Sunny Garcia
Encyclopedia
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 Garcia also holds the record for most WQS
event wins, 22, and holds six Triple Crown of Surfing
titles. In addition, he was the second professional surfer to win over $1 million in prize money. 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
.
Garcia 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 Garcia's era was over.
Then, four years later, things changed. Inspired by veteran Mark Occhilupo
's shock 1999 WCT title, Garcia 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, Garcia 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, Garcia 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
. Garcia 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 and finished the year strongly, following a quarter final berth in the Hawaiian pro with a runner-up spot to Triple Crown rival Joel Parkinson in the O'Neill World Cup. However his attempt to clinch a seventh Triple Crown was denied in the cruelest of circumstances when he lost his Pipemasters place after arriving late for his heat. Some consolation would have come from his standout performance at the 'Quiksilver in memory of Eddie Aikau' big wave contest ("The Eddie"), in which he finished third.
As of June 2010, he was placed 67th in the new ASP World Rankings, his best result being a quarter-final finish on the 'Sponsor me now Sunset Open' in January.
Garcia has been a controversial figure, depicted as both volatile and easygoing by those who have met him. According to ESPN 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.
2002
2000
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1990
In 2011, Garcia is the host of "Surfers for Cystic Fibrosis
" golf tournament fundraiser that has been organized by the charitable organization The Mauli Ola Foundation. Proceeds will fund surf experience days Cystic Fibrosis sufferers.
and 80 hours community service with Goodwill
. "I spent my money foolishly and didn't handle my affairs," he said outside the San Diego federal courtroom where he was sentenced.
On 21 February 2011, the ASP Rules and Disciplinary Committee convened to assess an alleged brawl involving Garcia, Jeremy Flores
and a local surfer, who allegedly dropped-in on Garcia's teenage son while surfing on 19 February 2011 on the Gold Coast
, Queensland
, Australia
. In accordance with the ASP Rulebook, immediately following the incident, then-active surfer Jeremy Flores was suspended from the 4-star Breaka Burleigh Pro event at Burleigh Heads
and then-eliminated surfer Garcia was suspended from the 4-star Burton Toyota Pro in Newcastle, New South Wales
. An amateur cameraman who filmed the brawl alleged he was attacked by Sunny Garcia soon after, when he approached him on land. The cameraman lodged an official assault complaint with Gold Coast Police but withdrew it on the afternoon of 21 February 2011. Witnesses allege Garcia went after the amateur cameraman, knocking him to the ground and inflicting deep grazes to his back and arms with one of the man's hands receiving injuries. The amateur cameraman told police he wanted to drop his complaint after receiving threats from locals and Garcia's overseas supporters warning of retribution and sought to lay low in his native Brazil until the surf rage furore died down. The amateur cameraman was quoted as saying, I'm too scared to press charges...Garcia could go to jail and then people would want to get me. At the moment I just don't feel safe...I've had threats on the internet I don't know how I'd protect myself and my family if something happened. Garcia sought legal advice from high-profile Gold Coast lawyer Chris Nyst
. On 3 May 2011, Queensland Police Service confirmed an arrest warrant has been issued for a 41-year-old man on a charge of common assault, the reporting newspaper linked the warrant to Garcia. On 4 May 2011, Garcia's lawyer, Chris Nyst, confirmed the arrest warrant for Garcia, that it involves the young surfer who was allegedly assaulted, advised continued co-operation from Garcia with police and is confident his client would be exonerated.
/Spanish
from his father's side and Hawaiian
, Chinese
, Filipino
, Irish
and Native American
heritage from his mother's side. 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.
Ma'ili, Hawai'i
Māili is a town and census-designated place in the Waianae District on the Island of Oahu, City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii. In Hawaiian, māili means "pebbly" referring to rounded stones at the shore...
, on the Westside of Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He grew up in Wai'anae
Wai'anae, Hawai'i
Waianae is a census-designated place in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the CDP population was 10,506.-Geography:Waianae is located at ....
and after leaving school, debuted on the 1986 Gotcha Pro at Sandy Beach
Sandy Beach
Sandy Beach is a beach on the South Shore of Oahu in Hawaii. It is known for its excellent bodyboarding and bodysurfing opportunities due to shore break that breaks very close to the shore. Consequently, more injuries occur per year at Sandy Beach than any other beach in Hawaii, earning it the...
