Some lekker waves and a cool vibe at the 2016 Cobbles Classic this last weekend. Loggers were in single-fin heaven with super contestable surf. Shot to Michael Hill and Mia Baard for being the new King and Queen of Cobbles. All the results below. Men's Open
1st Michael Hill 2nd Steezy Sawyer 3rd Grant Beck 4th Alfonso Peters Ladies Open 1st Mia Baard 2nd Marishka Diebold 3rd Charmain Adams 4th Charley Pollard Over 50's 1st Greg Smith 2nd Volker Diebold 3rd Andrew Schmidt 4th Paul O'Connell Surfers Surfer Craig Cuff Men's Noserider Steezy Sawyer Men's Stylemaster Jago England Ladies Noserider Shannon Bolotin Ladies Stylemaster Marishka Diebold
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South Africa Climbs Team Rankings on Day 6 of VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships
- Adin Masencamp Advances to Last 16 in U18 Boys Division - Max Elkington, Sebastian Williams & Koby Oberholzer into Round 4 of U16 Boys - Six SA Team Members Still in Contention The South African junior surfing team climbed four places to No.7 among the 38 nations in the provisional team rankings after an action packed Day 6 of the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in the Azores Archipelago off the coast of Portugal on Thursday. Tricky overhead waves and variable winds at Praia Monte Verde, along with the introduction of single elimination heats from Round 3 in all divisions, saw four South African team members eliminated from the event and four progressing to the next round with great performances in their respective divisions. The team still has six members in contention for individual medals and trails Australia with 11, France (10), Hawaii (9), Japan (8) and the USA and Brazil with seven each. Adin Masencamp (Strand) was South Africa’s top performer on the day, squeaking through his U18 Boys Round 3 heat in second place before delivering one of the rides of the event to win his Round 4 match-up and move into the last 16 of the division. The 17 year-old from Strand in the Western Cape was rewarded with a 9.07, one of only six rides over 9.0 points in the event to date, for two massive backhand re-entries on a hollow overhead wave. He then added a 5.17 to his tally on his next ride which left his three opponents in a combination situation where they needed more than a perfect 10 point ride to overtake him. Masencamp is the only South African left in the U18 Boys division of the four who started the day. Joshe Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay) and Jordy Maree (Kommetjie) both finished third in their Round 3 clashes, leaving the event in equal 33rd place and contributing 320 points to the team total. Bevan Willis (Salt Rock) won his Round 3 heat with a strong performance and then narrowly missed out on second place, and berth in the last 16, in Round 4. Willis’ equal 17th place result in the division earned 400 points for the team. On Podium 2, Max Elkington (Kommetjie), Sebastian Williams (Durban) and Koby Oberholzer (Warner Beach) all won their U16 Boys Round 3 encounters, with Angelo Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay) the only casualty when, despite riding six waves, he finished fourth in a low-scoring affair. Surfline, the official forecaster, is calling for continued Northwest swell for Friday, with more size in the morning and slowly fading through the day. The remnants of this powerful swell will provide plenty of surf for the rest of the contest period through finals day on Sunday, September 25. South Africa will have five team members in action on the two podiums today (see Schedule below). A five person South African squad, four males and one female) will also contest the semifinals of the Aloha Cup tag-team event this afternoon. The Aloha Cup is a form of relay surfing and features the top eight ranked teams from last year’s ISA World Junior Champs in California, where South Africa finished seventh overall. The action at the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship can be watched LIVE at www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za starting at approximately 10am SA time daily. The latest news, results, photographs and video footage are also available on the website Press release from Surfing SA Kirsty McGillivray Produces Standout Performance on Day 4 of VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships
- Joshe Faulkner, Jordy Maree, Max Elkington, Sebastian Williams & Kirsty McGillivray Reach Round 3 of Main Event - 10 SA Team Members Still in Contention Five more members of the 12-person South African team competing in the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in the Azores advanced to Round 3 of the Main event in their respective divisions after a day of booming surf on Day 4 of the world’s biggest junior surfing event Wild 1.5-2.5 metre waves, with occasional 3 metre sets, rumbled into the venue at Praia de Monte Verde from the North Atlantic, tested both the endurance and skill of the competitors, with many earning one good score and then struggling to find a second. In Round 2 of U18 Boys division, Jordy Maree (Kommetjie) won his heat convincingly and Joshe Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay) secured second place in his match-up as the pair advanced to Main Event Round 3. Adin Masencamp (Strand) narrowly missed out, finishing less than point out of second place and he will be joined by Bevan Willis (Salt Rock), who placed fourth in his heat in the Repercharge Round 2 heats today. Those in Repecharge Round 2 get a final chance to remain in the competition by placing first or second in their heat and advancing back into the Main Event stream. From Round 3 onwards all the surfers finishing third or lower in heats are eliminated from the event. Max Elkington (Kommetjie) got the team off to great start in Round 2 of the U16 Boys by winning his heat with a dynamic display, and was joined in advancing to Round 3 by Sebastian Williams (Durban) who was runner-up in his encounter. Angelo Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay) struggled yesterday, but will have another opportunity to get back into contention via the Repercharge today, while Koby Oberholzer has yet to contest his Round 2 clash. Kirsty McGillivray produced the performance of the day for South Africa in her U16 Girls Repercharge Round 2 heat, delivering scores of 6.0 and 5.67 to leave her three opponents in a combination situation. McGillivray joined fellow Jeffreys Bay resident Kai Woolf in Main Event Round 3. Sophie Bell (Salt Rock) was the only South African casualty on the day, dropping out of the event after finishing fourth in her U18 Girls Repercharge Round 2 heat. Bell and fellow U18 girl Crystal Hulett (Cape St Francis), who was eliminated on Monday, will spend the rest of the event motivating and encouraging their teammates. As the event approaches the halfway point, the South African team still has 10 team members in contention and is in 13th position among the 38 national teams. Australia, France, Hawaii, Japan and reigning ISA team champions USA still have all 12 surfers in the event, while Portugal, Costa Rica, Peru, Brazil and Spain have 11 and Great Britain is marginally ahead of South Africa with 10. Due to the large swell predicted for today, the organisers will only be using one podium where the boys’ heats will be run. Koby Oberholzer will be the first South African in action in the U16 Boys Round 2, followed Adin Masencamp and Bevan Willis in the do-or-die U18 Boys Repercharge Round 2, and then Angelo Faulkner in a similar position in U16 Boys Repercharge Round 2. Surfline, the official forecaster, is calling for a strong Northwest swell to fill in on Wednesday with well overhead surf. This strong swell will slowly fade over the remainder of the contest period, providing solid waves for the competition. The action at the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship can be watched LIVE at www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za starting at approximately 11am SA time daily. The latest news, results, photographs and video footage are also available on the website. Press release from Surfing SA Full House for South African Boys on Day 3 of VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships
- Kai Woolf the First SA Team Member to Reach Round 3 of Main Event - 11 SA Team Members Still in Contention The South African team competing in the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in the Azores ended Day 3 of the nine day event in great form with all eight boys successfully though to Round 2 of the Main Event and Kai Woolf (Jeffreys Bay) the first team member to reach Round 3 in her division. Powerful 1.5 metre waves broken up by strong onshore winds created entirely different challenging conditions to the tiny surf of the opening two days of competition, with wave selection the key component and competitors facing an arduous paddle-out after each ride. Jordy Maree, the first SA team member in action yesterday, stayed busy during his U18 Boys Round 1 encounter, catching nine waves in the 20 minutes and posting a