Chantelle Rautenbach won the Billabong Pro Junior Women’s title at Victoria Bay on Friday, defeating Sarah Baum in the final held in rippable head-high waves peeling down the point at the iconic Southern Cape surf break.

Rautenbach, 20, from Melkbosstrand controlled the final from outset, selecting two waves that allowed her to utilise her full repertoire of backhand manoeuvres and post scores of 6.5 and 5.0. While she didn’t improve on these for the remainder of the heat, they ultimately proved sufficient to clinch victory, a cheque of R2 000 and a haul of 1 000 points on the Pro Surf Tour (PST) rankings.

Baum was the favourite going into the final after a convincing semifinal victory over top seed Bianca Buitendag (George), but the 16 year-old from Athlone Park struggled to find waves with good scoring potential during the final and, with a highest ride of 4.35, was left needing 7.15 points when the curtain came down on the 25 minute match up.

Rautenbach, who captured the SA Open Women’s crown in East London last weekend, defeated Heidi Palmboom (Bluff) in a wave-starved, low-scoring semi-final. Palmboom and Buitendag finished equal third overall in the event.

Day 3 action opened with the Pro Junior men going to work in solid 1 to 1.5 metre waves that offered plenty of opportunity for high performance surfing. The country’s best surfers aged 20-and-under did not disappoint, tearing into the long lines on the point and producing several shock eliminations.

First to be ousted was fourth seed Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), winner of the first Billabong Pro Junior event in April, and he was soon followed by the seemingly unstoppable Benji Brand (Kommetjie), then second seed Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) and Scottburgh standout Slade Prestwich.

The Pro Junior men’s quarterfinal heats, using the man-on-man format, were held at the end of the day and saw top seed Chad du Toit (Berea) lead throughout to defeat Shawn Dennis (Durban) and set up a crucial semifinal encounter with Matt Bromley who eliminated fellow Billabong team rider Kommetjie resident Davey Brand in their quarter.

The match-up between 2009 ASP Africa champion du Toit and Bromley will be one that the Kommetjie surfer will be desperate to win. With Staples and du Toit having secured their participation in the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour by reaching the last 16 here, Bromley needs to reach the final of the Billabong Pro Junior Vic Bay to clinch the coveted third and final invitation.

In the bottom half of the draw, J-Bay standout Steven Sawyer grabbed victory over Haydn MacNicol and will go up against Nick Godfrey (Cape St Francis) in the second semifinal on Saturday.  Godfrey, a previous Vic Bay winner, had racked up an 8.0 and a 6.0 to eliminate David van Zyl (Glenashley).

In between the clashes of the Pro Junior titans, the semifinals U12 boys produced a spectacular display of rising talent as Adin Masencamp (Somerset West) simply blitzed to book his berth in the final alongside runner-up Jordan Maree (Kalk Bay). The pair will be up against perennial achiever Donovan Wichmann (Marina da Gama) and diminutive Ford van Jaarsveld  who caused an upset by ousting fellow Kommetjie surfer Ethan Fletcher.

In the U14’s, long time friends and rivals Max Armstrong (Scarborough) and Benji Brand had their opponents fighting for second place in their respective semifinals as they continuously delivered excellent scores. The pair will duke out tomorrow’s final against respective runners-up Shane Sykes (Salt Rock) and Steffen Burrows (Strand).

The highly competitive U16 boys quarterfinals produced another phenomenal display by Benji Brand as the Billabong rider racked up scores of 8.1 and 7.0 to move into the semis along with Matt McGillivray (Port Elizabeth) while Dylan Lightfoot (J-Bay) and a fast improving Brandon Benjamin advanced from Heat 2.

Slade Prestwich detonated with an excellent 8.25 to win Heat 3 ahead of newcomer Wade Simkiss with Max Armstrong and Steven Sawyer dominating the last quarterfinal.

Prestwich then went on to book his spot in tomorrow’s final of the R2 000 VonZipper Air Show by punting a massive boost in the U16 trials.

With the wave period shortening and the swell dropping the organisers will make a call at 7.30am on when and where the final day of action will be staged.

Anyone who would like to be included onto the Billabong Junior Series event SMS notification database can send their name and mobile number to brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

There are daily video and picture uploads for each day of the event on www.billabong.com/za and the heat results can be followed as they happen throughout the event on Twitter and Facebook (Username- BillabongSA).

The Pro Surf Tour (PST) events in the Billabong Junior Series are sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport, while the internationally rated Pro Junior men’s event is sanctioned by ASP Africa, the regional office for ASP International.

The series is proudly supported by Von Zipper, Kustom and Nixon and fueled by Monster Energy.

