Kelly Slater of Florida sends up a huge wall of water at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, on the North Shore of Oahu, during the Round of 64 in the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, Thursday, December 2, 2004. The O'Neill World Cup is the second jewel of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, the final competition in the year-long round-the-world championship tour of the Association of Surfing Professionals. (Photo: Carol Cunningham/CunninghamPhotos.com)
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Tourists and locals enjoy the sun and the surf at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, on the North Shore of Oahu, as they watch the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, Friday, December 3, 2004.
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Andy Irons of Hawaii sends up a wall of water at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, on the North Shore of Oahu, during the Quarter-Finals of the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, Friday, December 3, 2004.
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Frederick Patacchia of Hawaii successfully backsides the lip at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, on the North Shore of Oahu, to seal his third place finish in the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, Friday, December 3, 2004.
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Andy Irons of Hawaii, left, celebrates his victory in the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, Friday, December 3, 2004, at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, on the North Shore of Oahu. The O'Neill World Cup is the second jewel of the championship Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. From left to right are Irons, Mark Occhilupo of Australia who came in second, Frederick Pattachia of Hawaii who came in third, and Joel Parkinson of Australia who finished fourth.