KIRRA, Queensland/Australia (Wednesday, March 13, 2013) – Kelly Slater (USA), 41, 11-time ASP World Champion and 2012 ASP World Runner-Up, has claimed the 2013 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover in firing three-to-five foot (1 – 1.5 metre) barrels at Kirra over reigning ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, in front of a capacity crowd on the Gold Coast.
The opening stop on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Quiksilver Gold Coast culminated in fine fashion today with a tube-riding shootout between two of the sport’s greatest champions. Slater and Parkinson opened their 40-minute Final bout with a rapid-fire exchange of tube-riding displays, vaulting the lead back and forth before Slater nailed a 9.93 for an incredibly-deep barrel punctuated by a full-velocity forehand gaff. “It was just fun today,” Slater said. “I really wanted to surf Kirra as I made known the other day and it was great fun out there. We thought the swell was going to be too East, but it’s really really good out there and to get to surf it with Joel (Parkinson) is even better. He’s one of the best and we had a lot of fun out there.” Today win marks Slater’s 52nd elite tour victory of his career, but the iconic Floridian admits that it’s a long season ahead in terms of the hunt for the 2013 ASP World Title. “They’re all important but it’s nice to get off to a good start,” Slater said. “The three top seeds – Joel, myself and Mick all finished in the top three spots and Michel (Bourez) had a great event too. Momentum shifts throughout each season and a lot can happen. It’s probably the most talented field that has ever been on tour and there are nine more events. I’m committed to the tour this season.” Parkinson looked unbeatable on the final day of the event, collecting a Perfect 10 in his morning Semifinal before posting an excellent 17.47 in his Final against Slater. However, the impressive scoreline would prove insufficient against the American’s onslaught and the reigning ASP World Champion would post a Runner-Up finish in the opening event of the year. “When Kirra is doing what it’s doing out there today, it doesn’t feel like an event,” Parkinson said. “I had some great waves and a lot of fun, and to get to do it with the singlet on is icing on the cake. I appreciate all the local support out here today and Runner-Up is a good start to the season. Bring on Bells.” Mick Fanning (AUS), 31, two-time ASP World Champion (2007, 2009), went down in a barrel shootout this morning with Slater. Despite opening up with an impressive scoreline and an early lead, the Kirra local would ultimately fall to Slater in the dying moments of the heat – 18.60 to 19.37. “It’s a tough way to go out but you can’t be too upset when you put together a heat like that,” Fanning said. “I had a really good start and put in some solid scores. Kelly (Slater) just did his ‘Kelly Thing’ and got that incredible 10 and really put himself back in the hunt. Shame I couldn’t get to the Final with Joel (Parkinson), but it’s a good start to the year so I’ll refocus and get ready for Bells.” Fanning collects an Equal 3rd place finish in the opening event of the season. Michel Bourez (PYF), 27, opened up this morning’s action with a Semifinal bout against Parkinson. Despite being universally-celebrated as one of the most powerful surfers throughout the event, the Tahitian found himself at odds this morning after the Australian’s quick start to their clash. “It was such a hard heat against Parko (Joel Parkinson),” Bourez said. “He’s a local and he got a 10 on his first wave. It was kind of embarrassing for me as I was waiting and sitting out there for too long and Joel was able to catch a lot of waves. It’s alright though. It’s my best result at this event. I feel great, my boards are going well and I can’t wait for Bells.” The next stop on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) will be the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford from March 27 – April 7, 2013. Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover will be available via quiksilverlive.com For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST FINAL RESULTS: 1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 18.56 2 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.47 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINAL RESULTS: SF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.17 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.80 SF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 19.37 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.60 CURRENT ASP WCT TOP 5 (Following Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast): 1. Kelly Slater (USA) 10000 pts 2. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 8000 pts 3. Mick Fanning (AUS) 6500 pts 3. Michel Bourez (PYF) 6500 pts 5. Taj Burrow (AUS) 5200 pts 5. Julian Wilson (AUS) 5200 pts 5. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 5200 pts 5. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 5200 pts All the ou's that backed Kelly to win were in the draw for the kiff prizes in the ML Fantasy Surfer League. Random draw saw Peter Coffey take the first prize and Matt Elliot the 2nd. Remember to enter the next ML Fantasy Surf comp if you wanna get your hands on some kiff loot! <check here>
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Well done to all the participants of the Third EP Longboard Trail., held at Noordhoek over the weekend.