\ends

Issued on behalf of:

Brendon Kegel – Media and Communications
Billabong South Africa
Tel:                   042 200 2747
Fax:                  042 293 2478
Cell:                  083 799 0110
Email:               brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

Compiled & Issued by:

Life’s a Beach Communications 
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie, 7976 South Africa
Tel / Fax:     +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Mobile:        +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:          lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

 

After getting the Billabong Junior Series underway in half-metre waves at the preferred venue of Victoria Bay this morning, the organisers made an inspired decision to switch the season-ending event to Herold’s Bay, which paid off handsomely as the country’s top junior surfers reveled in consistent one metre surf.

Having completed the opening rounds of the Under 12 and U14 boys divisions at Vic Bay, contest director Colin Fitch called a 30 minute break when the waves became inconsistent on the dropping tide. Reports that Herold’s Bay had bigger waves saw the organisers successfully complete a swift transfer of the contest infrastructure and 90 minutes later the event was up and running 30 Kms down the coast.

Other than Adin Masencamp (Somerset West) placing  third and having to contest Round 2 of the U12 boys, the top seeds Jordy Maree (Kalk Bay), Billabong’s Jake Elkington (Cape Town), Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie) and Donovan Wichmann (Marina da Gama) all progressed directly to the semifinals.

The usual suspects also advanced from Round 1 of the U14 boys where Wichmann, Jason Harris (Scottburgh), Jonah Paarman (Kommetjie) and Matt McGillivray (Port Elizabeth), along with newcomer Jerry van Wyk, booked their places in the last 16 against the top eight seeds in the division.

The U16 boys were first up once the event restarted and Heat 1 saw 16 year Sarah Baum (Athlone Park), just back from a successful stint competing in the ASP Star-rated events in the California, upstage her male rivals by winning the encounter and advancing to the last 16 along with second placed Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay).

Benji Brand (Kommetjie), winner of the U16 boys in the Billabong Junior Series event on the Dolphin Coast in April, delivered his customary high-powered performance in the left-handers to convincingly win his heat, as did fellow Billabong team riders Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay) and Mikey Venter (Warner Beach), top seed Jarred Veldhuis (Kommetjie) and No. 2 seed Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh).

Only one heat of Pro Junior (U20) women was run which saw Morag Steele and Cara MacDonald join the stacked heats in Round 2 that feature the likes of Southern Cape local and top seed Bianca Buitendag (George), fellow international campaigners Sarah Baum and Billabong team rider Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie), Alice McGregor (East London), SA Open champion Chantelle Rautenbach (Melkbosstrand) and Kirsty Delport (Durban).

The day’s proceedings were completed by the four Round 1 heats in the Billabong Pro Junior, a R37 500 Grade-1 ASP Pro Junior event that will determine the yearend ASP Africa Pro Junior rankings for 2010 and the recipients of the three invitations to compete in the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour starting in Bali at the end of October.

Heat winners Jacob Mellish (Somerset West) and local Vincent Withers (Wilderness) along with Mikey Venter and Jordan Alexander (Cape Town) who received walk-throughs, and their respective runners-up, joined the top 24 seeds in Round 2, which promises to produce world-class action when the event gets underway on Thursday.

There will be daily video and picture uploads for each day of the event on www.billabong.com/za and the heat results can be followed as they happen throughout the event on Twitter and Facebook (Username- BillabongSA).

The organisers will check the waves at Vic Bay at first light on Thursday to decide when and where to commence the event.

Anyone who would like to be included on the Billabong Junior Series event SMS notification database can send their name and mobile number to brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

The Pro Surf Tour (PST) events in the Billabong Junior Series are sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport, while the internationally rated Pro Junior men’s event is sanctioned by ASP Africa, the regional office for ASP International.

The series is proudly supported by Von Zipper, Kustom and Nixon and fueled by Monster Energy.

\ends

Issued on behalf of:

Brendon Kegel – Media and Communications
Billabong South Africa
Tel:                   042 200 2747
Fax:                  042 293 2478
Cell:                  083 799 0110
Email:               brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

Compiled & Issued by:

Life’s a Beach Communications 

PO Box 48272, Kommetjie, 7976 South Africa
Tel / Fax:     +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Mobile:        +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:          lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

Billabong Pro Tahiti pres. By Air Tahiti Nui
Stop No. 5 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour
Teahupoo, Taiarapu/Tahiti
August 23 – September 3, 2010

Jordy Smith the Top Seed as World’s Best Surfers get set for Billabong Pro Tahiti
 
TEAHUPOO, Taiarapu/Tahiti (Saturday, August 21, 2010) – The greatest assemblage of surfing talent in history is converging upon the idyllic South Pacific island of Tahiti, home of the world’s heaviest wave, Teahupoo, for Stop No. 5 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Tahiti.

