Big names fall

Brazil hasn't been kind to the big names on the tour, except one Slater. Taj went in round three, Mick and Parko in four.

Slater has won his round four heat and is into the quarters. Only one Aussie has made it to the final rounds. Owen Wright is having his best event of his time as a full time CT surfer. Four Yanks have made it through including CJ, Taylor Knox and Dane Reynolds. Jordy Smith

The event will finish today and Taj is likely to drop down the ratings after his 17th. The waves are mainly lefts and seem to favour the goofy footers. But both Kelly and Jordy didn't seem to mind smashing backside.

BILLABONG SANTA CATARINA PRO ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Luke Munro (AUS) 13.04 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 10.84
Heat 2: Jadson Andre (BRA) 15.26 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 9.23
Heat 3: Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.50 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.17
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.77 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.17
Heat 5: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.73 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 5.20
Heat 6: Dane Reynolds (USA) 14.66 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 10.00
Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.83 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 11.33
Heat 8: Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.60 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.00
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.50 def. Neco Padaratz (BRA) 11.04
Heat 10: Taylor Knox (USA) 13.00 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.73
Heat 11: Owen Wright (AUS) 13.77 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 9.27
Heat 12: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.50 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 7.83
Heat 13: Kelly Slater (USA) 12.60 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 6.83
Heat 14: Chris Davidson (AUS) 12.37 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 12.17
Heat 15: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.00 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 9.83
Heat 16: Roy Powers (HAW) 14.17 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 9.66

BILLABONG SANTA CATARINA PRO ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Jadson Andre (BRA) 16.83 def. Luke Munro (AUS) 10.83
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.50. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 7.43
Heat 3: Dane Reynolds (USA) 15.16 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.67
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.84 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 9.80

BILLABONG SANTA CATARINA PRO REMAINING ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS: - TODAY
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) lost to Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 6: Owen Wright (AUS) def. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) def. Chris Davidson (AUS)
Heat 8: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)

Call the Cops - Taj was robbed !!!!

TB has just lost to Travis Logie in Brazil by less than a point. This hands him a 17th and puts a little dent in his world title run.

Taj was clearly underscored on both his scoring waves and Travis was massively overscored for his mistakes. The big difference between class and WQS re-qualifiers is they don't need to mess their surfing with double pump bottom turns or mis-timmed re-entries. Logie's highest scoring wave (a 7+) had both and he failed to show style, commitment, flow or power as required by the judging criteria.

Big Luke Egan did not hold back in his commentary and was quite clear from when scores dropped for their first waves that Taj was being hard done by.

Didn't Cheyne Horan get underscored whenever he challenged MR for a title ? Who's in the number two spot ? Slater going for 10 !!!!

One over, one still going

Steph Gilmore proved once again that no one on the WCT can beat her winning the Beachly Classic at Dee Why Point. That is win three from four events with her only loss (not counting stupid round one) was against a wildcard. The next womens event is in Peru in June.

After a couple of lay days the Billabong Pro Brazil is back on in ok surf. Brazil continues to be the one place that is always crappy and below the "Dream Tour" standard. Round three and possibly round four may go today.

Taj pulls the lowest qualifier Travis Logie, who surprised everyone by actually winning a man on man heat at WCT level. Don't want to jinx TB but he should win over the worst surfer on tour. There are a few names in the strange position of being in round three. Parko has a potentially difficult heat as do anyone against a Brazil nut. Bede vs Owen Wright and Freddie P vs Flores could be good as well.

Seems that with the lay days they have been able to improve the quality of the webcast and the site now has a new twist on "heats on demand" - you make your own playlist of individual waves.

BILLABONG SANTA CATARINA PRO ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Luke Munro (AUS)
Heat 2: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 3: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 5: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 6: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)
Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Heat 8: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 10: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 12: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 13: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 15: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 16: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)

Slater and Shippies

In case you haven't seen it - Slater shows that Shipsterns is easy if you're him !!! As hard as it tries it can't even drag him over the falls.

Round two and three

Brazil started late last night with the non-elimination round one. Not that it matters but other than Parko the top surfers lost. The Hopgoods both got through to round three in waves that suit their styles. Travis Logie lost again.

Round two is on now. The waves are ok, decent size but a bit all over the place. It looks like there will be some slow heats wave count wise. It is cold, grey and pouring with rain - no bikini babes at this time of the year.