narrow heat victory. Three heats later Bevan Willis (Salt Rock) dominated his first clash in the event, starting with an excellent 7.67 and added a 5.0 to finish ahead of Tahiti’s Eliot Napias as the pair relegated their third and fourth placed rivals from Israel and Italy to the Repercharge rounds. Maree and Willis joined their teammates Joshe Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay) and Adin Masencamp (Strand) in Round 2 of the U18 Boys Main Event. Also on Podium 1, Woolf clinched victory in her low-scoring U16 Girls Round 2 heat to become the first SA team member to advance to Round 3 in the Main Event stream. In the same division, Kirsty McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay) struggled to find the right waves and dropped into Round 2 of the Repecharge stream after placing fourth. The team suffered its first exit from the event when Crystal Hulett (Cape St Francis) finished third in her U18 Girls Repercharge Round 1 heat and was eliminated in 49th position overall in her division, contributing 240 points to the team total. Meanwhile on Podium 2, Koby Oberholzer (Warner Beach) joined his three U16 Boys division teammates in Round 2 of the Main event when he finished runner-up to Brazilian standout Samuel Pupo. Oberholzer started with an outstanding 8.17 but could not add a strong second ride as Pupo overtook him with a 9.10 and a 6.90. Sophie Bell (Salt Rock) placed third behind girls from France and Argentina in her U18 Main Event Round 2 heat and dropped into Repecharge Round 2. Bell will have two more heats in which she needs to finish in the top two to get back into the Main Event stream and challenge for higher honours. South African team manager Karen Elkington, who celebrated her birthday with cake on the beach yesterday, is in the unique position of having her younger son Max in the SA team and through to Round 2 of the U16 Boys, while her older son Jake, competing for Great Britain, won his U18 Boys Repercharge Round 1 heat with the highest heat total of Day 3 – 17.27 out of 20. Sophie Bell will be the first South African in action today, followed by Kirsty McGillivray and then all eight of the boys. Surfline, the official forecaster, is predicting that the current surf will prevail for the morning before a longer period swell begins to fill in this afternoon and into tomorrow with larger, overhead waves. The action at the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship can be watched LIVE at www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za starting at approximately 11am SA time daily. The latest news, results, photographs and video footage are also available on the website. Press release from SA Surfing Sebastian Williams Stars for South Africa on Day 2 of VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships
Sebastian Williams (Durban) gave a motivated and enthusiastic South African Junior Surfing team a boost by delivering an outstanding performance in the last heat of the day at the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in the Azores on Sunday. Tiny waves and a storm that put the competition on hold for two hours presented challenging conditions for the more than 370 surfers from 39 nations in the world’s biggest junior surfing event. As the predicted swell increase started filling in during the afternoon, Williams dominated his 20 minute Round 1 encounter, riding 10 waves and posting one of the highest heat single ride scores, 8.67 out 10, and highest heat totals, 13.84 out of 20. Williams joins teammates Max Elkington (Kommetjie), who won his opening heat on Saturday, and Angelo Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay), who grabbed second spot earlier on Sunday, in Round 2 of the U16 Boys Main Event. Koby Oberholzer (Warner Beach), the fourth SA team member in the U16 Boys will be in action later today. Sunday’s action started with the U18 and U16 Girls competing simultaneously in front of the two podiums. Sophie Bell (Salt Rock) earned a comfortable runner-up berth and advanced while her U18 Girls teammate Crystal Hulett (Cape St Francis) struggled to find waves that offered scoring potential in the marginal conditions and became the first team member to drop into the Repercharge rounds. South Africa’s U16 Girls, Jeffreys Bay residents Kai Woolf and Kirsty McGillivray, both finished second in their respective heats to remain in the Main Event stream. Jordy Maree (Kommetjie) will be in the first heat at 11am today when the U18 Boys division resumes. He and Bevan Willis (Salt Rock) will be