One of the most significant changes to this year's ASP tour is the implementation of the One World Ranking System, which effectively has eliminated the two tier ranking system.

Since 1992, surfers on the ASP World Tour and those trying to qualify for it have been competing on two entirely separate tours with separate rankings. The World Tour and the World Qualifying Tours were two very different universes.

But the new point system is changing all that.

This year all ASP surfers will be ranked internationally on the same list. While the ASP World Title race will still have its own ratings list, those same 32 surfers will be ranked against the entire ASP field on the One World Ranking too, which, ultimately, will determine whether or not they remain eligible for the ASP World Title.

The net effect of all this is a very positive one for fans, who will be seeing more of the top surfers hard at work this year.

Last year's 6-Star Prime events are just called Prime events this year. But they carry significantly more weight, with a very healthy dose of World Ranking Points -- points that will prove very valuable this year since the ASP World Title field is going to be reduced to 32 surfers from 48 midway through the season.

Consider this: CJ Hobgood won the first Prime event in Brazil, three weeks before the race for this year's world title got underway at the Quiksilver Pro. By winning the prime event in Brazil, Hobgood racked up 6500 points, exactly the same amount of points Dane Reynolds earned at the Quiksilver Pro, an ASP World TItle event, for finishing in 3rd place.

As a result, CJ Hobgood is already ranked number 2 on the Men's World Ranking, above the likes of Jordy Smith, Bobby Martinez and Dane Reynolds. While this doesn't mean a whole lot yet, the Men's World Ranking will become even more important as mid season nears.

This also explains why 33 of the ASP's Top 44 surfers have ventured over to Western Australia this week to compete in the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro. Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Taj Burrow, CJ and Damien Hobgood are just a handful of those competing. They're each starting in the four man Round of 96 heats, much to the delight of the Margaret River crowd.

Mother nature seems to be turning things on for the big boys, too, as the swell is pumping. Let's hope the same thing happens at the Nike 6.0 Pro at Lower Trestles in May, which should attract an even bigger talent pool.


Above: World Champion Mick Fanning competing at the Drug Aware Pro in Margaret River, Western Australia.