Billabong Pro

ASP WCT Mens Event
Supertubes, Jeffreys Bay, South Africa
12 – 22 July 2006

Live Webcast  |  Scores/Results/Photos/Videos etc 

Six Round Three Heats Completed Today

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 20 July, 2006 : - -With poor wave quality and consistency plaguing the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay today, organisers managed to only hold six heats of the 16 in round three. On the horizon however are excellent forecasts, which indicate that a sizeable swell is on the way, set to arrive tomorrow and to hold out until Saturday.

The standout performer of the day was none other than 2002 Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay champion and 2005 Fosters ASP Men’s World Tour number three Mick Fanning (AUS). Blasting up and over the short yet punchy sections, Fanning came home with the highest total score of the day, a 15.66 to down Hawaiian Roy Powers. Fanning attributed the win to getting busy and not stopping while his foe had priority.

“It was really tricky out there,” said Fanning. “When you had priority you found yourself getting stuck up the point. I actually got my best waves out of priority, so that was a bonus. It came down to whoever got the waves… Then they just had to try and negotiate the bumps.” Fanning also had an altercation with the rocks which line the edge of the break after he pushed a wave right through to the inside.

Greg Emslie : photo ASP/Covered Images

“Yeah, I got smashed!” laughed Fanning. “I was star fishing out there for a while on barnacles and muscles and all kinds of stuff. I got out all right but my board got a couple of dings. Still, I got through the heat so I’m really happy.”

For Fanning the year has been reasonably indifferent, despite him notching up some of the biggest total scores of the year, so a good result here will put his campaign back on track. “I haven’t had the best year,” said Fanning. “So I’m looking to go out and get a result here. I’m pretty pumped!”

Also excelling in the smallish swell was Brazilian hot shot Adriano de Souza. The lightweight naturalfooter’s style was perfectly suited to the waves today and he pulled out everything from his bag of tricks to win over Trent Munro (AUS).

“Yeah I’m pretty stoked with these conditions and to be doing well at J Bay,” said de Souza. “These waves are so similar to my home and I’m stoked to have been able to surf them and performance well. I’m stoked to make it through to the next round because I’ve needed some more points to qualify for the top tour for next year. This heat was incredible. Trent Munro surfs really, really powerful and can win in any conditions. It was a great win.”

Adriano de Souza : photo ASP/Covered Images

In an extremely tight affair, South African hopeful Greg Emslie found solid form to edge out Victor Ribas (BRA). So close was the heat it finished with less than half a point separating them – Emslie finished with 12.83 to Ribas’s 12.40.

“At the end of the day it’s a job you’ve got to do,” said Emslie. “You can’t always have perfect waves and you’ve still got to play the game no matter what the conditions are like. I did enough to win and hold my priority when there weren’t that many good waves. Victor is always tough in these conditions and luckily he couldn’t get the score he needed on his last one, so I’m really happy to get through this round and hopefully get into some good surf in the next round.”

Emslie will now take on Fanning in round four and is looking forward to the matchup. “Mick’s tough, but it’s going to come down to who gets the better waves if it’s good,” said Emslie. If it’s barreling I’m sure its going to be a pretty tough heat because we’ll be going all out with big off the tops and long barrels. I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure it’s going to be fun.”

Contest Director Mike Parsons has warned everyone to be ready for a 7.30am sharp start for tomorrow morning. As mentioned, swell forecasts indicate that bigger waves are on the way and he is eager to push on with the round first thing tomorrow. All the heats are strong but none more so than heat eight between seven-time Foster’s ASP Men’s World Tour champion Kelly Slater (USA) and wildcard local giant killer Sean Holmes (ZAF).

Joel Parkinson : photo ASP/Covered Images

Slater indicated he was slightly nervous about taking on Holmes who in previous years has been a thorn in many of the guns’ sides. “A guy like Sean Holmes will be tough,” said Slater. “He’s probably the best local surfer and he has a lot of experience here at J-Bay, but I’d imagine that he’d do better when the waves get a bit bigger. I’m hoping it stays more like Florida size out there so I have a bit more advantage!” [laughs]

Athlete quotes are available in media centre of either www.aspworldtour.com or www.billabongpro.com Video highlights, TV news feeds and downloadable audio quotes are also available.

Results round three heat 1 to 6:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.66 def Victor Ribas (BRA) 13.67
Heat 2: Greg Emslie (ZAF) 12.83 def Victor Ribas (BRA) 12.40
Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.33 def Trent Munro (AUS) 11.90
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.68 def Yuri Sodre (BRA) 7.27
Heat 5: Phil Macdonald (AUS) 13.33 def Davey Weare (ZAF) 12.34
Heat 6: Peterson Rosa (BRA) 12.33 def Shaun Cansdell 9.07

Remaining heats round three heat 7 to 16:
Heat 7: Nathan Hedge (AUS) vs. Mick Lowe (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Sean Holmes (ZAF)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Damien Fahrenfort (ZAF)
Heat 10: Paulo Moura (BRA) vs. Pancho Sullivan (HAW)
Heat 11: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Jarrad Howse (AUS)
Heat 12: Danny Wills (AUS) vs. Mikael Picon (FRA)
Heat 13: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Heat 14: Darren O Rafferty (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 15: Tim Reyes (USA) vs. Pedro Henrique (BRA
Heat 16: Mark Occhilupo (AUS) Raoni Monteiro (BRA)

Phil McDonald : photo ASP/Covered Images

AM Report:  Billabong Pro Round Number Three Restarts at 9:30 a.m. Local Time

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 20 July, 2006 : - - The highly anticipated third round of the Billabong Pro started at Jeffreys Bay this morning when Mick Fanning (AUS) and Roy Powers (HAW) paddled out at Supertubes to contest the first of the 16 heats in the round. Although the expected swell has not quite delivered as expected, the one metre (3 foot) waves and light onshore winds have produced contestable conditions and while not the classic J-Bay surf everyone has been hoping for, organisers decided to get the event underway. 

