WQS 6 Star Mens Event
Cave Rock/New Pier Durban South Africa
16 - 22 April 2007

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc

Barrels Galore For Day Five Of The Quiksilver Pro Africa

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 20 April, 2007 : - - The rain finally backed off and the sun came burning through for what was a glorious day in Durban, South Africa’s Playground. The swell stuck around after the storms and the conditions remained highly contestable with the wind light and variable and the sandbank producing some incredible barrels.

The New Pier came to life and the contestants rose to the challenge of surfing perfect tubes in this six star prime WQS event, all chasing the US$15,000 (R106,000) first prize as well as the valuable 3000 WQS points.

Kieren Perrow from Australia was first up for some tube time this morning, scoring two excellent barrel rides for scores of 8.83 and 8.67, to take the first heat of the round of 48 convincingly. He beat Brazilian Jihad Khodr into second, and eliminated from the tournament were Darren O’Rafferty from Australia and event wildcard Brandon Jackson from South Africa.

“Everyone was pushing in the heat before mine, and I saw the guys starting to disappear behind the pier. I got really lucky to get that early one that turned into a sick barrel,” said a stoked Perrow. “Then I was paddling back out through the middle, caught  a little wave and ended up sitting quite wide. Then a nice sized set went wide and I just happened to be at the right place. I got fully barrelled. So stoked.”    

Jordy Smith : photo Barry Tuck/Quiksilver

Not to be outdone, Chris Davidson from Australia paddled out next to the pier in heat number three of the round of 48, and despite a bit of intense hussling, paddled into the wave of the day. It was a long, thick, draining barrel, one of the best barrels to be seen at the New Pier in a long time. Showing his competitive experience and cool-headedness, Davo exited the barrel cleanly and powered straight into a massive cutback/white water rebound for the first ten-point ride of the event.

“There was someone trying to paddle around me, but I snuck the inside, got into the barrel and started driving,” said a smiling Davo on the beach afterwards. “I had so much speed from that first long section that when the next section appeared it first looked like it was going to shut me down, but I just flew straight through it. Then I went straight into that cuttie with all the speed in the world. So yeah, stoked with that one.”

All eyes were then onto the local hero Jordy Smith, who had a tight heat against the blazing Spaniard Tiago Pires. Jordy left it till late in his heat, pulling into some good barrels that were shutting him down and not allowing him the scores he needed. In the dying minutes Jordy picked up a bomb, executed some powerful rail turns on the big New Pier wall before pulling off a great air reverse to a cheering home crowd.

“I was sweating out there. everyone was getting barrelled at my home break and I couldn’t get any barrels. I was lucky to get that wave at the end,” said a relieved Smith. “I was just waiting for a wave and watching everyone else scoring bombs, but then I got that last one, and there was a nice section to boost, and the judges gave me an eight.”

Adrian Buchan : photo Barry Tuck/Quiksilver

  
Another exciting clash was between American surfer and event wild card Dane Reynolds and former WCT surfer and top local pro Davey Weare. The heat lead swung a few times, with American Nate Yeomans and Yuri Sodre from Brazil surfing hard and powerful as they chased the heat favourites. Eventually it was Davey who took the heat, with some explosive surfing on the best waves of the heat. Dane Reynolds was a close second, nearly pulling off a massive double-grab air reverse on a set wave.

“I was struggling out there at first. I don’t think I even stood up for the first twelve minutes of my heat,” commented Davey. “But then I started getting a couple and feeling a bit of rhythm going. My boards are going well, so I was happy with that result.” 

Into the round of 24 saw some incredible surfing, with the third heat one of the most dramatic of the event so far. Jordy Smith (ZAF), Neco Padaratz(BRA) and Jay Thompson(AUS) went neck and neck in flurry of massive hacks, carves, re-entries and aerial manoeuvres in the slightly onshore conditions.