, Oahu, beating the 1984 champ Tom Carroll.
His top surfing achievement was becoming the ASP
Association of Surfing Professionals
The Association of Surfing Professionals is the governing body for professional surfers and is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best talent in a variety of progressive formats.- Predecessors to the ASP :...
WCT World Champion in 2000 but Garcia also holds the record for most WQS
World Qualification Series (2009)
-What is the WQS?:To qualify for the honour of competing with the world's best surfers on the ASP World Tour, competitors amass points through a qualification programme, known as the WQS or World Qualification Series...
event wins, 22, and holds six Triple Crown of Surfing
Triple Crown of Surfing
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is a Hawaiian specialty series of professional surfing events, offering three events to men and three events to women. For the men, those events are the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa Ali'i Beach Park; the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach; and the...
titles. In addition, he was the second professional surfer to win over $1 million in prize money. 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
O'Neill World Cup of Surfing
The O'Neill World Cup of Surfing is a prestigious event in surfing held annually at Sunset Beach in Hawaii. The event attracts over a hundred elite surfers from around the world. It is the second event of the Triple Crown of Surfing. The first competition was held in 1975. Of the 22 surfers who...
.
Personal
Following his parents' divorce, Garcia 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.Garcia 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
Billabong Pipeline Masters
The Billabong Pipeline Masters is an event in surfing held annually at Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii. It was established in 1970 and attracts the top 45 surfers from the Association of Surfing Professionals as well as 16 surfers who compete in walk on trials. The surfers compete for a share of...
to claim the title Sunny ended up finishing third behind Kelly Slater
Kelly Slater
Robert Kelly Slater is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest and the oldest to win the title...
and Rob Machado
Rob Machado
Robert Edward Machado is an American professional surfer from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in Encinitas , California....
. With a host of talented young blood set to qualify for the 1996 Dream Tour and declining fitness levels, it seemed Garcia's era was over.
Then, four years later, things changed. Inspired by veteran Mark Occhilupo
Mark Occhilupo
Marco Jay Luciano "Mark" Occhilupo is an Australian surfer and winner of the 1999 World surfing champion title.Occhilupo, also known as Occy, began his professional career in the World Championship Tour at the age of 17....
's shock 1999 WCT title, Garcia shed weight and moved to Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
with his former wife, on whom he lavishes much credit. There he surfed with the progressive Irons brothers, Andy
Andy Irons
Philip Andrew "Andy" Irons was a professional surfer. Irons learned to surf on the dangerous and shallow reefs of the North Shore in Kauai, Hawaii...
and Bruce, expanding his surfing repertoire.
Finally, in 2000, 14 years after his debut, Garcia achieved the ultimate surfing accolade, emphatically dominating the ASP WCT from the start of the campaign, winning the first two events in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and clinching the title in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, 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, Garcia 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
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Garcia 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 and finished the year strongly, following a quarter final berth in the Hawaiian pro with a runner-up spot to Triple Crown rival Joel Parkinson in the O'Neill World Cup. However his attempt to clinch a seventh Triple Crown was denied in the cruelest of circumstances when he lost his Pipemasters place after arriving late for his heat. Some consolation would have come from his standout performance at the 'Quiksilver in memory of Eddie Aikau' big wave contest ("The Eddie"), in which he finished third.
As of June 2010, he was placed 67th in the new ASP World Rankings, his best result being a quarter-final finish on the 'Sponsor me now Sunset Open' in January.
Garcia has been a controversial figure, depicted as both volatile and easygoing by those who have met him. According to ESPN TV
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
, 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'iwaHale'iwa, Hawai'iHaleiwa is a North Shore community and census-designated place in the Waialua District of the island of Oahu, City and County of Honolulu.Haleiwa is located on Waialua Bay, the mouth of Anahulu Stream...
, Hawaii)
2002
- G-Shock Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)
2000
- Billabong Pro (Kirra PointKirra, QueenslandKirra is a beachside suburb of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. The small rocky headland Kirra Point separates Kirra beach to the north and Coolangatta beach to the south, and is noted as one of the world's premier surf breaks....