Completing the halfway point of the 2010 ASP World Tour season, the Billabong Pro Tahiti plays a vital role in both the hunt for the 2010 ASP World Title and the midyear field reduction from the ASP Top 45 to the Top 34.
 
Jordy Smith (ZAF), 22, current ASP World No. 1, is into his third season on the elite ASP World Tour, but enters into the Billabong Pro Tahiti as the No. 1 seed, a career first for the young South African.
 
“Most important for me is to realize that it’s not always going to be a walk in the park,” Smith said. “Being No. 1 is much like being No. 2, 3 or 4 as there is still a long way to go this season. I am working heat to heat, and that is really all that I can do. My goals are to win heats and stay in range to win battles which, in the end, win the war. A win would be great.”
 
Despite having yet to net a solid result in Tahiti (a 17th in 2008 and a 9th in 2009), Smith’s growing familiarity with the wave gives him confidence moving forward.
 
“Teahupoo is known for its power and stands alone as one of the most unique waves in the world,” Smith said. “I don’t think there is any surfer on the planet who does not respect it, even if it’s breaking at a mid-range size. As perfect as it gets, it can still crush your dreams even if you favour big waves, and I don’t think anyone gets into a comfort zone out there. You can’t get too cheeky.”
 
With the added intensity of the midyear field reduction and the minefield of Teahupoo specialists lining the wildcard ranks, Smith understands the challenge awaiting him in this island paradise.
 
“The wildcards and lower seeds will be going all out to get themselves back into the Top 32 seeds for re-qualifying so I guess we are going to see some really good performances from them – or whoever for that matter,” Smith said. “If we go back and look at the veteran standout World Tour campaigners, maybe Kelly (Slater), Andy (Irons), the Hobgoods, among a few others, also with the mix of all the specialists could be dangerous. Even the local boys could possibly come away with a surprise win.”
 
Smith’s opening heat will be a real test of his competitive skills as he takes on two of Teahupoo’s standouts in former ASP World Champion (2001) C.J. Hobgood (USA), 31, and 2008 event runner-up and wildcard Manoa Drollet (PYF) in Round 1 of competition.
 
Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, reigning ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 6, has been a consistent performer thus far in 2010, but admits that not being a top seed in Tahiti is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
“I am not the top seed heading into Tahiti which may actually be a blessing,” Fanning said. “I think you need to avoid the wildcards in Tahiti as they are so dangerous. I am just going to try and put a smart event together and hope to get a solid result.
 
However, Fanning, the No. 4 seed in Tahiti, will have a wildcard in his Round 2 heat as he takes on the runner-up in the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials, Tamaroa McComb (PYF), and in form 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie Adam Melling (AUS), 25, who was runner-up to Jordy Smith at Jeffreys Bay in the last ASP World Tour event.
 
Bobby Martinez (USA), 28, current ASP World No. 8 and defending Billabong Pro Tahiti Champion, has historically been one of the strongest performers at Teahupoo, but the lethal goofy-footer remains cautious when considering his options for the 2010 instalment.
 
“Nothing is on my mind other than trying my best in the next event,” Martinez said. “There’s no point in thinking ahead of yourself. Every contest holds your hopes of winning a World Title so you’ve got to do the best in each contest or else there is no chance at all.”
 
Despite the certainty of hungrier performances from those looking to make the midyear field cutoff, the Californian maintains that  everyone can be a threat at this level of competition, especially in Tahiti.
 
“I do think the lower seeds will be intense in Tahiti, but I expect that from everybody on this tour in every heat in every event,” Martinez said.  “If you don’t give 100% in every event, you will not be here the following year so I think it’ll be a very interesting contest. That said, it’s like that every contest. Anyone and everyone is a contender in Tahiti. Nobody is a favourite and nobody is an underdog in my eyes. And it’s not just in this contest, but every contest. At this level, anyone can beat anyone.”
 
Martinez will face Jeremy Flores (FRA), 22, and Marco Polo (BRA), 29, in his opening round match.
 
Andy Irons (HAW), 32, former three-time ASP World Champion and current ASP World No. 18, took a sabbatical from full-time competing in 2009 and his transition back to the competition singlet this season as yielded moments of brilliance amidst an overall building momentum.
 
“The season went the way I thought it would be – hard,” Irons said. Everyone is surfing really well and you basically can’t skip a beat or you’re off the tour. I’m feeling stronger and stronger at every comp. On my time off, I have been putting in some extra time in at the gym and I think it’s starting to pay off.”
 
A former winner at the Billabong Pro Tahiti, the Hawaiian’s performances at the treacherous lefthander have become the stuff of legend and Irons enters into this year’s event as the man to watch.
 