Taj has just won his round two heat with a huge air and a combo score over a Brazilian wildcard. Even if Taj has lost both his top scores he still would have won easily with his two back ups. Mick is in the water now against a local and Slater is up next against another one.

The webcast is basic but Billabong seems to have sent their commentators. Luke Egan, Snips Parsons and GT are a huge step up over the people used at last year's event.

BILLABONG SANTA CATARINA PRO ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Tanio Barreto (BRA)
Heat 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Ricardo dos Santos (BRA)
Heat 3: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Messias Felix (BRA)
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 5: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 6: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Nate Yeomans (USA)
Heat 8: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 9: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 10: Luke Stedman (AUS) vs. Luke Munro (AUS)
Heat 11: Andy Irons (HAW) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 12: Daniel Ross (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 13: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 14: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 15: Roy Powers (HAW) vs. Mick Campbell (AUS)
Heat 16: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW)

The women have had three lay days in a row. They are into round three with all heats potentially exciting. Steph Gilmore is up against another wildcard. WA's Claire Bevo has a hard heat against Sophia Mulanovich.

COMMONWEALTH BANK BEACHLEY CLASSIC ROUND 3 MATCHUPS:
Heat 1: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Amee Donohoe (AUS)
Heat 2: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Laura Enever (AUS)
Heat 5: Sofia Mulanovich (AUS) vs. Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)
Heat 7: Melanie Bartels (HAW) vs. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
Heat 8: Sally Fitzgibbons (HAW) vs. Lee Ann Curren (FRA)

Lots of contest action

The fourth womens CT event starts tomorrow. The Beachley Classic is usually held in crap suburban beach break waves but is the second stand alone event in the last two weeks. Carissa Moore won last week in New Zealand in ok but small surf after Steph Gilmore was knocked out by a wildcard early in the event. Its hard to get excited about these events because the waves really make it hard to show any decent surfing.

Heat 1: Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Carissa Moore (HAW), Amee Donohoe (AUS)
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), TBA
Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), Nikita Robb (ZAF)
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Heat 6: Melanie Bartels (HAW), Coco Ho (HAW), Bruna Schmitz (BRA)

The men are in Brazil on Friday for the first Billabong event. Billabong have taken over after the local sponsor pulled out at the last moment. This event was moved to winter to try and get some decent waves. Last year it was crap and this year will probably be the same. And it will probably look cold and un-Brazil like on the beach as well. This was the worst webcast last year and it looks like it will be again as Billabong hasn't had the time get its team there.

On the plus side with the change in judging this year the event should be even more tailor made for Taj, Slater, Jordy and Dane.

Night surfing

Are you old enough to remember the nigft surfing contest at City Beach ? Perhaps you've done a full moon paddle out or found a groyne with a decent light.

Red Bull have taken the night surfing idea to another level - night surfing at Pipeline. Okay its not maxing 15 foot second reef but it seems to have dished out a beating or two. I'm not sure if the surfers felt safe from sharks because the surf photographers were more likely bait balls ????

XXL Wipeout Nominees

Don't laugh to hard or karma might get you.

You will believe !!!

Khngy has doubts that yesterday's big northerly swell resulted in some big, Pipeline style waves in Bunbury. Here is just a sample of the truth.

Four is the number

Fourth venue for the contest and fourth Bells win for Slater. Slater nailed Mick Fanning with a huge no hands spinning air in decent wave at Johanna.

Taj added a third to his Snapper win. So far this year he has two firsts, a second and a third. He looked to be a little underscored against Mick but as usual it is really hard to get a handle on what the judges were looking for.

The next event is in Brazil in a couple of weeks. Hopefully it won't be in the usual crap.

Perth waves are crap

Stuck in Joondalup for a course. Headed to the beach this arvo to see if I could maybe get wet. Get better waves in Bunno with less people !

Kites looking like moths off Scarborough

North Beach - Best Wave on the Coast

Triggs Screamer !!!

Third venue for round three and four

Round three and half of round four went down today in clean peaks at Winkipop.Taj was on fire again beating Matt Wilkinson by four points and smashing AI. His surfing is magic at the moment and he seems that ever turn is critical, powerful and fins out. Jordy Smith thrashed Owen Wright in waves that tended to run quickly down the line and favour natural footers. He then pull and air and a superman air on the same wave to earn a 9+ and beat Roy Powers.


RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 16.67 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 11.16
Heat 2: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.37 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 11.70
Heat 3: Andy Irons (HAW) 10.67 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 6.70
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.04 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.33
Heat 5: Roy Powers (HAW) 13.50 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 12.34
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.67 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 8.47
Heat 7: Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.14 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 12.17
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.20 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.84
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.16 def. Neco Padaratz (BRA) 13.57
Heat 10: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.17 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.06
Heat 11: Bobby Martinez (USA) 12.83 def. Drew Courtney (AUS) 10.34
Heat 12: Jadson Andre (BRA) 16.53 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 14.37
Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.90 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 15.63
Heat 14: Luke Stedman (AUS) 14.34 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 14.17
Heat 15: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.10 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.84
Heat 16: Michel Bourez (PYF) 16.24 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 10.00

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.90 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.90
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.77 def. Andy Irons (HAW) 11.93
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.30 def. Roy Powers (HAW) 13.77
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.60 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 10.90

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH REMAINING ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 6: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Jadson Andrew (BRA)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Michel Bourez

Interesting reading

A couple of articles on some of the business side of surfing from the weekend.

SMH has presented an extract from respected surf journalist Phil Jarrett new book Salt and Suits. The article is titled "Quiksilver's High and Low Tides" in the business section.

The Australian's media section has an interesting take on the relationship between the surf media and the big companies in "The Endless Summer of Sycophancy".

And for something completely different the ABC are reporting on Margaret River surfer Sullivan McLeod attempt to join the American Professional Bull Riding Tour without any experience (Surfer looks to US Bull Riding Tour). Sully published a book "Tunnel Vision" on his year on the WQS, moving up the ratings without catching a wave and getting ripped off everywhere. His book was reviewed in a newsletter last year. The bull riding will be his next book.

Round two done

Round two was completed today at 13th Beach in reasonable looking waves. Some rookies won their first WCT heats and head to round three. It was a bad day for the Hopgoods with both brothers eliminated by people they should have beaten. Bells was Damo's 100th WCT event, the seventh surfer to do so and CJ is still looking for his 200th WCT heat win. Travis Logie has recorded another 33rd.

Heat of round three will be Jordy v Owen Wright, especially if there are peaky and crumbly waves.

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.16 def. Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 12.06
Heat 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 10.43 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 9.84
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) 15.24 def. Adam Robertson (AUS) 14.07
Heat 4: Neco Padaratz (BRA) 12.03 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 9.60
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) 9.06 def. Blake Thornton (AUS) 7.46
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.23 def. Marco Polo (BRA) 9.84
Heat 7: Taylor Knox (USA) 13.67 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.60
Heat 8: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 13.83 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.54
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 10.10 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 9.43
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) 11.94 def. Nate Yeomans (USA) 5.60
Heat 11: Chris Davidson (AUS) 16.13 def. Jay Thompson (AUS) 16.10
Heat 12: Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.56 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 9.83
Heat 13: Brett Simpson (USA) 13.66 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 8.70
Heat 14: Drew Courtney (AUS) 12.84 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 8.27
Heat 15: Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.50 def. Luke Munro (AUS) 2.43
Heat 16: Owen Wright (AUS) 9.84 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 9.10

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH REMAINING ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 2: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 3: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 7: Daniel Ross (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 10: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 11: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)
Heat 15: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 16: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)

XXL Ride of the year nominees

NOMINEES REVEALED FOR 2010 BILLABONG XXL GLOBAL BIG WAVE AWARDS from Billabong on Vimeo.

Steph wins again

Steph Gilmore continues to be better than everyone else on the tour. She is starting to look like a female version of Slater, unbeatable by anyone but herself.

The waves were pretty crappy but some of round one of the mens was held. Taj, Parko and Mick all went straight through to round three.

The forecast isn't good. Not much swell and onshore winds. Might be Bells at Johanna again this year.

Women finish this morning

The womens event at Bells continues in difficult onshore conditions.

Steph Gilmore is through to another final and her opponent will be Chelsea Hedges or Sophia Mulanovich, who are in the water right now.

The webcast is on and Fuel TV will be broadcasting after the current semi.