Quiksilver Riders Blog

Queensland/Australia (Friday, March 5, 2010) – Taj Burrow (AUS), 31 has taken out the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover over Jordy Smith (ZAF), 22, in rippable two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves at Snapper Rocks.

Taj Burrow (AUS)

The opening event of then 2010 ASP World Tour season, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast started the year off with a bang, bringing the greatest assemblage of surfing talent in history to one of the most iconic pointbreaks in the world, and the world’s best surfers shattered high-performance barriers once again.

“I’m so so happy right now – it’s the best feeling on Earth!” Burrow said. “It’s unreal. I have a good group of friends with me and my parents are here supporting me. To have everyone cheering me on in the final is really really special.”

While the young South African led throughout the first half of the 40-minute Final, it was Burrow who changed the tide with a mid-heat assault, racking up several solid scores in larger set waves amidst the deteriorating conditions.

“I didn’t feel like I surfed my best in the Final,” Burrow said. “I kind of just did what it took to win. I just waited for the best waves, did a couple nice turns – nothing too wild. I’d rather have taken Jordy’s approach – catch lots of waves and just let loose. That’s kind of my strategy normally, but it worked fine. Being a bit more patient and selective than usual definitely paid off. But I knew Jordy could unleash and get the big score any moment.”

Burrow, who has secured victories in the previous two events entered (Pipeline in December and Burleigh Heads in February), has been in sensational form over the past three months, and will look to continue the momentum in 2010 as he hunts down his first ASP World Title.

“What can I say? I don’t know,” Burrow said. “I surprised myself really. Obviously, Pipe was the biggest event I could ever win. I was just overwhelmed. I felt like retiring after that event. I just couldn’t believe it, and didn’t think it could get any better. I guess I’ve taken the confidence from it and worked on some good boards. Burleigh Heads was a good warm-up. I felt good that there as well – there are fun little rights, and then here, I took a while to get rolling, but I just built up momentum. I felt great out there and here I am on the podium again – it just feels unbelievable.”

Smith, who went on a giant-killing spree at the event, eliminating former nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 38, in yesterday’s Round 4 before posting the best result of his young career.

“It’s my first Final so I’m pretty stoked,” Smith said. “It’s unfortunate that the waves went kind of dead in our heat there, but we tried our best. It’s been a great event though and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Long touted as one of the most dominant forces in the surfing world, Smith had yet to realize his potential in the competitive realm, but if this event’s performance is any indication, the powerful natural-footer is a near-certain threat for an ASP World Title.

“I just feel a lot more comfortable with myself this season,” Smith said. “I’m having a lot more fun with my surfing and everything seems to be coming together for me. I’m amped with a Runner-Up finish here and hope I can keep the momentum up for the rest of the season.”

Dane Reynolds (USA), 24, looked the form surfer of the event yesterday, defeating defending event winner Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, with an impressive 19.20 out of a possible 20. However, the young Californian was unable to find a rhythm in today’s challenging conditions, bowing out of the event with an Equal 3rd at the hands of Smith.

“I felt pretty good yesterday and it felt like my equipment was finally working,” Reynolds said. “Even though the conditions weren’t as good today, I thought I could catch an average wave and surf it well enough to get a good score, but that didn’t happen. When the other guy gets a good roll going, it’s hard to come back – or it is for me anyway.”

With his penchant for churning out Earth-shattering performances and a good start to the year, several pundits are considering Reynolds as a legitimate ASP World Title contender, but the humble natural-footer has yet to commit such a goal.

“I’ve never been in this situation before so it’s hard for me to say (in regards to motivation for the ASP World Title),” Reynolds said. “When you’re a little kid, everyone always tells you that the ASP World Title is the goal, but there’s only one each season and 45 guys going for it. It hasn’t been a goal for me yet.”

Bobby Martinez (USA), 27, matched his best result on the Gold Coast today, collecting an Equal 3rd (his first in 2006), but the sole goofy-footer in today’s event was clearly upset about the deteriorated conditions.

“It’s disappointing to finish when it’s windy like this today,” Martinez said. “We all want to surf when it’s glassy, and I’m disappointed that we have to finish today. I did my best to mix it up out there, but it’s very challenging out there on your backhand today.”

Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover can be found via www.quiksilverpro.com.au

For the first time in the events’ storied nine-year history, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast was televised LIVE on FUEL TV in Australia, beaming the world’s best surfing right into your living room.

In honor of the final day of competition, ASP International is launching the desktop widget, bringing you LIVE scores, results, heat draws, etc. Access to the ASP Widget can be found on the ASP homepage.