determined to advance and join Joshe Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay) and Adin Masencamp (Strand) who progressed to Main Event Round 2 when they competed on Saturday. Surfline, the official forecaster, is predicting that a healthy chest to shoulder high swell will build on Monday, September 19 and largely hold for Tuesday, September 20. A larger swell is expected to fill in on Wednesday, which looks set to provide solid, overhead surf. The action at the VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship can be watched LIVE at www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za starting at approximately 11am SA time daily. The latest news, results, photographs and video footage are also available on the website. Schedule for Day 3 – Monday 19 September Podium 1 (SA Time) 11h00 U18 Boys Round 1 Heats 23 – 32 (Jordy Maree – Heat 23; Bevan Wills – H26) 14h30 U16 Girls R2 Heats 1 – 8 (Kai Woolf – H2, Kirsty McGillivray – H7) 17h00 U18 Girls Repercharge R1 Heats 1 – 8 (Crystal Hulett – H7) 19h00 U16 Boys Repercharge R1 Heats 1 – 13 (TBD) Podium 2 (SA Time) 11h00 U16 Boys R1 Heats 23 – 36 (Koby Oberholzer – H35) 15h40 U18 Girls R2 Heats 1 – 8 Sophie Bell – H2) 18h20 U16 Girls Repercharge R1 Heats 1 – 4 (N/A) 19h20 U18 Boys Repercharge R1 Heats 1 – 11 (TBD) Jordy Smith (ZAF) secured his fifth Championship Tour win today, and his second at Lower Trestles, following an exciting match-up against 2012 WSL Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS). Smith, the 2014 event winner, eliminated Filipe Toledo (BRA) in the Semifinals before matching up against Parkinson. The result, his best of the season, sees him move up one place to fourth on the Jeep Leaderboard and puts him firmly in the World Title race. “I’ve had a really good surfboard under my feet this event,” Smith said. “I came into the event with an open mind. I missed it last year when the waves were firing so I just wanted to come in and take it heat-by-heat. I’ve watched Joel [Parkinson] throughout my career and he’s one of my favorite surfers. I’m frothing and I’m over the moon.” Smith, who looked composed and aggressive, took down Parkinson in the men’s Final with his explosive forehand surfing. The two former event winners went head-to-head, but it was Smith who edged the win by just 0.44 points. The South African unleashed a series of power hacks to earn a solid lead over Parkinson and put him in a combination halfway through the heat. Parkinson countered with a 6.93 and a critical 8.43. Without priority and three minutes on the clock, the Australian needed a 7.27 to take the win, but was not able to land the requirement. “If I can be in with a shot at the World Title this year then that will be great,” continued Smith. “Europe can go either way so I’m just going to try my hardest and see how it goes. I think my Round 4 match-up against Kelly [Slater] was the toughest, so facing him and Michel Bourez was always going to be difficult. Of course that Semifinal against Filipe was a big heat too.” This event marks Parkinson’s best result of the year and his first Final appearance since the 2014 J-Bay Open where he also earned a runner-up finish. The 2004 Lowers Champion found his form once again, overcoming the in-form wildcard threat Tanner Gudauskas (USA) in a nail-biting Semifinal heat to earn a place against Smith. Parkinson now moves up eight places to sixth on the Jeep Leaderboard. “I really fell in love with this wave and this town in 2004,” Parkinson said. “This year was another wonderful year at Trestles and I’m really happy to be back here and on the podium -- it feels really good. This event I was so motivated and really keen to notch a win up. The talent of surfing in this event is incredible and I have to give it to Jordy, he’s an amazing surfer and a top World Title contender.” Event standout Filipe Toledo (BRA) battled eventual winner Smith in the opening Semifinal. The Brazilian landed a massive air-reverse for an excellent 8.33 and strengthened his lead with a solid 6.17 on his backhand. Smith fired back with a series of innovative fin-drifts to garner a commanding 8.00 to counter Toledo, but still needed a 6.51 to regain control of the heat. The South African showcased his power surfing to score a near-perfect 9.23 and put the pressure back on the Brazilian. Toledo was not able to find the required score and will walk away with a 3rd place finish, equalling his best result of the season. Toledo was previously 17th on the Jeep Leaderboard and will now move up to 11th. “I had a few mistakes