With Smith in the lead, Padaratz looked upset with a score of 5.97 for a wave with some big linking turns, but fuelled his frustration into the biggest air of the event, with some surfers calling it one of the biggest airs that they had ever seen. The wave scored a 7.5 for a single manoeuvre, and it got him into second place behind Smith, and through to the next round.

Brandon Jackson : photo Barry Tuck/Quiksilver

“I couldn’t believe it myself,” said Padaratz afterwards when asked about the air .”When I started flying I didn’t think I was going to land it, and then when I made it I was so happy. I think maybe the previous wave was a little underscored, but I’m through so I’m happy. ”
 
The live webcast, presented by John Shimooka and Martin Potter has been running all day and is set to continue throughout the weekend. Those people who can’t get down to the New Pier can enjoy live streaming of the event from their computers on quikproafrica.com. The event runs through until Sunday 22 April, when the finals will be held.

This weekend also sees the Virgin Mobile text therapy massage facility, where text addicts who have been accessing the Quik mobi site quikproafrica.mobi can come and get a complimentary hand and foot massage from the Virgin Mobile gazebo on the beach.
 
Tonight also sees the official event party take place at Tilt nightclub. All contestants in the event have free entrance and the party starts at 9pm. So anyone wanting to come and meet the pros, Tilt is where it’s all happening tonite.

The Quiksilver Pro Africa is presented by Virgin Mobile in association with Resolution Health. The Quiksilver Pro Africa is sponsored by MXit Lifestyle and the City Of Durban, South Africa’s Playground. Nestle Pure Life is the official water sponsor, Heineken is the official beer sponsor, and Red Bull is the official energy drink sponsor.

Kieran Perrow : photo Barry Tuck/Quiksilver

Men’s rounds of 96, 48, 24.

Round of 96

Heat 19
1st 16.84 pts Nathan Hedge (AUS)
2nd 12.26 pts Luke Munro    (AUS)
3rd 11.83 pts Dane Gudauskas (USA)
4th 9.90 pts Asher Nolan (USA)

Heat 20
1st 13.73pts Daniel Rose (AUS)
2nd 13.43pts Ben Dunn (AUS)
3rd 13.33pts Kirk Flintoff (AUS)
4th 7.53pts Gony Zubisareta (AUS)

Heat 21
1st 14.00pts Roy Powers (HAW)
2nd 10.26pts Beau Mitchell (AUS)
3rd 8.73pts Federico pilurzu (CRI)
4th 6.80pts Rhys Bombaci (AUS)

Heat 22
1st 13.00pts Royden Bryson (ZAF)
2nd 12.87pts Mikael Picon (FRA)
3rd 12.10pts William Cardoso (BRA)
4th 11.27pts Alain Riou (PYF)

Heat 23
1st 14.27pts Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
2nd 11.57pts Heitor Alves (BRA)
3rd 9.83pts Mikhail Thompson (ZAF)
4th 8.40pts Brad Ettinger (USA)

Heat 24
1st 12.00pts Danilo Costa (BRA)
2nd 11.83pts Greg Emslie (ZAF)
3rd 11.50pts Paul Canning (ZAF)
4th 5.57pts Toby Martin (AUS)
  
Men’s round of 48

Heat 1
1st 17.50pts Kieren Perrow (AUS)
2nd 13.03pts Jihad Khodr (BRA)
3rd 12.43pts Darren O’Rafferty (AUS)
4th 12.24pts Brandon Jackson (ZAF)

Heat 2
1st 14.83pts Adrian Buchan (AUS)
2nd 12.60pts Jorge Spanner (BRA)
3rd 8.97pts Dylan Stone (ZAF)
4th 8.56pts Alex Gray (USA)

Heat 3
1st 16.67pts Chris Davidson (AUS)
2nd 12.26pts Rudy Palmboom (ZAF)
3rd 8.70pts Nic Muscroft (AUS)
4th 7.96pts Kai Otton (AUS)

Heat 4
1st 17.53pts Neco Padaratz (BRA)
2nd 15 83pts Shaun Gossman (AUS)
3rd 14.46pts Dayyan Neve (AUS)
4th 10.27pts Patrick Gudauskas (USA)

