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The Smith vs. Slater match will come in Heat 8 of Round 4

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 March, 2010 : - - South African surfing ace Jordy Smith has set up a highly anticipated clash against former nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) after another scintillating performance in Round 3 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, stop No. 1 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour.

Arguably the greatest assembly of surfing talent revelled in excellent 1 to 1.5 metre hollow waves at Snapper Rocks on Australia’s Gold Coast on Wednesday, with Smith in devastating form, posting scores of 8.0 and 7.23 as he weaved his way into and out of the dredging tubes, gouging powerful bottom turns and punting his trademark aerial manoeuvres.

His 15.23 point heat tally was sufficient to give Smith victory over Tiago Pires (POR) and set up a last 16 encounter with Slater, who racked up 15.37 points in dispatching compatriot Pat Gudauskas to move into Round 4. This will be the 22 year-old Durbanite’s first man-on-man heat against the Slater, 38, who many consider the best surfer of all time and with whom Smith shares a birthday – February 11.

Smith is the last South African in the event following the elimination of Travis Logie, 30, at the hands of Aussie veteran Kieren Perrow in Round 2. After an uncharacteristically lacklustre performance in Round 1, Smith bounced back with the highest score of the day, 17.86 out of 20, when defeating Brazilian Marco Polo in Round 2.

The Smith vs. Slater match will come in Heat 8 of Round 4 when the event recommences.

Others standouts still in contention for the event crown and the early lead on the ASP World Tour ratings include World No. 3 Bede Durbidge, who surfed a nearly flawless heat to record a heat tally of 19.30 out of 20 today; fellow Aussies Mick Fanning, the reigning and two-time world champion, and defending event champion Joel Parkinson, along with Adriano de Souza (BRA), Bobby Martinez (USA), who ousted Andy Irons (HAW) and Fredrick Patacchia, the last Hawaiian left in the event.

Meanwhile Rosanne Hodge has advanced to Round 3 of the Roxy Pro Gold Coast, stop No. 1 of nine on the ASP Women’s World Tour, which is running in conjunction with the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks. Hodge also faces a former World Champion in Chelsea Hedges (AUS) when the women next take to the surf.

Fellow East Londoner Nikita Robb, competing in her first event on the ASP Women’s World Tour, was relegated to Round 2 following a third place finish in her opening encounter. Robb was subsequently eliminated from the event when she again placed third behind 2004 World Champion Sofia Mulanovich (PER) and Bruna Schmitz (BRA).

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start (11.30pm today (Wednesday), SA Time). All the action from Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast pres. by Land Rover and the Roxy Pro Gold Coast will be webcast LIVE via quiksilverpro.com.au. For more information, log onto aspworldtour.com
 
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 16.00 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.46
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.10 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 13.70
Heat 3: Chris Davidson (AUS) 11.00 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 9.27
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.84 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 6.67
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.16 def. Andy Irons (HAW) 11.26
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) 14.73 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 13.40
Heat 7: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.97 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 12.60
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.74 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 10.43
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.63 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 12.20
Heat 10: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 14.17 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 12.64
Heat 11: Daniel Ross (AUS) 13.54 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.00
Heat 12: Dane Reynolds (USA) 13.57 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.23
Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 19.30 def. Luke Munro (AUS) 7.37
Heat 14: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.06 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 12.43
Heat 15: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.37 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 7.56
Heat 16: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.23 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 14.77
 
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 2: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Damien Hobgood (USA)
Heat 4: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Mick Fanning (AUS)
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 6: Daniel Ross (AUS) vs. Dane Reynolds (USA)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
 
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Amee Donohoe (AUS)
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
Heat 3: Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Heat 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
Heat 5: Silvana Lima (BRA) vs. Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
Heat 6: Chelsea Hedges (AUS) vs. Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
Heat 7: Melanie Bartels (HAW) vs. Jessi Miley-Dyer (HAW)
Heat 8: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) vs. Carissa Moore (HAW)
 
www.aspworldtour.com
www.quiksilverpro.com.au

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