Victorious at Teahupoo in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2011, Kelly Slater looked set to add a fifth jewel to his Tahitian crown and clinch his third win of the season. Finishing combo’d - a rarity - and angry about his fourth round heat, the King got back on track in round five kicking out his favorite rival, Joel Parkinson. Deprived of a greater maneuver margin with his opponents because of the reasonable size of the barrels, he did the job and took back the WCT’s top spot from Fanning.
The Australian came back empty-handed from Tahiti. The defending champion was stopped in the semifinal this time, ousted by Buchan. Leader of the World Tour, "White Lightning" gave up his throne to Slater. In short, the two-time world champion has seen greener pastures. Looking closer, everything is not so negative for the Aussie surfer. Forced to go through the repecharge rounds, Fanning was more than once close to being defeated–first in round three against injury-replacement surfer Ian Walsh where his perfect 10 barrel in the dying minutes allowed him to escape elimination, then in the fifth round when he finally came out of his lethargy in the final five minutes to overwhelm Flores.
In a nutshell, it could have been much worse for the Australian, now world number two by a handful of points (1050) to Slater, and whose extreme regularity in final phases (one final, three semis and two quarters) without ever clinching a title strangely recalls the story of Parkinson last year.
The uncertainties of the heat draw gave us the occasion to see a detonating fifth round: Kelly versus Parko–equally explosive and confusing for the two strong men of the last season. Unfortunately, Kelly was the quickest to find the most hollow and fastest barrel–the kind of wave that always makes a difference (16.74 to 13.97). Previously, the winner at Bali did not have to complain about the conduct of his heats: in the first round when he was jostled by Andino and Anthony Walsh, author of the first perfect 10 of the contest, in the third round, where Alain Riou only lacked 0.57 points - and a world tour resident aura - to catch the outgoing world champion. Even if he keeps his third place in the rankings, Parko sees Slater and Fanning escape, more than 7000 points ahead of him.
Slowly but surely, Jordy Smith sees the gap amongst the top seeds of the World Tour grow (Slater is now more than 9000 points away). Defeated in round five by the eventual champion, the South African had hinted at real progress in the Tahitian barrels. Things were not that easy for Jordy, especially against wildcard Nathan Hedge who left him no respite in the third round (17.70 to 17.90). But, along came Buchan and Jordy was gone, accumulating bad choices under pressure. If he wants to wear his first world title crown at the end of the year, he can no longer afford to make a mistake.
Move along, there's nothing to see on Taj's side after being eliminated early in the second round. Before this 2013 Billabong Pro Tahiti, we have to look back at 2011 to find a trace of an elimination this early for the Australian in a World Tour event. Back then, it was also at Teahupoo. Taj Burrow has not been able to counter-attack the Hawaiian wildcard Ian Walsh scoring the lowest total (8.00) of the second round. Still fifth in the rankings, the hopes of the tour veteran to clinch his first world title this year slowly fade away.
It was bound to happen for him one day. At Teahupoo, Nat Young got stuck in the second round for the first time in his WCT career. Ejected by the trialist, Anthony Walsh (AUS), the Californian rookie had not been able to find his rhythm in the first round: 3.13–his worst total this year. It was a contest to forget for the rookie, who still remains ranked sixth in the world. As for the title race, he’s not out, but momentum isn’t on his side.
History repeats itself for Josh Kerr. Impressive up to the semifinals in Bali, the Australian had then completely lost his surfing, only scoring an uninspired wave. In Tahiti, Kerrzy reproduced almost the same pattern. Hesitant at the beginning, he improved throughout the heats (18.53 in round three) before putting on a show in the fourth round to send Smith and Flores in round five. He was stopped in the quarterfinals against Fanning and one and only worthy barrel scored (6.43) with a weak total of 7.06. Good, but there's room for more. Same thing in the rankings where he climbs to seventh place (+2).
Third time’s a charm. This is the third elimination in the second round this season for Adriano de Souza after the Gold Coast and Fiji. Dominated by Alain Riou's sharp barrels, the Brazilian, winner of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in April, prematurely left Teahupoo and his last (and thin) chances for a world title this year. Sad Mineirinho...
A fifth round for CJ Hobgood, a surfer we were honestly expecting in the quarters, we see as underachieving. But Julian Wilson was on his way, turning their confrontation to his advantage by a small difference (17.96 to 17.27). The outcome might have been different if CJ had not been too loose addressing a barrel and got hit by the lip. In the end, it was a memorable wipeout and a preventable elimination after a faultless run until that point in the event. The first mistake was fatal but didn’t end up affect his ranking (still 9th).
