Teahupo'o 2012 starts in two days.
The trails have started.
Will the swell hit like in Fiji?
Will the pro's take "big" boards for this contest?
Who's going to win?
Parko's all sorted I think...
I think JJF or Kelly will go close. Shame the swell charts look so barren this next week
Slater has some good runs at Teapuhoo.
Mainly because all you gotta do is just stand there and get a barrel (his words while he had a broken foot, if I remember correctly).
Yeah but NO ONE had the same backside tube riding style as AI. The way he throws his arse and knee into the face to control his speed and position is just awesome...not so much on the Teahupoo big days ofcourse.
Australian Joel Parkinson is through to round three of the Billabong Pro in Tahiti
JOEL Parkinson and an on-song Kelly Slater have both surfed their way directly into round three of the Billabong Pro at the famous Teahupoo break in Tahiti.
Parkinson, chasing his maiden world title and fresh from paddling the famous Molokai to Oahu a race in a team with ironman Wes Berg, started slowly but found his form later in the heat.
''There were only a few good waves,'' Parkinson said after winning his opening heat of the ASP World Tour event.
Famous for its monster, heavy waves, this morning the swell was smaller and milder but big enough for the top surfers in the world to strut their stuff.
Slater, well positioned for a 12th world crown this year if he opts to surf on for the entire season, easily advanced into the third round with local wildcard Alain Riou and South African Travis Logie.
Earlier a last-minute wave shot Australian world title contender Taj Burrow directly into round three at the Billabong Pro but compatriot Mick Fanning was sent into the do-or-die second round.
Burrow, Hawaiian rising star John John Florence and American Taylor Knox were all early winners with the latter defeating current world No.1 Fanning in their match-up.
Fanning must now win his round two heat to advance in the ASP World Tour event.
Florence kicked off the action, advancing directly into the third round of the competition with his definitive win over Brazilian Miguel Pupo and American Patrick
The Billabong Pro is the fifth stop of the 10-event ASP World Tour.
www.perthnow.com.au/news/nsw/australian-joel-parkinson-is-through-to-round-three-of-the-billabong-pro-in-tahiti-ng-f8b569a00922afef26803889e5487e15
Channel islands on FB often will send picks of the quivers ordered by the pros for a comp. But Kelly's for this event was only about 5 boards and i think that might not actually be 100% correct
Its a shame the forecast isn't a bit bigger, its always nice to see the men sorted from the boys.
I'm suprised Kolohi Andino didn't call in sick, or injured, it seems like he is always missing when it starts getting solid. Some of those Brazzo boys are a bit the same.
They had their chance to prove themselves a few times over the last year or two and never took it.
John John has to be one of the favourites in hollow reef break lefts, but I would really like to see Michel Bourez win in his home town.
Too late, I'm quoting you
This was lifted from the ASP website.
Coincidence or not? hmmmmm any conspiricy theorists out there? Is he plain unlucky or dodging chopes?
Teething on one's rookie year is hardly an original story, and Andino's dominance at the ASP Prime and Star events had maintained (he currently sits at No. 18 on the ASP World Rankings). However, following the Volcom Fiji Pro, Andino suffered a serious ankle injury while training in San Clemente that has sidelined him for several weeks.
A serious blow to his rookie year campaign and a loss to fans around the globe who love seeing him throw down regularly, Andino is now rehabbing at home and the ASP called into the 18-year-old to see where his head's at:
Describe for us how this injury happened:
“Basically, I was taking five days off because I had a small twinge in my right hip. During those five days, I was doing a juicing diet. On the sixth day, my hip felt good, the sun was out and I was all juiced up from a ginger, kale, spinach, jalapeño, carrot, garlic and lemon juice. I was frothing. There were little shoulder-high wedges on the shore at Riviera. Fun in the sun. I paddled out with my Dad, Morgan Maassen and Dylan Goodale, which gets me even more psyched because I love surfing with my Dad. It was a full froth fest. About ten waves in, a little left comes my way and I race down the line thinking, “John John (Florence)…John John…John John…full rotation…Rio de Janeiro…Final Against Parko.” I hit it, go in the air, do a 360 and land way too far in the flats. I heard a significant popping noise and started to scream. Froth fest over…”
What is the official diagnosis?
“Grade-3 high ankle sprain, Grade 2-3 Lisfranc ligament torn. I'm meant to be out of the water 8 – 10 weeks from June 21st at the earliest, but I am waiting until I am 100% before I put a jersey on. At that point, I will be really excited to compete again, but for the time being I am working as hard as I can. I'm 100% committed to doing everything in my power to aid in a speedy recovery.”
dunno about conspiracy but definately would not have done too well at chopes, not his cuppa tea, funny how he will be raring to go for trestles and steamer lane. may be a touch cocky for the rookie unless he is actually quite badly hurt
Event is finally back on this morning with Slater losing his third round heat. Taj is back on his firewires by the look of it.
2 16.44 Kelly Slater USA
1 18.34 Ricardo Dos Santos BRA
Conditions at chopes are average at the moment by its standards,...but imagine surfing those waves with one other guy! heaven!
Red thumb be-otch....
Stop being a schlong toker and go and have an actual surf....
Might mean you chill a little
Love swalk
Mick Fanning defeats Joel Parkinson in the final claiming the 2012 Billabong Pro Tahiti win!
First Aussie win in 12 years.....http://instagram.com/p/O2keE3KPDI/