in that heat,” Toledo said. “The one wave where Jordy [Smith] went right and I went left, I should’ve stayed out back for priority. I would’ve gotten the second wave of the set where he got the 8. I think that one mistake was it for me, but I’m happy with third place. It’s always a good feeling to be in the Finals Day, but of course I’d be more happy to be in the Final. It’s good points for me since I’m sitting low on the rankings so it’s a nice jump. I’m happy and can’t wait to go to France.” San Clemente local Tanner Gudauskas (USA) was eliminated by event runner-up Parkinson in the second Semifinal. Both surfers battled for the advantage, but it was Parkinson that took the lead with an 8.00. With priority, Gudauskas was left waiting out the back needing a 6.94. Set waves coming through gave the wildcard the opportunity to use his vertical backhand snaps to meet the requirement, but he just fell short with a 6.27. Gudauskas was able to battle back to the takeoff zone to regain priority and try again on another set wave, however his score came in just 0.10 points under the requirement with a 6.83. Gudauskas, who is currently ranked 31st on the WSL Qualifying Series, will leave the event in Equal 3rd place following one of the best performances as a wildcard. “It was an amazing feeling progressing through each round over the big guys,” said Gudauskas. “That heat was so fun and I was just excited to see how I was going to handle that pressure. My whole mantra this entire event has just been either make the heat or go down swinging with everything you have and I feel like that was kind of a testiment to that. I’m stoked and good on Parko [Joel Parkinson] -- he’s literally one of my favorite surfers and to have that heat with him at Lowers was as good as it gets. This has just been a really refreshing feeling of competition for me.” Men’s Hurley Pro Final Results:
1 - Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.80 2 - Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.36 Men’s Hurley Pro Semifinal Results: SF 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.23 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.50 SF 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.43 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 14.33 2016 WSL Jeep Leaderboard Top 5 (After Hurley Pro) 1. John John Florence (HAW) 41,650 2. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 37,450 3. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 36,500 4. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 35,200 5. Kelly Slater (USA) 29,650 SAN CLEMENTE, California/USA (Saturday, September 10, 2016) – The Hurley Pro at Trestles, Stop No. 8 of 11 on the World Surf League (WSL) Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour (CT), witnessed a relay of huge upsets as top seeds failed to escape elimination Round 3 in four-to-six foot (1-2 metre) waves at Lower Trestles. The day also ran through Round 4, seeing four competitors claim their place in the coveted Quarterfinal draw. Event wildcard Brett Simpson (USA) sent shockwaves of astonishment through the beach after eliminating current Jeep front-runner John John Florence (HAW). Simpson, who previously dispatched World No. 2 Matt Wilkinson (AUS) in Round 2, unleashed the same determination and passion to continue his run of upsets at the event. The former CT competitor attacked his second wave and finished with a critical air-reverse to secure an excellent 8.33, putting Florence on the ropes after finding a solid 6.83 back-up score. Florence unleashed a massive layback hack, but his 8.74 combined score was not enough to take over Simpson’s 15.16. Florence will walk away from the event with an Equal 13th place finish, only his third result out of Top 5 this season. “Every time you surf against John [Florence] and those top guys all you’re thinking is ‘I hope I don’t get blown out of the water because they’re so capable’,” Simpson said. “Even after I got that 8.33 I was so jittery. I was just thinking ‘I have to get another wave and back this thing up.’ It’s happened to me many times where I get a good score and wait too long and you just feel the pressure. I’m obviously happy, I could’ve used that while I was on Tour but the pressure’s off. I’m able to relax and just do my own thing.” The drama continued as event wildcard Tanner Gudauskas (USA) took down World No. 3 Gabriel Medina (BRA) in an incredibly close head-to-head battle. Round 3 Heat 7 saw local favorite Gudauskas post four excellent 8-point rides to gain control of the heat. Under pressure and with five minutes left on the clock, Medina needed an 8.34 to counter the wildcard. The 2014 WSL Champion scored an 8.30, just missing the mark, before Gudauskas earned one last 8.67 at the buzzer to continue his dream run into Round 4, while Medina earned an Equal 13th. “That was a heat I wanted so badly and to have it go down that way is so special,” said Gudauskas. “Gabriel [Medina] is an amazing competitor and in the beginning of that heat he started out on fire. Double 8-point rides for both of us is so rad and he just came up short on that last one. I had to sit and watch that one from the sidelines and thought he may have gotten it. I was just so stoked to win and that was my first time making it past a Round 3 heat on the WCT. For it to be here in front of the home crowd is just amazing, I could hear the crowd’s support from the beach and it’s just such a special moment.” Gudauskas was relentless once more in Round 4 and earned a spot directly into the Quarterfinals over Australians Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Stuart Kennedy (AUS). Filipe Toledo (BRA) showcased incredible surfing today, posting a near-perfect 18.97 combined score to defeat local favorite Kolohe Andino (USA) and event wildcard Brett Simpson (USA) in non-elimination Round 4 Heat 2. Toledo powered through multiple sections to land innovative maneuvers, advancing to the Quarterfinals. Previously, Toledo eliminated compatriot Caio Ibelli (BRA) in Round 3 Heat 10 with an impressive 18.10 heat score. Lower-seeds continued the trend of upsets as Stuart Kennedy (AUS) thwarted defending champion Mick Fanning’s (AUS) ambitions of repeat victories at Trestles. The replacement surfer opened with a near-perfect 9.10, while Fanning -- the three-time WSL Champion -- responded with an excellent 8.77. Both surfers were left chasing back-up scores and it was Kennedy who got the edge by 2.43 points. “That was scary just having a 6.20 as a backup, but I kind of got lucky with the priority situation,” Kennedy said. “Mick [Fanning] fell off one, but it was cool to get that exchange at the start and beat him on that. I haven’t had a 9 since Snapper so it feels really good to get back on the board with one. My wife’s about to have a baby so my mind’s also on that and I’m just nervous about becoming a dad as I am this. That’s kind of taking away from the stress of earning points and focusing on the birth of my baby girl.” Jordy Smith (ZAF) dominated the opening heat of Round 4 against 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA) and Michel Bourez (PYF) with a near-perfect 18.50 heat score. Smith locked in an outstanding 9.00 against his competitors and followed up with an exemplary 9.50 using his technically sound maneuvers. Bourez and Slater tried to challenge, but after Smith’s final ride of a 9.50, found themselves in a combination situation. Slater and Bourez will surf again in elimination Round 5. “This morning’s heat wasn’t my best, and I narrowly scraped through,” Smith said. “My first wave was a good one but I kept turning a little too hard and went out the back so I’m super lucky that one went my way. I had to play some strategic moves at the end, but was good to get the job done.Going into that heat with Michel [Bourez], obviously one of the most powerful surfers in the world, as well as Kelly [Slater] -- I just want to do my best surfing in those heat and Round 4 allows you to be a lot more free.” Despite his lackluster Round 4, earlier in the day Slater put on a show for the Trestles crowd in Round 3 Heat 3 with his win against 2016 WSL Rookie Jack Freestone (AUS). Slater landed incredible aerial maneuvers to earn two excellent 8.00 rides for a 16.27 combined score. “I actually felt a little sick this morning, but I kept sticking to my board so I’ll take it,” Slater said. “I started surfing here when I was 12-years-old and it was the first point break I’ve ever surfed. I just fell in love with the wave. It’s always been one of my favorites. If I’m in a certain position in a heat, I just think back to a circumstance I’ve been in before and try to imagine what the other guy is going to do.” The upsets continued all the way into the final heat of Round 3 as rookie Alex Ribeiro (BRA) took down Adrian Buchan (AUS), who sat in fourth on the rankings going into the event. Buchan will walk away with a 13th place finish. Ribeiro continued his crusade into Round 4, where he battled Kerr and Jadson Andre (BRA) to achieve yet another big win and earned his first Quarterfinal appearance in 2016.
