Winning and losing gracefully is important. Jules and Jordy both do it well. Photo: ASP/Cestari/Mr Price
At this year’s third stop of the ASP Prime series, Julian Wilson took out the local favorite Jordy Smith in a final worthy of a primetime TV spot. In a heat that saw him score the only perfect 10 of the competition with an unbelievable alley-oop, Jules put Jordy in a combo situation–18.93 to 16.70–and took home the $40,000 winner’s check.
Jules’ perfect 10. Not quite John John’s air in Bali, but impressive nonetheless. Photo: ASP/Cestari/Mr Price
While Smith and Wilson were two of the event’s clear standouts, their semifinal counterparts (Stu Kennedy and Mitch Crews) are worth equal note as both made huge jumps in the ratings with their results. Also of note are the 13 of the tour’s top 32 surfers who joined the field of 96. These included Taj Burrow and Kolohe Andino along with ‘QS rippers Tanner Gudauskas and Mason Ho. Mitch Crews battled valiantly against Julian but was unable to come up with the big score he needed in the end. Stuey Kennedy was a clear stand out throughout the event on his rather badass looking Tomo Surfboards. That wasn’t a plug, I swear. Seriously, they looked so magic and I want one. But alas, his magic stick was useless against the local Jordy and Kennedy seemed to go a little too hard and came un-glued.
Next up is the Billabong Pro Teahupoo in Tahiti. The waiting period opens on August 15 and runs through the 26th. With over a month until the WCT contest, will we see a flood of ASP competitors following Parko’s Molokai2Oahu footsteps from last year or Slater-style swell chasing? One thing is for sure: the world’s best surfers will not disappoint.
