User:Neilho/Sunny Garcia

Sunny Garcia was born Vincent Sennen Garcia on January 14 1970 in Mā'ili, on the Westside of Oahu, Hawaii. He grew up in Wai'anae and after leaving school, debuted on the 1986 Gotcha Pro at Sandy Beach, Oahu, beating the 1984 champ Tom Carroll.

His top surfing achievement was becoming the ASP WCT World Champion in 2000 but Sunny also holds the record for most WQS event wins(22) and holds six Triple Crown of Surfing titles. In addition, he was only the second professional surfer to win over $1 million in prize money (he is currently only behind Kelly Slater and Andy Irons in prize winnings). He initially retired in 2005 but is now competing again although in 2008, his hopes for ASP World Tour qualification were dashed with early elimination in the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing.

Personal
Following his parents' divorce, Vincent lived with his mother near Mā'ili point, close to the beach. He was a dominant force in the Hawaiian Surfing Association and soon made the grade, as a 17 year old, on the 1986 WCT, beating former champion Tom Carroll and threatening to cause an upset to the top 16. Unfortunately, despite this early promise he just failed to break into this elite group on his debut season but the following year he made good on his promise and finished in 16th position. Sunny showed great consistency throughout the 1990s, finishing in the top ten every year and coming third four times during that period. However, in 1995 it seemed that he might have reached the climax of his career. Failing to win the Pipeline Masters to claim the title Sunny ended up finishing third behind Kelly Slater and Rob Machado. With a host of talented young blood set to qualify for the 1996 Dream Tour and declining fitness levels, it seemed Sunny's era was over.

Then, four years later, things changed. Inspired by veteran Mark Occhilupo's shock 1999 WCT title, Sunny shed weight and moved to Kauai with his former wife, on whom he lavishes much credit. There he surfed with the progressive Irons brothers, Andy and Bruce, expanding his surfing repertoire.

Finally, in 2000, 14 years after his debut, Sunny achieved the ultimate surfing accolade, emphatically dominating the ASP WCT from the start of the campaign, winning the first two events in Australia and clinching the title in Brazil, the penultimate event. On the way he also picked up a fifth Triple Crown in his native Hawaii.

After initially retiring from the professional surfing circuit in 2005, Sunny is now competing on the WQS again. In 2008, he started slowly but moved into the top ten after a fifth place finish in Scotland. Sunny was determined to win the series, and many people tipped him to do so but in the end early elimination in the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing, in his own back yard, meant he was denied a place on the 2009 Dream Tour. In 2009 he had surgery on his knee.

Sunny has been a controversial figure, depicted as both volatile and easygoing by those who have met him. According to EXPN TV, his nickname Sunny was given to him by his mother, due to his cheerful disposition as an infant. He is known as a tough competitor but also someone who owes success to the peace he feels when surfing. He has been married three times, most recently to Colleen McCullough in 2008, and has three teenage children from his first marriage.

Titles/Records Held

 * 2000 ASP WCT World Champion
 * 2004 Triple Crown of Surfing
 * 2000 Triple Crown of Surfing
 * 1999 Triple Crown of Surfing
 * 1994 Triple Crown of Surfing
 * 1993 Triple Crown of Surfing
 * 1992 Triple Crown of Surfing
 * 1987/1988 ASP's Men's Most Improved award
 * 1990 ASP's Men's Most Improved award
 * Most victories in WQS competition (22)
 * Most Triple Crown of Surfing titles (6)

History of Wins
2004
 * Vans Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Hale'iwa, Hawaii)

2002
 * G-Shock Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)

2000
 * Billabong Pro (Kirra Point - Gold Coast, Australia)
 * Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
 * Panasonic Shockwave US Open (Huntington Beach, California)
 * G-Shock Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)
 * Rip Curl World Cup (Sunset Beach - Oahu, Hawaii)

1997
 * Katin Team Challenge (Huntington Beach, California)

1996
 * Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
 * Town and Country (Ala Moana - Oahu, Hawaii)

1995
 * Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
 * Quiksilver Surfmasters (Grande Plage - Biarritz,France)
 * Rusty Pro (Honolua Bay - Maui, Hawaii)
 * Op Pro (Huntington Beach, California)
 * T&C/Bud Surf Tour Championships (Mākaha - Oahu, Hawaii)

1994
 * Reunion Pro (Saint-Leu, Réunion)
 * Billabong Kirra Pro (Kirra Point - Gold Coast, Australia)
 * T&C/Bud Surf Tour Championships (Mākaha - Oahu, Hawaii)
 * Hapuna World Cup of Surfing (Sunset Beach - Oahu, Hawaii)

1993
 * HIC Pro (Banzai Pipeline - Oahu, Hawaii)
 * Op Pro (Huntington Beach, California)
 * Wyland Galleries Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)

1992
 * Gunston 500 (Durban, Natal, South Africa)
 * T&C O'Neill Pro (Kuhio Beach - Maui, Hawaii)
 * Pukas Pro (Zarauz, Basque Country, Spain)
 * Marui/Surfin' Life Qualifying (Hebara Beach - Chiba, Japan)
 * Miyazaki Qualifying (Miyazaki, Japan)
 * Xcel Pro (Sunset Beach - Oahu, Hawaii)
 * Wyland Galleries Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)

1990
 * Pukas Pro (Zarauz,Basque Country, Spain)
 * Seland Pro (Sopelana, Basque Country, Spain)

In The News
In October 2006, Garcia was sentenced to serve time in federal prison for failing to pay taxes on unreported contest winnings from 1996 to 2001. Over $471,000 in prize money went unclaimed, resulting in a three month sentence on tax evasion charges, beginning January 12th 2007, plus a further period of home confinement and community service. "I spent my money foolishly and didn't handle my affairs," he said outside the San Diego federal courtroom where he was sentenced.

Other Information
Sunny has Hawaiian, Spanish, Filipino, Chinese, Puerto Rican and Irish heritage. In 2002, he starred in 'North Shore: Boarding House', a reality TV show featuring co-habiting surfers living together. However, he generally chooses to steer clear of the North Shore hype, preferring to spend his time surfing alone or riding motocross. He has a clothing deal with Affliction Clothing where the tattoos he has on his body have been replicated on his own custom shirt. Sunny also features in the 'Sunny Garcia Surfing' computer game.