A fresh breeze blew on the Billabong Pro Tahiti and Adrian Buchan is obviously no stranger to that. Not that the 30-year-old surfer is a rookie on the Dream Tour, but we had not seen his bright Aussie smile on the highest step of the podium in a contest since the Quiksilver Pro France in 2008. Then too, "Ace" defeated Slater in final. His fluency in the Tahitian barrels raised hell through the ranks of the high seeds of the Top 34.
Dominated by Perrow in the first round and worried until the buzzer by Logie in round 2, Ace "raised his level," as he stated after his win posting an average score was 16.28 points per heat. In Tahiti this year, you'd be wise not to cross the barrel-compressor Buchan, who makes his entry in the top 10 of the WT (ranked 10th) with an eight place increase in the rankings.
Before his defeat against Kai Otton in the quarterfinals, things had gone according to plan for Julian Wilson. After a difficult first round (11.67), the Australian restored order dominating Muniz in round two and Melling in round three. Once CJ Hobgood was ruled out in round five, J-Dub found Otton again in the quarters for a comparable ending to the fourth round. This was the third quarterfinal this season for the Australian and his third defeat in said round. He is stabilized at 11th place in the rankings.
Sometimes life can be unfair, even cruel. Brilliant finalist in Bali late June, Michel Bourez has not seen beyond the second round at Teahupoo, his home. Cruel indeed, since the Tahitian is perfectly armed and trained to shine on his favorite contest. Alas, defeated by injury replacement Yadin Nicol (AUS) in the first round, the "Spartan" was then in the way of another Australian–former elite surfer and wildcard Nathan Hedge. A long and late tube beautifully mastered by the bald Aussie, another disappointment for Bourez. He is now out of the WCT top 10 (ranked 12th, down four places).
The Australian made the show at Teahupoo: a perfect barrel ride (scored 10 points but with a 9.9 from a fussy judge), others almost as spectacular, a gesture of annoyance towards Wilson who had just "robbed" a wave from him and towards the judges sparing of interferences, exuberant claims and a spot in semifinal acquired at the strength of his fins. Kai Otton did not steal his four-place increase in the rankings, now in 13th position. The Aussie is looking good to keep his spot on the World Tour next year.
With regard to his extravagant average score (18.06 over four heats!), we appointed him moral winner in Bali. We're tempted to do the same at the end of the Tahiti contest. Moreover, John John Florence was logically awarded the "Andy Irons Most Committed Award." At Teahupoo, the Hawaiian had been able to show off his incredible barrel science and link together high-performance heats: 16.57 in the first round, 19.10 in round three, 18.67 in round four and then 17.33 in the quarterfinal for an average score of 17.91. This time, the show-stopper was Buchan. In Bali, it was Parko and just before at Tavarua, Kelly. All three times, the surfer defeating JJF (who maintains his 14th position in the WT rankings) won the event. Coincidence?
Having repeatedly claimed his penchant for the Tahitian contest, it would be hard to believe that Jeremy Flores can be satisfied with a fifth round finish. Moreover, given his start in the contest, symbolized by his round two heat where the Frenchman approached perfection: a perfect 10 for a long and deep backside barrel before taking the right of event to collect a 9.33. After that, it’s hard to imagine he would miss the final phases. However, that doesn’t take into account Mick Fanning. Almost absent for three-quarters of his fifth round heat, the Australian managed to slip away from Flores in the final minutes of their match-up for the barrel of the qualification. End of story for Flores and one less place in the rankings (now 15th).
Having been injured during the US Open of Surfing, had Sebastian Zietz recovered sufficiently to attend the Billabong Pro Tahiti? With regard to his first round performance with three poor take offs and an unworthy total for the talented Hawaiian tuberider (2.60), of course not. Better in round 2, "Seabass" has not lost against Melling, both surfers finished tied at 14.10. Author of the best-scored barrel (8.33), the Australian validated his qualification for the third round leaving the rookie Zietz docked at the second round for the first time this season. Like Young, the first time in his elite career too.
After a blazing first part of the season, are the rookies going to bend under the weight of fatigue and psychological pressure? Similar to Young and Zietz, Filipe Toledo also left the Billabong Pro after the second round. Powerless in the first round (6.93) behind Damo Hobgood, the Brazilian gave a big battle in the repecharge round against his compatriot Pupo, who finally had the last word with a clean barrel dug out in the last minute. Down four places in the rankings, the Brazilian surfer (ranked 17th) could now be fighting to stay in the elite.
Another contest in perfect anonymity for Gabriel Medina–a (bad) habit for the Brazilian this year who only passed beyond the third round once at Rio (3rd). The worst part is that at Tahiti, he was not unworthy. The surfer from Maresias came out unhurt from an ultra-tight first round against Kerr and Muniz. He then delivered a big battle in the third round against Patacchia despite a nice total (16.16) and a few good barrels. In the rankings, Medina lost two spots and is now ranked 18th. Time to be careful, Gabi.