Our last trial will be held in St Francis Bay at the Hulett’s Reef. We will be meeting at the main beach car park at 8am for registration and will be getting the contest underway once registration is complete. The tides are looking perfect for the trial with a steady push for the duration of the comp. This is ideal for the Reef and the locals tell me the banks on the inside are fantastic at the moment. We are encouraging all to enter this last trial even if you are not able to come to Cape Town. This fourth trial is part of our fundraising weekend so all the support we can get would be highly appreciated. There will also be some prizes to give away for the event. A friendly reminder to those of you who need accommodation please remember the Cape St Francis Resort is running a special for the out of town golfers and surfers with rates as low as R150.00 per person sharing. You can contact them on 042-2980054 and speak to Chelsea. We would also like to invite all the surfers to the prize giving at the golf club for the golf day fundraiser. Come and join us for a drink! The evening promises to be quite festive. The prize giving is usually around 6pm. VERY NB- DRESS CODE FOR THE GOLF CLUB: NO SLOPS AND NO VESTS. Hope we can count on seeing you all there If you picked Kelly, Mick or Parko for your ML Fantasy Surfer winner - then you still in the game. They all won through to the semi's, along with Bourez (no-one picked him - poor guy!) Kelly blitzed his heat -Parko left it a bit late - picking up a tube and a 10 in the last minute. Mick's looking on fire as well. Could be an interesting day tomorrow....
SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Monday, March 11, 2013) -The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover completed Rounds 3 and 4 today as the world’s best surfers did battle with one another amidst building two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at the primary venue of Snapper Rocks.
The opening stop on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast has narrowed the original 36-man field down to the final 12 with the potential to finish as soon as tomorrow. Taj Burrow (AUS), 34, defending Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast champion, was lethal in this afternoon’s Round 4 bout, posting an incredibly-high heat total of an 18.06 out of a possible 20, and advancing directly into the Quarterfinals. “That was a lot of fun out there,” Burrow said. “The Snapper Bank isn’t what it usually is, but there’s still some fun sections when the waves offer them. My boards are feeling really good at the moment – really fast and really responsive. This event is usually a good start to the year for me so to be into the Quarters already is a result. These days though, you really need to be putting up solid finishes and wins to be in the hunt.” Despite Burrow’s impressive performance, Kelly Slater (USA), 41, 11-time ASP World Champion and 2012 ASP World Runner-Up, would not be outdone, posting the day’s high heat total of an 18.27 out of a possible 20 to edge out Australians Bede Durbidge (AUS), 30, and Matt Wilkinson(AUS), 24, in one of the most exciting clashes of the event. “It was an exciting heat and both Bede (Durbidge) and Wilko (Matt Wilkinson) were surfing really well,” Slater said. “It’s fortunate when it’s a non-elimination heat and guys are surfing so well – no one gets eliminated. The level has been really, really high here today and it’s a good start to the year. Hopefully we can get some waves at Kirra either tomorrow or Wednesday and finish in some barrels.” Julian Wilson (AUS), 24, has long been considered a threat to the ASP World Crown and proved his mettle once again today, besting reigning ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, and in-form Tahitian Michel Bourez (PYF), 27, in their non-elimination Round 4 bout. “I feel like I’m building momentum throughout this event,” Wilson said. “In the first half of that heat, I was still a bit hesitant, but felt like I was getting back into my groove at the end here. It’s been a long wait between Pipe and here and I guess I’ve been shaking off the cobwebs a bit. It feels really good to beat the champ out there. It’s a huge confidence booster.” Wilson’s win advances him directly to the Quarterfinals. Mick Fanning (AUS), 31, two-time ASP World Champion (2007, 2009), closed out the day’s affairs with an emphatic Round 4 win over Travis Logie(ZAF), 33, and Brett Simpson (USA), 28. Fanning jumped out to an early lead, utilizing his superior wave selection and razor-sharp precision to collect a solid 15.40 out of a possible 20. This afternoon’s win vaults the Australian directly into the Quarterfinals while Logie and Simpson have been relegated to Round 5. “The level of performance has been so high today,” Fanning said. “Travis (Logie) knocked out Jordy (Smith) earlier and Brett (Simpson) is really coming into his own at the event. Everyone on tour is dangerous and I just approached that heat by trying to pull out to an early lead and loosen up my surfing. Round 4 is non-elimination so there’s slightly less pressure but at the same time, it’s a huge advantage to leapfrog over Round 5 and go straight into the Quarters. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.” When competition resumes, up first will be Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, up against Michel Bourez (PYF), 27, in Heat 1 of Round 5. Event organizers will return at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start. Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover will be available via quiksilverlive.com For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST REMAINING ROUND 3 RESULTS: Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.23 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.34 Heat 8: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.00 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.50 Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.63 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.37 Heat 10: Brett Simpson (USA) 12.16 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.53 Heat 11: Travis Logie (ZAF) 15.44 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.43 Heat 12: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.67 def. Nat Young (USA) 16.36 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 RESULTS: Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 18.06, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.83, Adam Melling (AUS) 10.07 Heat 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.60, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.53, Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.13 Heat 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.27, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.60, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 16.44 Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.40 Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.60, Brett Simpson (USA) 8.23 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 5 MATCH-UPS: Heat 1: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF) Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS) Heat 3: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA) Heat 4: Travis Logie (ZAF) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS: QF 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. TBD QF 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. TBD QF 3: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. TBD QF 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. TBD SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Sunday, March 10, 2013) -The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, Event No. 1 of 10 on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), completed Round 2 and the opening six heats of Round 3 today in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at the primary venue of Snapper Rocks and the world’s best surfers put on a phenomenal display of high-performance surfing. Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, reigning ASP World Champion, ousted lethal wildcard Dane Reynolds (USA), 27, in the final clash of the day. The two form natural-footers went toe-to-toe, exchanging massive scores and wowing the capacity crowd on the beach. Despite the impressive display from Reynolds, it was Parkinson’s mid-heat, near-perfect 9.87 out of a possible 10 for an electric display of forehand surfing at his home venue that would seal the win. “That was pretty exciting,” Parkinson said. “Dane (Reynolds) is one of the best anywhere and yeah, I was nervous before the heat. It came down to waves and that one I got mid-heat was one of the better waves that came through this afternoon. It is a huge confidence builder as he’s probably the most dangerous guy in the draw and he has nothing to lose. That said, I’m prepared for this season. I’m confident in my surfing and I’m just enjoying this first event.” Parkinson is now through to Round 4 of competition – an excellent start to his inaugural ASP World Title defense. “Through to Round 4 so it’s a start,” Parkinson said. “Still a lot of really good surfers left in the draw though so it’s far from over. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.” Michel Bourez (PYF), 27, was absolutely dominant this afternoon in his Round 3 bout against Alejo Muniz (BRA), 23, posting an incredible 17.90 to better the Brazilian’s own impressive score of a 17.57. “It was such a tricky heat because I had an early lead and had to hold on pretty much from the beginning of the heat,” Bourez said. “Alejo (Muniz) had to fight back and he did and I had to watch him stay busy the whole heat. Very happy to hold on and to keep surfing in the event. The waves are very fun and I hope we continue to get good surf for the rest of the event.” Taj Burrow (AUS), 34, defending Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast winner, survived a shootout in Round 3 this afternoon against 2013 ASP Dream Tour rookie Filipe Toledo (BRA), 17. Despite an aerial onslaught late in the bout by the Brazilian, it was the veteran’s razor-sharp precision and power surfing that would win the heat. “You cannot take anyone for granted on this tour,” Burrow said. “Everyone is deadly, even rookies. Filipe (Toledo) has all the tricks and his strike rate is really impressive. If you give him an inch, he’ll take it. Fortunately, I got the better waves and was able to execute the way I wanted. Psyched to get through to Round 4 and hopefully the waves stay fun. Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, the lone European remaining in the event, posting a solid Round 3 win over Kai Otton (FRA), 33, this afternoon, jumping out to an early lead with explosive rail surfing. “I was able to secure two good waves at the start and then I started taking some bad waves at the end because I was excited and wanted to show off my surfing,” Flores said. “Happy to get a heat win though and be through to Round 4. The bank at Snapper is improving for sure, but if we were to get amazing barrels at Kirra to finish in, I would love that. I’ve never had a good heat out at Kirra so it would be cool to have a good one out there.” Dusty Payne (HAW), 24, posted a major upset in ousting last year’s ASP World No. 10 Owen Wright (AUS), 23, in the opening heat of the morning in Round 2. After three seasons of struggling to find his footing on tour despite his universally-recognized talent, Payne’s Round 2 victory over the consistent precision of Wright this morning was an excellent validation of the young Hawaiian’s worthiness at the elite level of competition. “The past few seasons, I’ve had to deal with some injuries so I haven’t been able to put in the performances I’ve wanted to,” Payne said. “I’m healthy now though and I’ve put in a lot of work to get some confidence back in my surfing. It’s not easy having a low seed on tour because you draw the toughest guys. A win against Owen (Wright) is a good start and I’m sure I’ll have someone else that’s pretty tough in Round 3.” When competition resumes, up first will be Payne versus 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 41, in Heat 7 of Round 3. Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start. John John Florence (HAW), 20, 2012 ASP World No. 4 and ASP Dream Tour sophomore, withdrew from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast prior to his Round 3 heat today, citing an ankle injury sustained during yesterday’s expression session. Florence secured a convincing Round 1 win over Kai Otton (AUS), 33, and Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 27, last Tuesday and looked like a contender to post a big result in the season-opening event. However, an injury sustained while attempted a full-rotation aerial in Saturday’s expression session resulted in his withdrawal from the event today, just hours before his Round 3 match-up with Adam Melling (AUS), 27. Melling advanced directly to Round 4 of competition. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available. The ASP wish John John a speedy recovery and look forward to him returning to the water soon. Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover will be available via quiksilverlive.com For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST REMAINING ROUND 2 RESULTS: Heat 5: Dusty Payne (HAW) 14.44 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 14.43 Heat 6: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.23 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 11.34 Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 15.00 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.66 Heat 8: Nat Young (USA) 15.50 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.60 Heat 9: Adam Melling (AUS) 15.90 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 8.80 Heat 10: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.80 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 12.60 Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.90 def. Glenn Hall (IRL) 11.10 Heat 12: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 16.37 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.93 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 RESULTS: Heat 1: Adam Melling (AUS) advances past John John Florence (HAW) Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.50 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 13.13 Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.66 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.43 Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.80 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 12.27 Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) 17.90 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 17.57 Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.04 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 14.77 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST REMAINING ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS: Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW) Heat 8: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS) Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) Heat 10: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA) Heat 11: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF) Heat 12: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA) SNAPPER ROCKS, Queensland/Australia (Saturday, March 9, 2013) -The opening four heats of the elimination Round 2 got underway today at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover as the world’s best surfers battled one another in the punchy two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Snapper Rocks. Event No. 1 of 10 on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast returned to competition today after three, consecutive lay days and the ASP Top 34 came back with a fury. Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, reigning ASP World Champion, was dominant in his Round 2 match-up against local wildcard Brent Dorrington (AUS), 26, this afternoon. The powerful natural-footer posted the afternoon high heat total of 17.10 out of a possible 20 for an unparalleled display of power and flow on his forehand. “I wasn’t so much nervous as I was excited,” Parkinson said. “I’ve been ready to get this heat underway for a few days now. We’ve come down to the beach the last few mornings ready to go and then had to get back in the car and go home. It feels good to get it out of the way and now I can re-focus on the remainder of the event.” Despite being the reigning ASP World No. 1 and a local standout, Parkinson admits that this season’s ASP Top 34 field is as dangerous as it ever has been. “It’s the first event of the year so everyone is frothing,” Parkinson said. “Everyone on tour these days is dangerous, even the wildcards. Nothing’s guaranteed and you just have to go out and surf your best in every round.” Parkinson will face former ASP Top 34 competitor and Quiksilver Pro wildcard Dane Reynolds (USA), 27, in Round 3 when competition resumes. Reynolds scored an exciting come-from-behind victory against Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, in Round 2 this afternoon. The young Brazilian took an early lead with a 9.10 for a series of rapid-fire forehand slashes, but Reynolds responded with a 9.40 of his own for a bevy of incredible fin-free maneuvers. “When an opponent gets a high score early in the heat, I either buckle or free myself up to surf better,” Reynolds said. “The 9.40 I took wasn’t the best wave but I didn’t have anything to lose at that point so I just pushed as hard as I could on that last turn and made it and got the score. Pretty stoked. I would have been bummed to come all the way out here and lose to heats so I’m happy to be through to Round 3 and hopefully we keep getting good waves.” Taj Burrow (AUS), 34, defending Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast winner, put in a dominant Round 2 performance this afternoon, icing Willian Cardoso (BRA), 27, with a sensational “It’s pretty rewarding when you get to the end of the wave knowing you’ve gotten the score,” Burrow said. “I’m healthy and feeling confident in my surfing, but yeah, I was a bit nervous there against Willian (Cardoso) when he was in the lead at the end. Fortunately the wave came and I was able to do my thing.” Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to reassess conditions for a possible 8am start. When competition resumes, up first will be Owen Wright (AUS), 23, up against Dusty Payne (HAW), 24, in Heat 5 of Round 2. Highlights from the Quiksilver Land Rover will be available via quiksilverlive.com For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 RESULTS: Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.10 def. Brent Dorrington (AUS) 10.00 Heat 2: Dane Reynolds (USA) 16.73 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.43 Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.10 def. Willian Cardoso (BRA) 13.53 Heat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.17 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 12.00 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST REMAINING ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS: Heat 5: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW) Heat 6: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT) Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA) Heat 9: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS) Heat 10: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA) Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL) Heat 12: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA) Another lay day called - so check out the video highlights of the Roxy Pro - local Saffa Bianca is ripping! RAINBOW BAY, Queensland/Australia (Wednesday, March 6, 2013) – After reviewing conditions throughout the morning, event organizers for the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover have called a lay day for competition.
The opening stops of the 2013 ASP World Championship Tours, the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast kickstart the respective men’s and women’s campaigns for this season’s world crowns. “The swell direction has swung and there are waves, but we’re not convinced with how they’re shaping up on the banks today,” Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge, said. “We’ve called men’s and women’s competition off for the day, but will be back to assess conditions at 6:30am tomorrow.” When competition resumes, up first will be reigning ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson against event wildcard Brent Dorrington (AUS) in the opening heat of Round 2. Event organizers will reconvene at 6:30am tomorrow to assess conditions for a possible 8am start. Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover will be available via quiksilverlive.com For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS: Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Brent Dorrington (AUS) Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Dane Reynolds (USA) Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Willian Cardoso (BRA) Heat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) Heat 5: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW) Heat 6: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT) Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA) Heat 9: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS) Heat 10: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA) Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL) Heat 12: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA) RAINBOW BAY, Queensland/Australia (Tuesday, March 5, 2013) – The world’s best surfers donned the competitor’s singlet for this first time this season as Round 1 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover was completed in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) at Rainbow Bay. Event No. 1 of 10 on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast will set the tone for the world’s best surfers this season and if the performances of today are any indication, the talent pool amongst this year’s ASP Top 34 runs historically deep. Travis Logie (ZAF), 32, veteran goofy-footer from South Africa, took top honors this morning, posting the day’s high heat total of an 18.20 out of a possible 20 for a series of critical backhand combinations. “It feels so good to start the year off with a heat win,” Logie said. “The past few seasons, my starts have been inconsistent, but I’m healthy, I have good boards under my feet and I feel like I’m surfing at the highest level of my career. The draw is so gnarly these days – guys like Adriano (de Souza) and Dusty (Payne) are deadly at any venue on tour and that pretty much goes for the entire Top 34 right now. Really stoked to get a win and hope the waves keep pumping this week.” This morning’s win vaults Logie directly into Round 3 of the event. Mick Fanning (AUS), 31, two-time ASP World Champion (2007, 2009) and two-time Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast winner (2005, 2007), posted an emphatic Round 1 win today utilizing his intimate knowledge of the venue and razor-sharp precision to tear apart the reeling righthanders of Rainbow Bay. “It’s a new year and everyone is feeling fresh,” Fanning said. “When I was younger, I mostly stuck to Snapper Rocks