Heat 5
1st 13.83pts Jordy Smith (ZAF)
2nd 13 50pts Tiago Pires (PRT)
3rd   10.03pts Michel Bourez (PYF)           
4th   9.44 pts   Paulo Moura (BRA)

Heat 6
1st 13.86 pts Eneko Acero (ESP)
2nd 13.10 pts Jay Thompson (AUS)
3rd   12.24 pts Heitor Pereira (BRA)
4th   8.03 pts Ola Eleogram (HAW)

Heat 7
1st 14.46 pts Luke Stedman (AUS)
2nd 14.24 pts TJ Barron (HAW)
3rd 13.00 pts  Corey Ziems (AUS)
4th   10.87 pts Russell Winter (GBR)

Heat 8
1st 13.86 pts David Weare (ZAF)
2nd 13.56 pts Dane Reynolds (USA)
3rd   11.97 pts Nathan Yeomans (USA)
4th   11.40 pts Yuri Sodre (BRA)

Heat 9
1st 16.50 pts Ben Dunn (AUS)
2nd 10.73 pts Luke Munro (AUS)
3rd 9.00pts Andre Silva (BRA)
4th 6.63 pts Drew Courtney (AUS)

Heat 10
1st 12.67 pts Jarrad Howse (AUS)
2nd 12.24 pts Daniel Rose (AUS)
3rd 10.70 pts Nathan Hedge (AUS)
4th 8.94 pts Damien Fahrenfort (ZAF)

Heat 11
1st 12.17 pts Roy Powers (HAW)
2nd 11.27 pts Greg Emslie (ZAF)
3rd   10.30 pts Royden Bryson (ZAF)
4th   8.76 pts Heitor Alves (BRA)

Heat 12
1st 15.83pts Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
2nd 12.93pts Mikael Picon (FRA)
3rd 11.56pts Beau Mitchell (AUS)
4th 8.17pts Danilo Costa (BRA) 
 
Men’s round of 24

Heat 1
1st 16.90pts Kieren Perrow (AUS)
2nd 13.24pts Adrian Buchan (AUS)
3rd 10 70pts Rudy Palmboom (ZAF)

Heat 2
1st 14.17pts Jihad Khodr (BRA)
2nd 13.93pts Chris Davidson (AUS)
3rd 9.10pts Jorge Spanner (BRA)

Heat 3
1st 14.16pts Jordy Smith (ZAF)
2nd 13.50pts Neco Padaratz (BRA)
3rd 12.50pts Jay Thompson (AUS)

About Quiksilver:
Quiksilver, Inc. (NYSE:ZQK) is the world's leading outdoor sports company, which designs, produces and distributes a diversified mix of branded apparel, winter sports and golf equipment, footwear, accessories and related products. The Company's apparel and footwear brands represent a casual lifestyle for young-minded people that connect with its boardriding culture and heritage, while its winter sports and golf brands symbolise a long standing commitment to technical expertise and competitive success on the mountains and on the links.

Check the Live Coverage 

Previous reports:
# 1 : Quiksilver Pro Africa by Virgin Mobile coming to Durban
# 2 : Quiksilver Pro Africa by Virgin announce event wildcards
# 3 : Quiksilver Pro Africa to host revolutionary live technology
# 4 : SA locals Wok, Fahrenfort get Quik Pro Africa wildcards 
# 5 : South Africa surf city Durban backs Quiksilver Pro Africa

# 6 : Quiksilver Pro Africa by Virgin Mobile readies for action
# 7 : Quik Pro Africa expecting good waves: website goes live
# 8 : Shea Lopez starts off strong at the Quiksilver Pro Africa 
# 9 : Clean offshore conditons for Quiksilver Pro Africa Day 2
# 10 : Small, fun surf for day three of the Quiksilver Pro Africa
# 11 : Rain and testing conditions on day #4 of Quik Pro Africa

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