Surf tour makes a stop

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002 | 10:29 a.m.

Even if he was never given a $60,000 check, even if no one had ever heard about his 66-foot ride, even if none of the major television networks replayed the incredible footage, Mike Parsons would have done it anyway.

He would have risked his life for the thrill of riding a 66-foot wave, believed to be the largest wave ever ridden, because surfing is what he does.

And it's who he is.

Parsons and professional surfers Pat O'Connell, Jeff Deffenbaugh and Jodie Nelson rode manufactured five-foot waves at the Mandalay Bay Beach Tuesday afternoon to hype the news that Foster's will be the major sponsor of this year's Association of Surfing Professionals North American Pro Surfing Tour, which starts March 15 in Costa Rica.

"The great thing is it gives us the stability of knowing we have a credible company behind us for each event," Parsons said. "This gives us a tour where we can groom our younger surfers for the future."

There are 20 events scheduled, with seven exclusive to men.

Fosters signed a two-year agreement to sponsor the tour with a third-year option.

Peter Townend, the first world professional champion in 1976 and publisher of "Surfing" magazine and "Surfing Girl" magazine, said Foster's involvement with surfing could vastly expand its following.

"Besides the added money that will go toward administrative costs and prize money, the important thing is the money they will spend on marketing the tour," Townend said. "It will hopefully raise the profile for surfing as a sport.

"Surfing can never be on the level of the NFL or NBA or Major League Baseball because not every one can do it. But surfing has had a big impact on pop culture."

Parsons, of San Clemente, Calif., competed on the World Championship Tour, considered the highest level of competition, from 1984-95. Then he started competing solely on the NAPST so that he would have a more flexible schedule to expand his search for the big waves.

On Jan. 19 of last year, the 35-year-old and some surfing pals traveled to an underwater reef called Cortes Bank, 100 miles off the coast of San Diego, to try to catch some monstrous waves.

The group performed what is called tow-in surfing, where surfers are towed by a personal water craft to generate enough speed to catch the biggest waves, when Parsons rode the 66-footer.

"That was by far the biggest wave I've ever caught," he said. "I was so excited, it made my day."