On Monday the world's best surfers battled it out at Lower Trestles in a ferocious test of wills in super clean 3-4' surf. Tuesday was a down day, but with solid 4-6' waves on tap for Wednesday, competitors such as Kelly Slater, Heitor Alves, Joel Parkinson, and Mick Fanning will be testing their mettle on one of the world's most rippable waves.
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, got the best of an incredible battle against local standout Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 26, in a high-scoring affair of 17.30 to 16.93. While Gudauskas launched massive airs, it was Flores who strung together powerful carving combinations to take out a close Round 2 win.
“Pat (Gudauskas) is an amazing air surfer and I was expecting him to do crazy airs,” Flores said. “I didn’t want to fall into that game because I’m not really an air guy. I wanted to show a difference in my carving turns and mix it up a bit. I know the first guy I saw doing that under-the-lip turn was Andy (Irons). It’s just this one turn that I can do and I just stick to a few of my tricks whenever I need to do them or need a score.”
Heitor Alves (BRA), 30, was unable to find consistency in his heat against local standout Kolohe Andino (USA), 18, but launched an incredible rodeo flip on a righthand ramp to collect a 9.00 for the ride to secure a Round 2 win.
“I just prayed for one wave,” Alves said. “I just tried my best and I got a 9, it’s so funny. I was nervous because with five minutes left, I was thinking I needed the best wave. I try that maneuver a lot on trips, and I’ve never tried it in a heat before. I knew I had to do something special and I landed it. I’m really glad I won the heat.”
Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, current ASP WCT No. 2, rebounded after a sluggish Round 1 heat and tore into the clean offshore conditions this morning, eliminating Hurley Pro at Trestles Wildcard Conner Coffin (USA), 19, in convincing fashion.
“Surfing in that first heat of the day can be difficult because you don’t really know what’s going to be happening with the judging,” Parkinson said. "There were lots of waves early this morning and once the heat started it was pretty slow so I was glad I got that one 9.”
John John Florence (HAW), 19, was another ASP World Title contender to battle in Round 2 this morning, taking on fellow teen phenom and event wildcard Evan Geiselman (USA), 19, in a series of exciting exchanges at Lowers. Florence got the best of the Floridian talent, compliments of a long righthander and a lofty backhand air-reverse on a left to secure his position in Round 3.
“I just go out there and try and get fun waves,” Florence said. "Evan (Geiselman) was really scary. He’s such a good surfer and he could easily get a 9. It was fun to surf with him. We haven’t surfed against each other since we were little.”
Brett Simpson (USA), 27, was electric in his Round 2 bout against veteran campaigner Kieren Perrow (AUS), 35, and aggressively attacked the righthanders at Lowers to secure a commanding victory and advance through to Round 3.
“I was stoked,” Simpson said. “I like a lot of waves and I like to get my feet in the wax. KP (Kieren Perrow) is a great competitor, a great surfer and he did what I expected, which was to wait for good ones.”
Highlights from the Hurley Pro at Trestles will be available at www.hurley.com/hurleypro
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.83 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 10.73
Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) 14.37 def. Evan Geiselman (USA) 13.93
Heat 3: Taylor Knox (USA) 12.16 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 10.60
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 17.63 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 16.93
Heat 5: Julian Wilson (USA) 14.63 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.27
Heat 6: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.66 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.30
Heat 7: Heitor Alves (BRA) 14.50 def. Kolohe Andino (BRA) 14.33
Heat 8: Adam Melling (AUS) 17.30 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 17.13
Heat 9: Travis Logie (ZAF) 12.93 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.77
Heat 10: Brett Simpson (USA) 15.83 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 12.70
Heat 11: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 16.30 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 15.90
Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS) 16.50 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 16.27
HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 5: Heitor Alves (BRA) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 6: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 8: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Heat 10: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 11: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 12: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Source: Hurley Pro
