French surfer Jeremy Flores squares up to local Adam Clarke in the Burleigh shorebreak in February. Sunny Garcia’s 16-year-old son is to their right.

You probably remember the bizarre scenes from the Breaka Pro at Burleigh Heads, as Sunny Garcia and Jeremy Flores fought a local surfer in the shorebreak while the contest was running. Bizarre not because people punching other people over waves is particularly rare on the Gold Coast, but because it happened right in the middle of a major international contest.

Nothing – barring 100 foot waves – gets the mainstream more interested in surfing than “surf rage” (tho’ thinking about it, you don’t see all that many articles concerning roads until someone’s raging on one).
The fact this incident involved the notorious 2000 world champ, who has previously spent time in jail for tax evasion, definitely added to the interest.

At the time, the Association of Surfing Professionals immediately disqualified Flores from the event, banned Garcia from the next one, and fined both of them. We thought that was the end of that but this week surfinglife.com.au let us know otherwise. Apparently the Burleigh local involved in the scrap, Adam Clarke, has decided to press charges, and there is now an arrest warrant out for Sunny Garcia.

In an article on the Herald Sun website, Sunny’s lawyer, Chris Nyst, has said Sunny maintanined he was not guilty and would fully cooperate with police.

“Given today’s development, Mr. Garcia intends to return to Australia in due course, and when he does he has instructed me to reveal the full facts of the incident, and its lead-up, to the court,” said Mr Nyst.

More as this develops.