and Kirra, but since the sand has filled in, I’ve spent a lot of time surfing through Rainbow Bay. It’s a fun wave and provides a nice wall for a variety of maneuvers. Compared to Snapper and Kirra though, I think Rainbow probably lessens the local advantage as it’s a pretty user-friendly canvas.” After finishing 3rd in 2012, Fanning has reset his focus in 2013 and is back in the hunt for the ASP World Crown. “That’s the goal every year – to with the title,” Fanning said. “Seeing Joel (Parkinson) win last year was great because he’s a mate, but it’s back to the job at hand this season. There are no easy heats and everyone on tour is a threat.” Kelly Slater (USA), 41, 11-time ASP World Champion, finished Runner-Up in 2012 but was back with a vengeance today, posting a strong come-from-behind win over up-and-comer Kolohe Andino (USA), 18, and wildcard Dane Reynolds (USA), 27. “It’s always motivating surfing against good surfers,” Slater said. “Dane (Reynolds) is one of the best surfers on the planet and Kolohe (Andino) is starting to come into his own. I think it’s the same as everyone though. We can enjoy our off seasons, but then we all come back here and it’s game on again.” John John Florence (HAW), 20, 2012 ASP WCT No. 4 and Dream Tour sophomore, continued his momentum from last season today, exhibiting a unique blend of style and progression to post a solid Round 1 win. “It’s a new year and everyone is excited to be here,” Florence said. “I’ve had a pretty good off season. It was short, but I was able to do some different things like travel to New York and recharge and get ready for the year. The level of surfing on tour is the highest it’s ever been and it’s exciting to be a part of.” Gabriel Medina (BRA), 19, secured an impressive come-from-behind victory in his Round 1 bout today against Kieren Perrow (AUS), 35, and Tiago Pires (PRT), 32. Midway through the heat, Medina was sidelined by an injury to his left ankle forcing him to return to the beach. Despite clearly being in pain, the young Brazilian returned to the lineup before locking in a 9.50 single-wave score for a series of critical backhand maneuvers. Medina would take the heat win before journeying to hospital for x-rays and diagnostics. Matt Wilkinson (AUS), 24, caused the upset of the day, relegating the reigning ASP World Champion and local favorite Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, to the elimination Round 2. Wilkinson’s backhand flow and flair was unmatched today as the Central Coast goofy-footer locked in the event high single wave score of a 9.93 out of a possible 10 en route to his Round 1 win. “It feels good to post a win over someone like Joel (Parkinson),” Wilkinson said. “He obviously knows the banks here better than everyone, but I feel like I’ve been surfing well the last couple years – things just haven’t been going my way. I definitely feel like I surf stronger on my backhand and the waves lined up for me in that heat. Pumped to be through to Round 3 and hope to keep it pushin’.” When competition resumes, up first will be Parkinson against event wildcard Brent Dorrington (AUS) in the opening heat of Round 2. Event organizers will reconvene at 6:30am tomorrow to assess conditions for a possible 8am start. Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover will be available via quiksilverlive.com For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.50, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 12.70, Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.94 Heat 2: Travis Logie (ZAF) 18.20, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.10, Dusty Payne (HAW) 12.07 Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW) 15.00, Kai Otton (AUS) 14.80, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 12.40 Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.24, Willian Cardoso (BRA) 14.57, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 12.10 Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.04, Kolohe Andino (USA) 15.73, Dane Reynolds (USA) 12.34 Heat 6: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 17.76, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.73, Brent Dorrington (AUS) 15.37 Heat 7: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.67, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 14.97, Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.20 Heat 8: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 15.60, Nat Young (USA) 11.90, Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.13 Heat 9: Julian Wilson (AUS) 12.15, Adam Melling (AUS) 11.63, Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.40 Heat 10: Michel Bourez (PYF) 16.43, Owen Wright (AUS) 15.67, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.50 Heat 11: Brett Simpson (USA) 15.13, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.76, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.23 Heat 12: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.93, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 16.63, Glenn Hall (IRL) 15.07 QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS: Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Brent Dorrington (AUS) Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Dane Reynolds (USA) Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Willian Cardoso (BRA) Heat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) Heat 5: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW) Heat 6: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT) Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA) Heat 9: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS) Heat 10: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA) Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL) Heat 12: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA) |
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