With the elimination of rookie Kanoa Igarashi (USA) by Kerr in Round 3 Heat 11, Ribeiro is the only rookie left in the draw. “I kept my focus and just believed in my surfing,” Ribeiro said. “I left everything in the water and so stoked to make that heat since Ace Buchan is easily one of the best goofy-footers in the world -- I’m so happy right now. It’s amazing to be into the Quarterfinals and this is everything I’ve been working toward, so I’m really excited. The wave here looks like my home spot; I felt comfortable and will put a lot of hard work into the next few heats and into the next events as well.” Event will NOT run tomorrow morning. Event organizers will reconvene 7:30 a.m. local time Monday, September 12, 2016 for the next call. Highlights from the Swatch Women’s Pro and Hurley Pro available at WorldSurfLeague.com High Res Images from this event available for editorial use via Reuters For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com Men’s Hurley Pro Round 3 Results: Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 10.27 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 9.83 Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.83 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.17 Heat 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.27 def. Jack Freestone (AUS) 9.34 Heat 4: Kolohe Andino (USA) 15.70 vs. Conner Coffin (USA) 10.50 Heat 5: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 18.10 def. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 10.40 Heat 6: Brett Simpson (USA) 15.16 def. John John Florence (HAW) 8.74 Heat 7: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 17.34 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17.13 Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.23 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 13.00 Heat 9: Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 16.37 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.94 Heat 10: Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.84 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.66 Heat 11: Josh Kerr (USA) 15.67 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 9.67 Heat 12: Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 15.47 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.70 Men’s Hurley Pro Round 4 Results: Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 18.50, Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.50, Kelly Slater (USA) 13.16 Heat 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 18.97, Kolohe Andino (USA) 15.60, Brett Simpson (USA) 14.14 Heat 3: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 14.84, Stu Kennedy (AUS) 13.67, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 10.90 Heat 4: Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 14.56, Jadson Andre (BRA) 12.80, Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.26 Men’s Hurley Pro Round 5 Match-Ups: Heat 1: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Brett Simpson (USA) Heat 2: Kolohe Andino (USA) vs. Kelly Slater (USA) Heat 3: Stuart Kennedy (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS) Heat 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS) All images WSL Hometown hero and event wildcard Tanner Gudauskas (USA) put on a clinic at Lower Trestles to cause a big upset in Round 1 against Matt Wilkinson (AUS), No. 2 on the Jeep Rankings, and 2016 WSL Rookie Conner Coffin (USA). Gudauskas dropped two solid 6-point rides, while Wilkinson and Coffin put points on the board to challenge. The wildcard waited out the back, and his local knowledge paid off as he dropped the first Perfect 10 of the event with a powerful combination of maneuvers throughout the wave. With ten minutes left on the clock, Wilkinson and Coffin were both in a combination situation and could not find two new scores to combat Gudauskas. “That was a really fun ride and I almost went on the one two waves before thinking it looked pretty good but just didn’t look smooth,” Gudauskas said. “I was thinking that when I get a wave I hope I can stay on my surfboard. I’ve never felt this fired up and focused, and I want to prove that I deserve to be here. I’m feeling really good so I’m looking forward to it. I’m also really grateful to be representing the San Clemente boys and excited to get another heat out there.” Current World No. 1 on the Jeep Rankings John John Florence (HAW) charged through Round 1 to defeat event wildcard Brett Simpson (USA) and 2016 WSL Rookie Davey Cathels (AUS) in Heat 6. The frontrunner took the lead with a 6.67 on his opening ride and sealed the win with a strong 7.50. Simpson and Cathels could not find the excellent-range scores needed to take the win from Florence and will surf again in elimination Round 2. “It feels great to come in here at No. 1, but I’m just surfing it like any other heat really and it’s just so cool to be at Lowers with no one out after the last few days have been packed,” Florence said. “My knee feels great and I’m at one-hundred percent. I came straight from Tahiti to here and started physical therapy right away which I think helped out a lot. I’m just so stoked to be surfing right now. I’ve never had a knee injury before so I wasn’t sure how bad it was so I’m pretty fortunate it wasn’t bad at all.” 