With only three days remaining until the waiting period for the contest ends on Saturday and still 16 hours of competition required to determine the 2006 winner, contest director Mike Parsons needs to whittle the contenders down to the last 16 so he can choose the best the conditions in the last two days in which to stage the grand finale. 

SA eyes will be firmly fixed on the record setting six locals still in contention, starting with heat two when SA’s top competitor of the past five years, Greg Emslie, takes his next step on the way to bettering his career best result of third place at last year’s Billabong Pro. 

The 28 year-old East Londoner is up against veteran Brazilian campaigner Victor Ribas, a wily competitor and small-wave maestro, but after last year’s outstanding performance Emslie will be backing himself to advance to a fourth round encounter against the winner of the Fanning / Powers match-up. 

Kelly Slater : photo ASP/Covered Images

Heat five features Durban rookie David Weare who meets Aussie charger Phil MacDonald, followed by wildcard Sean Holmes against top seed, defending event champion and reigning and seven-time world champ Kelly Slater (USA). 

Slater’s credentials as the best surfer of all time make him an intimidating opponent for everyone on the tour. While Holmes would have liked larger waves in which to express his talent for riding Supertubes, the Jeffreys Bay local and Billabong SA marketing manager has defeated the world’s best at the venue before and will be going all out to cause another upset.

Heat nine sees Damien Fahrenfort taking on Aussie aerial expert and fourth seed Taj Burrow with the gangly, 19 year-old Capetonian determined to go one better than his third round exit last year. 

Jordy Smith (Durban) faces a tough test of his competitive skills when in heat 13 he meets long established campaigner Taylor Knox (USA) who finished runner-up to Slater here in 1996 and is currently ranked fourth after one of his best starts to a season. 

Spectators : photo ASP/Covered Images

The freakishly talented Smith, 18, who is being touted as a potential future world champion, is competing in his first event at this level. The manner in which he disposed of the challenges of Burrow and Luke Stedman in winning his first round heat indicates he can make a major impact in this event. 

And the next heat features the sixth of the SA contingent when Travis Logie puts his rapidly healing dislocated big-toe to the test against Aussie Darren O-Rafferty. Logie will be full of confidence after winning his second round encounter on Monday while still walking with crutches and he also won the SA men’s title at Supertubes two years ago in conditions similar to today.

Stay tuned to www.billabongpro.com or www.aspworldtour.com for all the LIVE action plus check the media centre for comprehensive heat by heat updates, audio downloads and athlete quotes.

Round three heat draw:

Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) wins against Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 2: Greg Emslie (ZAF) wins against Victor Ribas (BRA)
Heat 3: Adriano de Souza wins against Trent Munro (AUS) 
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Yuri Sodre (BRA)
Heat 5: Phil Macdonald (AUS) vs. David Weare (ZAF)
Heat 6: Shaun Cansdell (AUS) vs. Peterson Rosa
Heat 7: Nathan Hedge (AUS) vs. Mick Lowe (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Sean Holmes (ZAF)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Damien Fahrenfort (ZAF)
Heat 10: Paulo Moura (BRA) vs. Pancho Sullivan (HAW)
Heat 11: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Jarrad Howse (AUS)
Heat 12: Danny Wills (AUS) vs. Mikael Picon (FRA)
Heat 13: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Heat 14: Darren O Rafferty (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 15: Tim Reyes (USA) vs. Pedro Henrique (BRA
Heat 16: Mark Occhilupo (AUS) Raoni Monteiro (BRA)

www.billabongpro.com

Previous reports:
# 1 : Surf & music extravaganza at Billabong Pro J-Bay in July
# 2 : Billabong Pro J-Bay next stop on ASP Men's World Tour
# 3 : Irons/Slater ratings battle resumes with Billabong Pro
# 4 : VZ wildcard trials give Africans chance in Billabong Pro  

# 5 : Excellent swell forecast for Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay
# 6 : Day 2 of Billabong Pro J-Bay plagued by nasty weather
# 7 : Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay: Day of upsets in Round One
# 8 : Billabong Pro is off: Irons & Whitaker win Fosters titles 

# 9 :   John John Florence wins Billabong Junior Showdown..
# 10 : Billabong Pro Jefreys Bay postponed for Sunday July 16
# 11 : Rookies continue to prevail at Billabong Pro Round Two 
# 12 : Billabong Pro called off for Tuesday after just one heat..

# 13 : Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay round three off for the day 
# 14 : Coming soon
# 15 : Coming soon
# 16 : Coming soon  

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