The next stop on the 2010 ASP World Tour will be the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach from May 30 through April 10, 2010.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.57
2 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.56

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.67 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 13.00
SF 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.30 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 8.96

ASP WORLD TOUR TOP 5 (After Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast):
1 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 10000 pts
2 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 8000 pts
3 – Bobby Martinez (USA) 6500 pts
3 – Dane Reynolds (USA) 6500 pts
5 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 5250 pts
5 – Bede Durbidge (AUS) 5250 pts
5 – Adriano de Souza (BRA) 5250 pts
5 – Kai Otton (AUS) 5250 pts

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast To Start the 2010 ASP World Tour

Travis Logie © Luke Patterson

Gold Coast, Australia – The World’s best surfers are headed for the Gold Coast of Australia for the first event of the ASP 2010 World Tour. From 26 February to 10 March the Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover will take place at the iconic white sand pointbreak of Snapper Rocks, with all top surfers in attendance.

Two time World Champion Mick Fanning, hometown hero Joel Parkinson and nine-time World Champion Kelly Slater are clear cut favourites to win this year’s event. Three times World Champion Andy Irons is back in the mix after taking a year off the tour which could make this year’s tour one of the most interesting and rivaled seasons yet. The pair of Durbanites Travis Logie and Jordy Smith will both be flying the South African flag high and could both do well on the running right-hand pointbreak of Snapper Rocks.

Logie, who is back on the World Tour after a one-year hiatus, is rearing to go for the 2010 season. “I have been training and am feeling really strong at the moment,” said Travis of his pre-event training. Logie in known for his lightning-fast backhand surfing, and could easily have a field day should he find the good waves in his heats.  “My three favourite event locations are J-Bay, Trestles and Snapper Rocks so I am really pumped for this event.”

Kelly Slater (USA), 38, former nine-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 6, will return to the singlet this season, challenging for an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title against the world’s best surfers in the world’s best waves. Coming away with an ASP Dream Tour win in Brazil last season, Slater made a mid-year challenge for the crown, yet fell short of the Australian onslaught.

“I never found myself in the right mind frame to deal with the pressure of a tenth title and find the excitement and purpose for what I was doing for more than a few heats last year,” Slater said. “Brazil worked out but all the close heats went the other guy’s way and I just made a lot of mind decisions and not surfing from the gut and real feelings. I’m comfortable with 9 (ASP World Titles), but yeah, 10 has a certain allure to it.”

Slater will face current ASP World No. 22, Ben Dunn (AUS), 24, and 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie, Marco Polo (BRA), 28, in the opening round of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.

This year, event organisers are predicting a fierce level of competition, and the ASP judges will analyse the surfers on their commitment and degree of difficulty, innovation and progressive maneuvers, combination of major maneuvers, variety of maneuvers and speed, power and flow when scoring waves in each heat.

The waiting period for the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast commences on 27 February and the heat draw looks like this:

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Dane Reynolds (USA), Roy Powers (HAW), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 2: Damien Hobgood (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA), Tiago Pires (PRT), Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA), Ben Dunn (AUS), Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 7: Taj Burrow (AUS), Chris Davidson (AUS), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), TBA
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), TBA
Heat 10: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Mick Campbell (AUS), TBA
Heat 11: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Drew Courtney (AUS), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA), Luke Stedman (AUS), Nathan Yeomans (USA)
Heat 13: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Andy Irons (HAW), Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 14: Kieren Perrow (AUS), Daniel Ross (AUS), Luke Munro (AUS)
Heat 15: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Patrick Gudauskas (USA), Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 16: Dean Morrison (AUS), Jadson Andre (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS)

The event will be covered by the live webcast, and spectators anywhere in the world can watch the event from their computers. All the action can be found at: http://www.quiksilverpro.com.au and the webcast link can be found on the event homepage. Daily videos, results, heat scores, backstage antics, images and more can all be found on the event website.

HEY.

So this is my first blog in ages…December holidays in umhlanga got the best of me.

I had an awesome month rest of traveling and although relaxing was nice…i am too amped to surf another heat, i am currently in Australia, sydney for the world juniors at Narrabeen where all the top under 21′s from all over the globe will be competing,from a ypung age i been coming over to australia to do the under 16 contests and have watched all the older guys like rudy palmboom and jordy smith compete here and since those are some of my heroes i have always dreamed of doing this contest.

From Sydney i fly straight to Aukland, New Zealand, for the Quiksilver ISA world juniors which is the U18 World champs…I was recently chosen as captain for the team going over there and due to South africa, in my eyes, have the best juniors in the world, have strong faith that this will be the year in which South Africa bring home the gold!!!!! individualy and the overall team cup!

I will keep updating as to how many of these goals we manage to tick off and which ones, if any, slip passed us.

cheers
beyrick de vries