- Gold CoastGold Coast, QueenslandGold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Australia) - Rip Curl ProRip Curl ProFormerly the Bells Beach Surf Classic, The Rip Curl Pro is an ASP World Tour surfing competition held in and around Torquay, Victoria. The event is based at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia...
Bells Beach ,(Australia) - Panasonic Shockwave US OpenU.S. Open of SurfingThe U.S. Open of Surfing is a week-long surfing competition held annually during the summer in Huntington Beach, California. Generally held on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier, the U.S...
(Huntington BeachHuntington Beach, CaliforniaHuntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) - G-Shock Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)
- Rip Curl World CupO'Neill World Cup of SurfingThe O'Neill World Cup of Surfing is a prestigious event in surfing held annually at Sunset Beach in Hawaii. The event attracts over a hundred elite surfers from around the world. It is the second event of the Triple Crown of Surfing. The first competition was held in 1975. Of the 22 surfers who...
(Sunset BeachSunset Beach (Oahu)thumb|right|Sunset Beach on Oahu's North ShoreSunset Beach is on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawai'i and known for big wave surfing during the winter season. The original Hawaiian name for this place is Paumalū...
- Oahu, Hawaii)
1997
- Katin Team Challenge (Huntington Beach, California)
1996
- Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
- Town and Country (Ala MoanaAla MoanaAla Moana is the name of a commercial, retail and residential district of Honolulu, Hawaii nestled between Waikīkī to the east and Kakaako and Honolulu Harbor to the west...
- Oahu, Hawaii)
1995
- Rip Curl Pro (Bells Beach, Australia)
- Quiksilver Surfmasters (Grande Plage - BiarritzBiarritzBiarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) - Rusty Pro (Honolua BayKapalua, HawaiiKapalua is a census-designated place in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. A resort development by the Maui Land & Pineapple Company extends inland from Kapalua Bay and Honolua Bay. The population was 467 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- MauiMauiThe island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, Hawaii) - Op Pro (Huntington Beach, California)
- T&C/Bud Surf Tour Championships (MākahaMakaha, Hawai'ithumb|280px|Historically, Mākaha was an [[ahupua'a|ahupuaʻa]], or area of land ruled by chief or king and managed by the members of the [[alii|alii]]Mākaha is a census-designated place in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States...
- Oahu, Hawaii)
1994
- Reunion Pro (Saint-LeuSaint-Leu, RéunionSaint-Leu is a commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the west side of the island of Réunion.-Points of interest:* Conservatoire botanique national de Mascarin...
, RéunionRéunionRéunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
) - Billabong Kirra Pro (Kirra Point - Gold Coast, Australia)
- T&C/Bud Surf Tour Championships (Mākaha - Oahu, Hawaii)
- Hapuna World Cup of SurfingO'Neill World Cup of SurfingThe O'Neill World Cup of Surfing is a prestigious event in surfing held annually at Sunset Beach in Hawaii. The event attracts over a hundred elite surfers from around the world. It is the second event of the Triple Crown of Surfing. The first competition was held in 1975. Of the 22 surfers who...
(Sunset Beach - Oahu, Hawaii)
1993
- HIC Pro (Banzai PipelineBanzai PipelineThe Banzai Pipeline, or simply "Pipeline" or "Pipe," is a surf reef break located in Hawaii, off Ehukai Beach Park in Pupukea on O'ahu's North Shore. A reef break is an area in the ocean where waves start to break once they reach the shallows of a reef...
- Oahu, Hawaii) - Op Pro (Huntington Beach, California)
- Wyland Galleries Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)
1992
- Gunston 500 (DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, NatalKwaZulu-NatalKwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) - T&C O'Neill Pro (Kuhio Beach - Maui, Hawaii)
- Pukas Pro (Zarauz, Basque CountryBasque Country (autonomous community)The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) - Marui/Surfin' Life Qualifying (Hebara Beach - ChibaChiba, Chibais the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) - Miyazaki Qualifying (MiyazakiMiyazaki, Miyazakiis the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. Located on the coast and perforated by several rivers, Miyazaki City enjoys scenic views of both ocean and nearby, verdant mountains...
, Japan) - Xcel Pro (Sunset Beach - Oahu, Hawaii)
- Wyland Galleries Hawaiian Pro (Alii Beach - Haleiwa, Hawaii)
1990
- Pukas Pro (Zarauz,Basque Country, Spain)
- Seland Pro (SopelanaSopelanaSopelana is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain....
