth- grades, in an education program devoted to navigation, sailing, conservation and marine science. The program, which takes place on a 65-foot catamaran sailing Monterey Bay and in a shore-side education center, is free of charge and entry is earned by completing a community service project. The OSO mission is to provide a hands-on educational experience to encourage the protection and preservation of our living sea and communities. For more information on the O’Neill Cold Water Classic please visit http://surfermag.com/events/cwc05. About O’Neill About Jeep Brand About PRIMEDIA'S Action Sports Group About Surfing America Pro Tour About Surfing America
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