Absent in the first three events of the season, Fred Patacchia has improved his performance contest after contest since his return to the Tour with a 13th in Fiji, 9th in Bali and now 5th in Tahiti. In three contests, the Hawaiian already broke the top 22 (ranked 19th). At Teahupoo, Freddy-P proved that he remains one of the most advanced tuberiders on tour. Fanning paid the price in the first round, Medina in round three and then Parko and CJ in round four. That wasn't the case for Slater in the quarterfinals with an obvious psychological upper hand.
A paradoxical contest for the Australian. Even though Bede Durbidge directly qualified for the third round thanks to his narrow victory in round one, by 0.04 point over Pat Gudauskas, he still loses one place in the World Tour rankings (now 20th tied). Lest we forgot who is responsible for his third round eviction, in which he nevertheless scored a solid 16.27–one "Ace" Buchan...
Matt Wilkinson gets out of the Billabong Pro Tahiti terribly frustrated. His demonstration in no-grab frontside tubes totally disgusted Burrow in the first round with a well deserved 15.07 total. The Australian raised his level again in the third round where his application in barrels earned him an excellent 16.27. Unluckily for Wilko, Kai Otton had done better although only slightly (16.43). Really too bad as he loses a place in the rankings (now 20th tied).
Making his return at Teahupoo after his painful contact with the reef in Fiji, which forced him to miss Bali, Travis Logie was stopped in round two. Off the pace in the first round (6.57) against Smith and Riou, the South African had regained colors in the next round and his tube on the buzzer was very close to bringing down the eventual event champ. Only 0.30 points were missing for the surfer from Durban to radically change the course of the competition. As a result, Logie is still fighting (ranked 22nd tied) for a place in the Top 34 elite next season.
Flagship of "new school" surfing, Kolohe Andino has proven in the Billabong Pro Tahiti that barrels were also included in his bag of tricks. His first in round one scored a 9.00, he shook Parkinson before the world champion finally started to find his rhythm. In repecharge, despite two very nice barrels, the Californian fell on a stratospheric Kai Otton (19.06). He's down in the rankings (22nd tied), but certainly not in his personal progression.
Good luck was not on Brett Simpson's side in Tahiti. With a 17.10, the American scored the fourth highest total of the second round. Obviously enough to join the next round, you'd say, except the Californian had drawn a deadly Flores who was almost untouchable (19.33, best score of the event). As a consequence, Simpo (even 22nd) gets out of the requalifying zone in the rankings with this second consecutive elimination in round two after Bali and his third one this season (with Bells). The end of the season will be tight for him.
The great "loser" of the season has struck again. Bad luck again for the Floridian. For those who have not been following the previous episodes, here are the facts. It's fairly simple: lots of bad luck for the other half of the Floridian brother duo, now ranked 25th, who has to gather big points before switching to less favorable playgrounds for this goofy-footed, big barrel lover.
Yet another third round for Miguel Pupo, the fourth this season for him, who missed the first two Australian events due to an ankle injury. After he barely escaped the clutches of Toledo in the second round, the Brazilian was powerless against a finely tuned Florence (19.10) in the next. The step separating him from the young phenom was simply too high. Still 25th in the rankings, Pupo is looking for a glorious feat to stabilize himself in the requalifying top 22. Otherwise...
Yes, Adam Melling is rising. After four consecutive eliminations in the second round, the Australian ended his catastrophic series at Teahupoo. He defeated Zietz at the favor of a highest best wave after they finished tied (14.10 each). But that's why we have rules. Melling then collapsed in round three where he watched Wilson take most of the waves. He only took one for a starving total of 0.73 points. Nevertheless, he advances one place in the rankings (now 27th).
Teahupoo isn't Huntington Beach. Winner late July in the small Californian waves, Alejo Muniz was pretty quiet in the semi-big Tahitian pits. Very close to getting ahead of Medina in the first round on a late tube, though roughly claimed, the Brazilian was not able to do anything in round two against Wilson. Already the fourth elimination in round two for "Corpinho" this season, he stands at 32nd in the WCT rankings. However, he is protected by his 16th place in the men's world rankings.
There were very few opportunities to determine Kieren Perrow as being on the up and up this season so we're taking advantage of his third round finish to reward the Aussie veteran. Although it does not seem like it, KP defeated Buchan in the first round (with a 16.60 total) aligning two similar backside barrels. In the third round against Kerr, Perrow scored big on two huge tubes (9.63 and 8.30) that could have (should have?) allowed him to dominate his compatriot. Alas, Kerrzy threw out a buzzer-beater barrel overtaking his elder in the dying seconds of the heat. But, on a spot he likes, we've found the Kieren we love. His 32nd place in the rankings (up two places), however, still leaves him in deep trouble.
