Bobby Martinez disqualified on day two of the Quik Pro, NY

Bobby Martinez surfed his last heat of professional competition today. After his round two heat with Bede Durbidge (which he won – see way below), he leant into the microphone and, in disillusionment with his industry, spat his views for the last time. The tirade resulted in Bobby losing his chance to win the $300k and, well, anything else: “After careful consideration of these comments,” said the ASP in their press release (below), “and taking into account your multiple offences of this Article during 2011 that clearly “efface a pattern of unacceptable conduct,” the Rules and Discipline Committee have approved the following action…”

That action was to disqualify Bobby from the Quik Pro, NY and ban him from the rest of the 2011 ASP WT. After he already made it known that this would be his last year of professional competition, the ban’s a little futile, but, them’s the breaks.

Below is the ASP’s full statement, a letter to Bobby posted on their website:

“LONG BEACH, New York/USA (Wednesday, September 7, 2011) – Bobby Martinez (USA), 29, has been disqualified from the ASP World Title competition in New York. What follows is the correspondence between the ASP Rules and Disciplinary Committee and Bobby Martinez:

Date: 7 September 2011
To: Bobby Martinez
Date of offence: 7 September 2011

Dear Bobby,
We are writing to officially notify you that you have breached Article 151, contained in the 2011 ASP International Rule Book (Rule Book).

Article 151 outlines that all Surfers shall not at any time damage the image of the sport of Surfing and can be found by clicking here.

Article 151 has been breached as a result of the numerous comments you made publicly in an interview on the webcast of the current ASP World Tour Event in New York City, which included the following language:

“First of all, I’d like to say (an the ASP are going to fine me) ‘cuz I don’t want to be a part of this dumb f***ing wannabe tennis tour. All these pro surfers want to be tennis players. They want to do a halfway cutoff. How the f*** is somebody who’s not even competing against our caliber of surfers ahead of 100 of us on the one world ratings. They’ve never been here. They’ve never f***ing made the right to surf against us, but now we’re ranked upon them. Come on now. That’s Bullshit. That’s why I ain’t going to these stupid contests no more. This is my last one because FTW, my sponsors is here and I just tell it like it is. This is my last one and I don’t like tennis. I don’t like the tour… Who gives a f***? You know what I mean?”

“I’ve been here before. I love this city. I’ll tell you right now, if my sponsor wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be here for this dumb contest. ASP? They f***ing…surfing’s going down the drain thanks to these people.”

The interview was conducted on the event live webcast being watched by a global audience, which includes many young children.

Article 147 of the Rule Book provides the ASP Rules & Discipline Committee with the authority to decide appropriate penalties to be issued where there is a breach of the Rule Book.

After careful consideration of these comments and taking into account your multiple offenses of this Article during 2011 that clearly “efface a pattern of unacceptable conduct,” the Rules and Discipline Committee have approved the following action in accordance with Article 147.03 of the rulebook:

Rule Breach: Article 151 – Damage to Surfing’s Image
Action: You are suspended from the ASP World Tour IMMEDIATELY. You will not take part in the remainder of the World Tour Event currently underway in New York City. A Rules and Discipline Report will be submitted to the ASP Board of Directors to consider expulsion for the remainder of the 2011 Surfing Season. Your suspension will remain in place until such time that the ASP Board of Directors have considered the Report.

Please refer to the ASP Rulebook at the link here for your rights to appeal this decision. Should you wish to have a written submission considered with the Rules and Discipline Report to be considered by the ASP Board of Directors in relation to this incident, please send it to [email protected] before 12 September 2011.

Yours Sincerely,
ASP Rules and Disciplinary Committee“

Oh, there was some awesome surfing, too. The poor troops, huh? Having their limelight stolen by a raging bald man! Round two and a little of round three ran with no more fuss, which y’can watch most of below. Who were the stand-outs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAjqTjNStc0&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNCPpBtht5o&feature=player_embedded

QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.20 def. Balaram Stack (USA) 7.06
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.07 def. Asher Nolan (USA) 11.33
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.10 def. Keanu Asing (HAW) 9.00
Heat 4: Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.06 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.73
Heat 5: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.10 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.27
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.13 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 10.00
Heat 7: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.93 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 14.40
Heat 8: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.17 def. Cory Lopez (USA) 12.50
Heat 9: Adam Melling (AUS) 15.70 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.97
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.50 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 12.43
Heat 11: Brett Simpson (USA) 12.93 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 11.20
Heat 12: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 14.93 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 8.83

QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.10 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 12.87
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.60 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 12.67
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.60 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.73
Heat 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.17 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 7.93

QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK REMAINING ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 5: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Bobby Martinez *Will not be surfed. Martinez disqualified from competition.
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 8: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 9: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 10: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)