, Basque Country, Spain)
Awards
In 2010, Sunny was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame at Huntington Beach.Volunteer Work
Garcia has often volunteered for the charity Surfers Healing, a foundation for autism, which has included beach clean-up days held in Hawaii and along California's coast. It is likely that Garcia's volunteer work has been completed in order to fulfill community service requirements resulting from numerous assaults.In 2011, Garcia is the host of "Surfers for Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
" golf tournament fundraiser that has been organized by the charitable organization The Mauli Ola Foundation. Proceeds will fund surf experience days Cystic Fibrosis sufferers.
In the news
In October 2006, Garcia was sentenced to federal prison for tax fraud after failing to pay taxes on unreported contest winnings from 1996 to 2001. Over USD471,000 in prize money went unclaimed, resulting in a three-month sentence, beginning January 12, 2007, plus a further 7 months of house arrestHouse arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
and 80 hours community service with Goodwill
Goodwill Industries
Goodwill Industries International is a not-for-profit organization that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have a disability, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges...
. "I spent my money foolishly and didn't handle my affairs," he said outside the San Diego federal courtroom where he was sentenced.
On 21 February 2011, the ASP Rules and Disciplinary Committee convened to assess an alleged brawl involving Garcia, Jeremy Flores
Jeremy Flores
Jeremy Flores is a French surfer who was born in Reunion Island, France, where he began surfing at the age of 3. He continued his surfing development on family trips to Australia, Europe and Hawaii, all the while maintaining his education through correspondence courses...
and a local surfer, who allegedly dropped-in on Garcia's teenage son while surfing on 19 February 2011 on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In accordance with the ASP Rulebook, immediately following the incident, then-active surfer Jeremy Flores was suspended from the 4-star Breaka Burleigh Pro event at Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Heads, Queensland
Burleigh Heads is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Burleigh Heads had a population of 7,606.Burleigh Heads is renowned for its surf break, and is an alternative to the more tourist ridden towns of the Gold Coast...
and then-eliminated surfer Garcia was suspended from the 4-star Burton Toyota Pro in Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. An amateur cameraman who filmed the brawl alleged he was attacked by Sunny Garcia soon after, when he approached him on land. The cameraman lodged an official assault complaint with Gold Coast Police but withdrew it on the afternoon of 21 February 2011. Witnesses allege Garcia went after the amateur cameraman, knocking him to the ground and inflicting deep grazes to his back and arms with one of the man's hands receiving injuries. The amateur cameraman told police he wanted to drop his complaint after receiving threats from locals and Garcia's overseas supporters warning of retribution and sought to lay low in his native Brazil until the surf rage furore died down. The amateur cameraman was quoted as saying, I'm too scared to press charges...Garcia could go to jail and then people would want to get me. At the moment I just don't feel safe...I've had threats on the internet I don't know how I'd protect myself and my family if something happened. Garcia sought legal advice from high-profile Gold Coast lawyer Chris Nyst
Chris Nyst
Chris Nyst in Blackall, Queensland, is an Australian solicitor and crime fiction writer.Chris Nyst is the founding principal of Nyst Lawyers...
. On 3 May 2011, Queensland Police Service confirmed an arrest warrant has been issued for a 41-year-old man on a charge of common assault, the reporting newspaper linked the warrant to Garcia. On 4 May 2011, Garcia's lawyer, Chris Nyst, confirmed the arrest warrant for Garcia, that it involves the young surfer who was allegedly assaulted, advised continued co-operation from Garcia with police and is confident his client would be exonerated.
Other information
Garcia is of Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
/Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
from his father's side and Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
, Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
, Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
heritage from his mother's side. 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
North Shore (Oahu)
The North Shore, in the context of geography of the Island of Oahu, refers to the north-facing coastal area of Oahu between Kaena Point and Kahuku Point...
hype, preferring to spend his time surfing alone or riding motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
.
He has a clothing deal with Affliction Clothing
Affliction Clothing
Affliction Clothing is an American clothing manufacturer based in Seal Beach, California. It is owned by Affliction Inc., which ran a mixed martial arts promotion, Affliction Entertainment.- History :Affliction was launched in August 2005...
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.