With over 40 hours of competition at the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro ASP Prime, the quality of the surf ranged from pretty good to Lake-Erie-flat. Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, and Joel Parkinson blew off the contest, the money, the points, the sponsors, etc., to surf phenomenal Snapper Rocks, and, hopefully, it was a return to simpler times for them – when good surf superseded any responsibilities to work, school, or obligatory contests.
Possibly due to the absence of the world’s best competitors along with with small, weak surf, the contest became a showcase for Juniors and Brazilians. The Juniors’ small stature and extensive experience competing in less-than-stellar surf gave them an advantage. The Brazilians clearly defied any negative stereotypes formerly associated with their approach to competitive surfing. Eventual winner Miguel Pupo gained notice in last year’s U.S. Open with his fast, explosive surfing; he seemed just as fast here but much more smooth; he was balanced and fluid. Jadson Andre showed a lot of flair, consistently surfing on the edge and consistently completing big maneuvers. Lesser known Thiago Camarao surfed with style – carving beautiful turns. Also of note were Heitor Alves, Jesse Mendes, and Junior Faria. Overall, the Brazilian contingent was well represented as a solid bunch of competitors, good sports, and guys we’ll hope to see competing in better conditions.
Juniors winner Keanu Asing, fresh off his victory in the Unsound Pro Junior in New York, found a way to win again with a solid performance and some big scores in the last minutes of the finals. It seemed that Kolohe Andino surfed so well during the entire event that his moves didn’t impress the judges as much on the final day. World Amateur Champion Jack Freestone ripped but was undoubtedly limited by weak surf. The conditions also seemed to discourage Nat Young’s surfing.
Spectator attendance seemed down from previous Trestles events, possibly because the marquis name competitors skipped the event and both the surf and weather were marginal at times. Perhaps parking a mile away from the contest had lost the novelty appeal for the less core fans. Or, perhaps it’s time to re-visit the original idea of having the best surfers in the world competing in the best waves in the world.
Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro Final Results:
1 – Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.63
2 – Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 13.57
Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 12.03 def. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 11.33
Heat 2: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 16.70 def. Thiago Camarao (BRA) 12.67
Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro Quarterfinals Results:
Heat 1: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 16.37 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 11.76
Heat 2: Jesse Mendes (BRA) 11.60 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 8.33
Heat 3: Thiago Camarao (BRA) 14.50 def. Junior Faria (BRA) 11.47
Heat 4: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 15.24 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.93
Oakley Pro Junior Final Results:
1 – Keanu Asing (HAW) 13.70
2 – Jack Freestone (AUS) 13.43
3 – Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.30
4 – Nat Young (USA) 11.53
Oakley Pro Junior Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.00, Jack Freestone (USA) 9.73, Dylan Goodale (HAW) 9.37
Heat 2: Nat Young (USA) 14.77, Keanu Asing (HAW) 11.47, Conner Coffin (USA) 10.73, Andrew Doheny (USA) 9.14
