Photo: Sergio Villalba
Your 2010 Cold Water Classic winner, Matt Wilkinson

ASP Dream Tour surfer Matt Wilkinson won the ASP PRIME O'Neill Cold Water Classic California over young Hawaiian Tonino Benson in tricky two-to-four foot conditions at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, California.

Wilkinson, who is currently competing on his rookie year on the ASP World Tour, ventured to the O'Neill Cold Water Classic California in search of the valuable ratings points on offer at the ASP PRIME event to contribute to his ASP World Ranking.

The progressive goofy-footer launched out to a quick start in his bout against the young Hawaiian, blasting a solid 7 point ride. Benson quickly matched the Aussie s score, but Wilkinson notched a backup score of 6.67, to take out the win after a week of impressive backhand surfing at Steamer Lane.

Photo: Sergio Villalba
Steamer Lane always plays the perfect host to the
Cold Water Classic"I'm so stoked, I haven't won a contest in a long time," Wilkinson said. "It's been a long day, but I guess when it's cold like this I guess you don t get too buggered. I kept enough energy for the final and just got over the edge, so I'm stoked. I love surfing on my backhand and have always felt I'm stronger backside, I'm just stoked to have won this contest."

Wilkinson, who is currently sitting in the No. 27 position on the ASP Dream Tour, was elated to win the O'Neill Cold Water Classic California, which will substantially boost his ASP World Ranking.

"This is definitely a good result for my World Ranking going into the rest of the year," Wilkinson said. "I'm towards the back of the ratings on the World Tour and I was getting a little bit worried about the end of the year and I don't know, I'm definitely stoked with this."

Photo: ASP / Shadley
Local Peter Mel slashes a rightBenson was another young talent to shine on his backhand at Steamer Lane. The lightning-fast goofy-footer eliminated an impressive list of names, including 2009 O'Neill Cold Water Classic Champion Nathan Yeomans, prodigy Kolohe Andino and Australian Yadin Nicol before falling to Wilkinson in the final.

"That was kind of a tough heat for me," Benson said. "I just couldn't find a second wave and it cost me. It's okay. I'm stoked. It's a good result for me. I just came off of an injury, so I'm really happy that I made the final."

Nat Young, who was a standout throughout the O Neill Cold Water Classic California, detonated the day's highest heat-total of 15.36 out of 20 in his Quarterfinals matchup, but was unable to find a rhythm in his wave-starved Semifinals heat against Matt Wilkinson at his local break of Steamer Lane and finished equal 3rd overall.

Shaun Cansdell, who finished equal 25th in the O'Neill Cold Water Classic California, took top honors in the O'Neill Cold Water Classic Series to win the $50,000 prize purse for finishing first in the five-event series after Dion Atkinson failed to advance out of his Round of 16 heat this morning and was at a loss for words after winning the additional prize money.

"I don't even know what to say," Cansdell said. "I'm really stoked to have ended up winning the Cold Water Series. I'm at a loss for words."

For O'Neill Cold Water Classic California results log on to http://www.oneill.com/cwc/california

O'Neill Cold Water Classic California Final Result:
1 Matt Wilkinson 13.67
2 Tonino Benson 12.53

O'Neill Cold Water Classic California Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Matt Wilkinson 9.00 def. Nat Young 5.44
Heat 2: Tonino Benson 12.17 def. Billy Stairmand 4.40