The new 2007 Soup Bowl Pro champion Mark Holder in action.

by Heatherlyn Evanson

BATHSHEBA'S OWN MARK HOLDER has taken the Challenge Cup in the Caribbean Surf Network's (CSN) 2007 Suzuki Soup Bowl Pro event.

Using his knowledge of the Soup Bowl's waves to his advantage on Sunday, the golden boy of St Joseph had the better wave selection of the day and shredded them for maximum points.

Points leader Trinidadian Alan Davis suffered at the hands of the temperamental waves and bowed out in the semi-finals. However, his points during the event were enough for him to maintain his stranglehold at the top of the points table

His countryman Jason Apparicio went on to finish second behind Holder.

Local surfer Stefan Corbin, who caught more waves but only managed one or two good moves on them, was third, while Puerto Rican Gabriel Escudero was fourth.

The Bodyboard final was an all Barbadian affair with Mark Neuhoff taking the title from Silos Adams, Ian Jarvis and Paul Wilson who were second, third and fourth, respectively.

Meanwhile, former double National champion Melanie Pitcher showed the youngsters how to handle the waves at the Soup Bowl by beating teenager Ametza Nicholls into second.

Pre-teens Chelsea Roett and Chelsea Tuach were third and fourth, respectively.

The event ended in a tag-team match-up pitching four teams each made up of a male surfer, a female surfer and a body-boarder, in a 30-minute race against the clock.

In the end, CSN co-ordinator Nick Donawa was pleased with the event.

"We really did get the better part of the waves for the final," he said. "During the day, the actual wave height did increase and the quality of the surfing was spectacular."

According to him, the quality of the surfing was high and local surfers measured up admirably compared with their regional challengers.