LEGENDARY OCCHILUPO RETIRES BANZAI PIPELINE, Hawaii (Friday, Dec. 14, 2007) – Former ASP World Champion Mark Occhilupo (AUS) may not have won his Round 3 Billabong Pipeline Masters heat, but he was chaired up the beach and honored by his diehard fans on the beach nonetheless. Occhilupo, 41, was beaten by fellow Australian Troy Brooks in the final seconds of their heat – his last as a full-time campaigner on the Foster’s ASP World Tour. Pipe report >>

“It was emotional,” Occhilupo said after the fanfare. “I was just feeling so good in my heat not thinking I was going to have to make this speech right now, but that’s just how my year has been going so I shouldn’t have been thinking like that. Troy got a great wave at the end so I had to kind of ace up and get ready for the time that I’ve been kind of regretting.”

Occhilupo, who at age 41 is the oldest full-time competitor on tour, was 17 when he finished 16th in the world in 1983. The following year, he was rated No. 3 and the year after he would win at Pipeline. However, too much too soon would prove to be near-fatal for Occhilupo who battled demons and dropped off the tour in 1987. A decade of failed attempts to regain his winning form went by before a rejuvenated and focused Occhilupo retook the ASP World Tour by storm in 1997 and finished runner-up to Kelly Slater. In 1999, Occhilupo won three of his 12 World Tour victories to post one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history by winning the ASP World Title at the age of 33.

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”I really love competing and I’ll definitely miss that as much as my friends I’ve made on tour,” Occhilupo said. “It’s just been such a good ride, it’s been about 15 years on and off, but the time I took off and then came back and won my World Title, that was probably the best. No regrets, it’s been sensational and just to have all my friends on the beach today, I know they probably had to get up early to make it down here this morning, but they’re all there so that’s something that I’ll treasure and remember forever.”

Occy¹s Competitive Highlights:

2006 Margaret River Pro (WQS)

2001 Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge

2000 Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge

1999 ASP Men¹s World Championship

1999 Billabong Pro, Anglet/Mundaka

1999 Quiksilver Pro Fiji, Tavarua/Namotu Islands

1999 Gotcha Tahiti Pro, Teahupoo, Tairapu

1998 Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach, Vic Australia

1998 Mark Richards Newcastle City Pro (WQS)

1997 Rip Curl/Surf Dive Œn Ski Surf Skins

1997 XXXX Sunshine Pro (WQS)

1992 Hot Tuna Surfing Event (WQS)

1986 BHP Steel International, Newcastle, NSW Australia

1986 OP Pro, Huntington Beach, California

1985 Beaurepaires Open, Cronulla, NSW Australia

1985 Swan Margaret River Thriller, Margaret River

1985 OP Pro, Huntington Beach, California

1985 Gunston 500, Dairy Beach, Durban

1985 Instinct Super Series

1985 Off Shore/Marui Masters

1984 Tutti Frutti Lacanau Pro, Grande Plage, Lacanau, Gironde

1984 Country Feeling Classic, Jeffrey¹s Bay

1983 Toyota Trials

1983 Beaurepaires Trials

GLOBE HONORS MARK OCCHILUPO FOR AN UNPPRECEDENTED CAREER WITH A SPECIAL EDITION TRIBUTE SHOE

December 19th, 2007- Mermaid Beach, QLD, AUS- Following the formal announcement of 1999 ASP World Champion surfer Mark ŒOccy¹ Occhilupo¹s retirement from competitive surfing, Globe is pleased to announce the release of the Occy Tribute Edition shoe.

Occy is synonymous with Australia and surfing, and his relationship with Globe epitomizes this association. Since signing on with Globe in 1997, his illustrious return to professional surfing climaxed during his World Championship year in 1999. Many have considered Occy¹s return to competitive surfing one of the greatest comebacks in the history of all sports. Eight years later, at age 41, he¹s still qualified to compete at the sport¹s highest level, but alas, following the 2007 Pipeline Masters, he will officially be retired from full time ASP competition.

'It¹s very surreal to be retiring, and particularly at Pipeline,² said Occhilupo, as he prepared to compete in his 23rd Pipeline Masters. ³Twenty two years ago I won the Pipe Masters, and my career began. Now, I¹m wrapping it up here. It¹s too much to put perfectly into words. It¹s just special and means everything to me right now.'

'Occy¹s story is an all-time classic. He¹s captivated the surfing public now for 25 years, in every way imaginable, including being on top of the sport at two different times, 15 years apart. We¹re excited for Occy as he enters into a phase of his surfing and look forward to supporting him in new ways,² said Michael Marckx, VP of Global Marketing for Globe.'

The Occy Tribute Edition will be available through Globe retail accounts in May 2008. It is a Special Edition first-look at one of Globe¹s newest shoe designs, the Detour.

³I¹m really stoked that Globe is bringing this shoe out for me,² said Occhilupo, as he prepared for the Pipeline Masters. ³For me to continue to be supported so well by my sponsors is something I would have never imagined. Going into retirement with a new shoe coming out is unreal. I¹m really happy with everything.²

³Occy¹s Tribute Shoe takes into account his full icon status in the surf world utilizing a Warholesque Pop Art repeat image of Occy as a yardage across the heel of the shoe. Offered in a vulcanized sole, this Tribute Shoe is a classic with modern graphic updating,² adds Marckx.

Globe would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Occy on an outstanding competitive career and thank him immensely for his contribution to the sport. He has touched so many surfers around the world with his colorful personality and inspirational surfing, and the sport of surfing will truly miss his presence in the competitive arena.

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