Quiksilver Pro Africa - Day Five Recap
Apr 20 2007 / Durban, South Africa
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Kieren Perrow from Australia was first up for some tube time this morning, scoring two excellent barrel rides for scores of 8.83 and 8.67, to take the first heat of the round of 48 convincingly. He beat Brazilian Jihad Khodr into second, and eliminated from the tournament were Darren O’Rafferty from Australia and event wildcard Brandon Jackson from South Africa.
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“Everyone was pushing in the heat before mine, and I saw the guys starting to disappear behind the pier. I got really lucky to get that early one that turned into a sick barrel,” said a stoked Perrow. “Then I was paddling back out through the middle, caught a little wave and ended up sitting quite wide. Then a nice sized set went wide and I just happened to be at the right place. I got fully barrelled. So stoked.”
Not to be outdone, Chris Davidson from Australia paddled out next to the pier in heat number three of the round of 48, and despite a bit of intense hussling, paddled into the wave of the day. It was a long, thick, draining barrel, one of the best barrels to be seen at the New Pier in a long time. Showing his competitive experience and cool-headedness, Davo exited the barrel cleanly and powered straight into a massive cutback/white water rebound for the first ten-point ride of the event.
“There was someone trying to paddle around me, but I snuck the inside, got into the barrel and started driving,” said a smiling Davo on the beach afterwards. “I had so much speed from that first long section that when the next section appeared it first looked like it was going to shut me down, but I just flew straight through it. Then I went straight into that cuttie with all the speed in the world. So yeah, stoked with that one.”
All eyes were then onto the local hero Jordy Smith, who had a tight heat against the blazing Portuguese Tiago Pires. Jordy left it till late in his heat, pulling into some good barrels that were shutting him down and not allowing him the scores he needed. In the dying minutes Jordy picked up a bomb, executed some powerful rail turns on the big New Pier wall before pulling off a great air reverse to a cheering home crowd.
“I was sweating out there. everyone was getting barrelled at my home break and I couldn’t get any barrels. I was lucky to get that wave at the end,” said a relieved Smith. “I was just waiting for a wave and watching everyone else scoring bombs, but then I got that last one, and there was a nice section to boost, and the judges gave me an eight.”
Another exciting clash was between American surfer and event wild card Dane Reynolds and former WCT surfer and top local pro Davey Weare. The heat lead swung a few times, with American Nate Yeomans and Yuri Sodre from Brazil surfing hard and powerful as they chased the heat favourites. Eventually it was Davey who took the heat, with some explosive surfing on the best waves of the heat. Dane Reynolds was a close second, nearly pulling off a massive double-grab air reverse on a set wave.
“I was struggling out there at first. I don’t think I even stood up for the first twelve minutes of my heat,” commented Davey. “But then I started getting a couple and feeling a bit of rhythm going. My boards are going well, so I was happy with that result.”
Into the round of 24 saw some incredible surfing, with the third heat one of the most dramatic of the event so far. Jordy Smith (ZAF), Neco Padaratz(BRA) and Jay Thompson(AUS) went neck and neck in flurry of massive hacks, carves, re-entries and aerial manoeuvres in the slightly onshore conditions. With Smith in the lead, Padaratz looked upset with a score of 5.97 for a wave with some big linking turns, but fuelled his frustration into the biggest air of the event, with some surfers calling it one of the biggest airs that they had ever seen. The wave scored a 7.5 for a single manoeuvre, and it got him into second place behind Smith, and through to the next round.
“I couldn’t believe it myself,” said Padaratz afterwards when asked about the air .”When I started flying I didn’t think I was going to land it, and then when I made it I was so happy. I think maybe the previous wave was a little underscored, but I’m through so I’m happy. ”
The live webcast, presented by John Shimooka and Martin Potter ran all day and is set to continue throughout the weekend at www.quikproafrica.com. Those people who can’t get down to the New Pier can enjoy live streaming of the event from their computers on www.quikproafrica.com. The event runs through until Sunday 22 April, when the finals will be held.
- Press Release
Quiksilver Pro Africa 2007 - Round of 24 - Remaining Match
Heat # 8
Red Daniel Ross AUS
White Greg Emslie ZAF
Black Rodrigo Dornelles BRA
Quiksilver Pro Africa 2007 - Round of 16 - Scheduled Matches
Heat # 1
Red Kieren Perrow AUS
White Chris Davidson AUS
Heat # 2
Red Adrian Buchan AUS
White Jihad Khodr BRA
Heat # 3
Red Jordy Smith ZAF
White Shaun Gossman AUS
Heat # 4
Red Neco Padaratz BRA
White Tiago Pires PRT
Heat # 5
Red Luke Munro AUS
White Ben Dunn AUS
Heat # 6
Red David Weare ZAF
White Dane Reynolds USA
Heat # 7
Red Mikael Picon FRA
White TBD
Heat # 8
Red Roy Powers HAW
White TBD
