"Jericho Proves Surfing Still a Poppler Sport," Honolulu Advertiser, Nov 18, 1977

Jericho Poppler of Long Beach, Calif., road the six-foot waves off Sunset Beach to her second straight women's championship yesterday in the ninth annual Smirnoff World Pro-Am surfing meet. The waves—too small for the men’s semifinal round—were perfectly suited for the select field of 12 women.

After two preliminary heats reduced the field to six for the title round, Poppler nosed out Margo Oberg of Kauai for the crown.

Following runner-up Oberg were another four Hawaii surfers—Nancy Emerson. Elaine Davis, Lynn Boyer and Dodie Hakemack. Poppler earned $1,000 for her repeat victory. Oberg received $500 for second place plus another $100 for winning the first preliminary heat. Emerson gained $300 for third place and Boyer got $100 for taking the second preliminary heat.

"Abellira Breaks Another Aussie Reign in the Smirnoff," Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Nov 20, 1977

When Reno Abellira won the Smirnoff World Pro-Am surfing title in 1974, he broke a two-year sweep by the Australians who won in '72 and '73 and became the only surfer from Hawaii ever to win this event. Yesterday, with the Sunset Beach swells breaking in the 10 to 12-foot range, Abellira captured the ninth annual Smirnoff World Pro-Am meet by edging 1975 champ Mark Richards of Australia by a single point. And once again Abellira broke a two-year dominance by the Australians who took back-to-back titles in '75 and '76.

An estimated crowd of 5,000 enjoyed the sun, sand and surf while watching 12 of the world's top surfers ride 10-foot swells for the semifinals then laid back to watch the top six tangle in consistent 12-foot waves for the finals.

The finalists were Abellira, Richards, Australia's Terry Fitzgerald, South Africa's Shaun Tomson, and Hawaii's Buzzy Kerbox and Larry Bertlemann.

Abellira picked up $5,000 for his effort while Richards collected the second-place check worth $2,000, plus another $150 for winning heat No. 2 in the semifinals.

Fitzgerald finished third for $1,000 while Tomson, South Africa's top pro, took fourth for $500 and an additional $150 for his first-place finish in the third heat of the semifinals.

Kerbox of Hawaii placed fifth and earned $350 plus $150 for winning heat No. 1 in the semifinals, while Bertlemann placed sixth for $200. Abellira, Richards and Kerbox also collected an additional $100 for winning their heats in the preliminary round held on Wednesday.

1977 Smirnoff Pro-Am

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