Event placed on hold, small swell running out at Teahupoo. 
photo ASPWorldtour/Tostee

Billabong Pro Tahiti

ASP WCT Mens & Womens Events
Teahupoo, Tahitii.
4 - 16 May 2006

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COMPETITION CALLED OFF FOR BILLABONG PRO TAHITI TODAY

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 May, 2006 : - - Professional surfing’s elite are enjoying another day free of the fear in Tahiti today given the usually fearsome reef break known as Teahupoo is looking more like a friendly beginner’s playground.

With the waves barely hitting the one metre (two to three foot) mark event officials will wait for only premium conditions before kicking off the third event on both the Foster’s ASP Men’s and ASP Women’s World Tours. Forecasts indicate that a swell may materialize in the latter point of the weekend with the predicted rise coming during the day on Sunday.

For Keala Kennelly (HAW), who has won here at this location on three occasions, the reprieve is a welcome one as she’s been granted some much-appreciated healing time for her suspected broken back. Kennelly underwent a CAT scan yesterday when doctors feared the worst for the renowned “Chopes” charger after she sustained the injury while free-surfing in Fiji last week.

Results of the scan revealed she has deep spinal bruising instead of fractured vertebras as was first thought. Kennelly was obviously ecstatic. “I’m so stoked. I thought I was going to be out for four to six weeks,” said Kennelly. “I was still going to try to surf regardless, but now I’m all clear, this is really good news.”

Occy fills in time fishing : photo ASPWorldtour/Tostee

Equally as enthusiastic about the lay day are Megan Abubo (HAW) and Sofia Mulanovich (PER) who will capitalize on the small conditions and get in another day of practice before the break roars to life. “Rochelle (Ballard), Sofia and I came straight from Fiji and it’s been good because I’ve been able to put in a lot of time out there,” said Abubo. “We’ve been surfing twice a day and I’ve never done that before so it’s good practice.”

With the top 17 female and 45 male surfers on the planet all itching to get in on the action, island-hopping, canoeing and fishing are often the call of the day when competition is called off.

Mark “Occy” Occhilupo, who won at Teahupoo in 1999, didn’t seem phased by another day off. “Yesterday was my first full day here and I had a little surf,” said Occy. “It was pretty fun to be back out there. It’s a beautiful place to have lay days, it’s probably the place on tour with the least amount to do but it’s the most comfortable.”

Another call on competition status will be made tomorrow at 7am local time.

For the full draw for both the men and women head to www.billabongpro.com or www.aspworldtour.com

Andy Irons and Joel Parkinson with fans at Billabong store in Papeete : photo ASPWorldtour/Karen

LAY DAY CALLED FOR BILLABONG PRO TAHITI
KENNELLY LAID UP WITH SUSPECTED BROKEN BACK

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 4 May, 2006 : - - Organisers of the Billabong Pro Tahiti, the third event on the Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour and ASP Women's World Tour, have opted to take a rest day as swell conditions at the famed break of Teahupoo are way below their incredibly perfect best.

Contest Directors Luke Egan and Chris Callaghan had no choice but to call the lay day as the swell is a smallish one metre (three feet) at present, but it is expected to rise over the weekend. Forecasts suggest that swell could rise to around the two metre (six feet) plus mark by Sunday and if so we’ll see the incredible natural phenomenon that is Teahupoo fire off its renowned ferocious barrels.

While most competitors are eager to get amongst it, there is one particular surfer hoping that the event kicks off later rather than sooner. Kealla Kennelly (HAW), who has a history of charging only the largest and steepest waves at “Chopes” is at present laid up with a suspected broken back.

Having incurred the injury after the previous women’s event in Fiji, when she was slammed onto the reef while freesurfing, Kennelly is undergoing numerous cat scans in the Tahitian capital of Papeete, to investigate the extent of the injuries. Kennelly will be devastated if she is forced to miss the event as she is known worldwide as the “Queen of Teahupoo” having won at this location three times in extremely dangerous conditions.

“I know that she loves this event and I know that she would be really disappointed,” said good friend and world number eight Clare Bevilacqua (AUS). “I’m sure though that if it is small she won’t be as worried but she still loves surfing this place with a passion.” It is likely that when the swell arrives the ladies will be the first to hit the water.

In round one of the men’s event there have been numerous withdrawals due to injury. Toby Martin (AUS) will again withdraw due to a shoulder injury he sustained after his arm was caught in the rocks at his home break of Dee Why Point in Sydney, Australia.

Raoni Monteiro (BRA) is another casualty pulling out due to a lingering knee problem that also forced him to withdraw from the last men’s event at Bells Beach Australia. And Adrian Buchan (AUS) has yet to partake in the Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour due to an ankle complaint.

The first round draw of the men’s is now littered with a host of wildcards from the trials including four local Tahitians Hira Terinatoofa, Heiarri Williams, Manoa Drollet and Steve Pierson. The four are masters of the tricky Teahupoo break and will cause a stir in their first round heats where they will meet Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kelly Slater (USA), Andy Irons (HAW) and Taj Burrow (AUS) in heats six, eight, nine and 10.

“Hira is always a performer here at Chopes,” said 2005 world number six Trent Munro (AUS). "He always has the potential to take some of the big boys out. Manoa though, he’s the big damage guy. If it gets big he’s trouble.”

Heiarri Williams has also been noted as perhaps one of the best ever prospects to come out of Tahiti and his unique side-slipping entry into the incredibly vertical takeoff at Teahupoo will be well appreciated by the judges.

Also gaining entry into the main event is charger Danny Fuller (HAW). A confident tube rider who regularly impresses at Pipeline Hawaii, Fuller has been matched up against Mick Fanning (AUS) and Brazilian wonder kid Adriano De Souza.

For the full draw for both the men and women head to www.billabongpro.com or www.aspworldtour.com

Previous reports:
# 1 : Terinatoofa & Williams win wildcards for Billabong Pro 
# 2 : Slater ready for Billabong Pro Tahiti replay at Teahupoo 
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Billabong Pro Tahiti Information Line: (689 )579 631  updated 7am daily

Billabong
Simon Barratt
sbarratt@billabong.com.au

Mandy McKinnon
mandy.mckinnon@bigpond.com

ASP International
Wayne Dart 
darty@aspworldtour.com

Melissa Buckley
melissa@aspworldtour.com 

Photography
Pierre Tostee
tostee@aspworldtour.com

Karen Wilson
karenwilson@aspworldtour.com

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