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA), Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Jeremy Flores (FRA) battled wave for wave in an intense Round 1 match-up. The heat witnessed suspenseful exchanges between the three competitors with massive laybacks from Slater, technical railwork from Toledo, and powerful snaps from Flores. In the dying minutes of the heat, Toledo topped the field with his strong rail carves to earn a critical 9.33 and steal the win. Slater, with a 16.20, will surf again in Round 2 alongside Flores. “The rights are swinging pretty wide and going really fast so it was good for the power carve and to work the rail game,” said Toledo. “I just stuck with that plan and it all worked out in the last few minutes. Kelly [Slater] has been the best surfer in the world since I was born and after watching him in Tahiti was just incredible. I know that victory felt really good for him and he’s had a lot of good results here with some wins in the past, so it’s great for my confidence to know I can beat the best surfer in the world.” After Toledo’s impressive performance, Joel Parkinson (AUS) raised the bar to claim the highest combined score of the day, a near-perfect 18.67 in Round 2 Heat 10. The 2012 WSL Champion will advance to Round 3, while three-time WSL Champion and defending event winner, Mick Fanning (AUS), and Jadson Andre (BRA) will be relegated to Round 2. 2014 event winner Jordy Smith (ZAF) kicked off Men’s Round 1 with an electric performance. The South African power-surfer posted a 9.00 following a slight falter on his opening wave choice. But, he wasted no time solidifying his spot into Round 3 with his signature power surfing, defeating Nat Young (USA) and Keanu Asing (HAW). “I definitely worked my ass off on that first one and kind of grinded it out with the tide coming up,” Smith said. “The wave was a little flatter and more difficult to get that open face without running down the line, but just got one in the bank and then waited for priority. When I got that I just wanted to wait for a good one. I found that peakier wave and it walled up so nicely throughout the bank and just got a good opportunity I was able to capitalize on.” 2016 WSL Rookies Kanoa Igarashi (USA) and Jack Freestone (AUS) wreaked havoc in Round 1, taking down top seeds to claim their place in Round 3, where both surfers will continue to improve their Rookie of the Year campaign. Igarashi pulled off a buzzer-beater win over Julian Wilson (AUS) and Ryan Callinan (AUS) -- earning a 7.00 with his back against the wall. The 18-year-old has established himself among the world’s elite with terrific performances throughout the year and avoided yet another Round 2 appearance. “I wasn’t trying to be too patient but Mother Nature kind of made me play the waiting game and wound up having a five-minute heat,” Igarashi said. “Glad it worked out for me and really stoked to be moving into Round 3. It’s crazy how things change over time. I remember two years ago like it was yesterday and sleeping on the couch at the Quiksilver house just trying to watch guys like Travis [Logie], Freddy [Pattachia], and Kelly [Slater], all those guys were always around me. I was just so star struck with how cool it was to be on tour. It’s just crazy how two years later I’m here.” Heat 9 saw Freestone defeat fellow rookie Caio Ibelli (BRA) and Italo Ferreira (BRA) with a 15.50 combined heat score. The Brazilians were not able to secure the scores to overcome the Australian and will surf again in Round 2. But, fellow countryman Gabriel Medina (BRA) survived a near disaster earlier on in Round 1 Heat 4 as a no-priority interference was called against him on his opening exchange. Despite the penalty, Medina fought back with a solid 7.33 and unleashed high-risk maneuvers to secure an excellent 8.00. Adam Melling (AUS) held the lead with a 10.93, but could not find the 5.75 required to challenge the 2014 WSL Champion. Rookie Alex Ribeiro (BRA) was not able to hold on against the CT chargers as both he and Melling will surf again in elimination Round 2. Medina currently sits in third place on the Jeep Leaderboard and will continue his hunt for an event win in Round 3. Adrian Buchan (AUS), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) and Stuart Kennedy (AUS) will also advance straight to Round 3 after winning their Round 1 three-man match-ups. Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. local time for a possible 8:00 a.m. start. Highlights from the Swatch Women’s Pro and Hurley Pro available at WorldSurfLeague.com High Res Images from this event available for editorial use via Reuters WorldSurfLeague.com Hurley Pro at Trestles Round 1 Results: Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.50, Nat Young (USA) 10.23, Keanu Asing (HAW) 8.67 Heat 2: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 14.67, Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.04, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.00 Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.10, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 14.77, Kai Otton (AUS) 13.80 Heat 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.67, Adam Melling (AUS) 10.93, Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 9.80 Heat 5: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 16.67, Conner Coffin (USA) 11.66, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 10.10 Heat 6: John John Florence (HAW) 14.67, Brett Simpson (USA) 9.43, Davey Cathels (AUS) 8.60 Heat 7: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 15.47, Matt Banting (AUS) 10.90, Adriano De Souza (BRA) 9.70 Heat 8: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 17.50, Kelly Slater (USA) 16.20, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.87 Heat 9: Jack Freestone (AUS) 15.50, Caio Ibelli (BRA) 13.23, Italo Ferreira (BRA) 11.20 Heat 10: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.67, Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.96, Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.93 Heat 11: Kolohe Andino (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS), Stu Kennedy (AUS) Hurley Pro at Trestles Upcoming Round 1 Match-Ups: Heat 12: Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Michel Bourez (PYF), Alejo Muniz (BRA) All images WSL |
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