HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Sunday, November 22, 2009) - The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 6-Star PRIME Reef Hawaiian Pro saw up and coming American talent Tanner Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 21, keep his hopes for a spot on next year’s ASP World Tour alive when he advanced through to the Round of 32 behind ASP Dream Tour Title hopeful Joel Parkinson (Coolangatta, AUS), 28.

Gudauskas, who is currently sitting in the No. 17 position overall on the ASP WQS, attacked the six-to-eight (2 metre) surf on offer at Haleiwa at the second to last event of the 2009 season on the Grind. The youngest of the Guduaskas trio needs to find his way through one more heat in order to claim a spot on the 2010 ASP World Tour.

“I would be stoked to get a really good result here,” Gudauskas said. “I’m taking it heat by heat, just having fun. I don’t have anything to lose. I don’t have the points to qualify and I have to go out there and get them. I’m having a great time.”

The young goofy-footer’s advancement into the Round of 32 was no easy task, as he took out Vans Triple Crown legend Pancho Sullivan (North Shore, HI) to advance through the crucial heat.

“I just kind of figured I would need a hell of a lot to make that heat,” Gudauskas said. “I was psyching myself out because these guys have no flaws. Pancho (Sullivan) is pretty much a Triple Crown hero and Parko is a world champ contender. I just figured I would have to try as hard as I could and it was epic because there were tons of waves in the beginning of the heat, and there was no weird stuff.

Gudauskas will continue his Reef Hawaiian Pro campaign tomorrow morning. Competition will resume at 8am local time.

For all of the LIVE Vans Triple Crown action log on to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org