“Teahupoo is one of my favourite contests, that’s for sure,” Irons said. “I love the wave. I love the tropical vibe as well. It’s like being home for me. Of course, everyone is going to be charging at this year’s event regardless. The field reduction is a heavy thing and it weighs on everyone’s mind. Everyone wants to keep there job.”
 
Irons will take on former nine-time ASP World Champion and multiple Billabong Pro Tahiti winner Kelly Slater (USA), 38, and wildcard Heiarii Williams (PYF) in Round 1 of competition.
 
The major storyline threading its way through the upcoming Billabong Pro Tahiti is the mid-year field reduction of the ASP Top 45 to 34 (Top 32 finishers plus two wildcards) following the battle at Teahupoo.

Durban’s Travis Logie is one of those on the cusp of re-qualifying and is currently in a three-way tie for the No. 30 ranking. With another five potential qualifiers one spot back ranked equal 33rd, Logie needs to win at least one heat at Teahupoo to give himself a solid chance of staying on the 2010 ASP World Tour.

Logie competed four times in Tahiti while campaigning on the Dream Tour between 2005 and 2008, twice winning his Round 1 encounters and reaching Round 3 on three occasions, including recording the highest heat tally in Round 2 in his debut season. He faces veteran Taylor Knox (USA) and Luke Munro (AUS) in his Round 1 heat this year.
 
A full breakdown of ASP World Title Rankings possibilities for the Billabong Pro Tahiti are available at ASPWorldTour.com
 
The waiting period for the Billabong Pro Tahiti will begin Monday, August 23 and runs through September 3, 2010.
 
Surfline, official forecasters for the Billabong Pro Tahiti, are calling for a slow start to the contest waiting period with a very modest mix of southwest swells providing contestable, but small scale, surf on Monday and Tuesday.
 
The Billabong Pro Tahiti will be webcast LIVE via http://www.billabongpro.com/tahiti10/. The time difference between Tahiti and South Africa is 12 hours with the decision on when to get the event underway made at approximately 7pm SA time daily
 
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
 
BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS
Heat 1: Damien Hobgood (USA), Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 2: Jadson Andre (BRA), Luke Stedman (AUS), Nate Yeomans (USA)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 4: Dane Reynolds (USA), Tom Whitaker (AUS), Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 5: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Roy Powers (HAW), Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Joan Duru (FRA)
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS), Adam Melling (AUS), Tamaroa McComb (PYF)
Heat 8: Jordy Smith (ZAF), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT), Tuamata Puhetini (PYF)
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA), Andy Irons (HAW), Heiarii Williams (PYF)
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Dusty Payne (HAW), Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 13: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Michel Bourez (PYF), Dean Morrison (AUS), Mick Campbell (AUS)
Heat 15: Taylor Knox (USA), Luke Munro (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 16: Chris Davidson (AUS), Patrick Gudauskas (USA), Ben Dunn (AUS)
 
 Ends
Visit the Press Room on www.aspworldtour.com for news, images, transcribed athlete interviews and more.
 
Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Media
Dave Prodan
email: dave@aspworldtour.com
USA mobile: +1 949 678 0987
AUS mobile: +61 (0) 400 455 228

EVENT MEDIA
Billabong Pro Media Manager
Johnathan “JJ” Jenkins
email: johnathan.jenkins@billabong.com.au

Digital Photographs:
High-resolution digital images for newspapers and Internet sites are available via the ASP Digital Images Department – please contact kirstin@aspworldtour.com
 

Issued on behalf of:

ASP Africa
Contact:            Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel:                   021 534 5738
Email:               colin@aspafrica.com

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

About ASP:
The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the governing body of professional surfing. Crowning surfing’s undisputed world champions since 1976, the ASP sanctions the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, the World Qualifying Series (WQS) and the World Longboarding, Junior and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Tuesday, August 17th 2010 (Tahiti local time): Local surfer, Taumata Puhetini (PFY), has claimed the 2010 Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials in solid six-foot waves at Teahupo’o, overcoming an international invite-only field of 64 to guarantee himself a wildcard into the main event of stop 5 on the ASP Men’s World Tour, the Billabong Pro, Tahiti which begins next Monday, August 23.
 
Puhetini, 23, looked unstoppable in the all-Tahitian final versus fellow local, Tamaroa McComb (PFY), registering one of the highest two-wave combined heat tallies of the event, 18.17 out of a possible perfect 20, to see him claim the most important win of his career.
 
“I have had a lot of time to watch the Billabong Pro contest as a spectator and to watch Manoa reach the final (in 2008) was great. I have spent four hours in the water training every day. Now is my chance, I am ready,” said Puhetini.
 
Both Puhetini and McComb will now join seeded wildcard, Manoa Drollet (PFY) in Round 1 of the upcoming Billabong Pro, Tahiti main event. All three Tahitians are certain to draw the world’s highest rated surfers; world rated no. 1, Jordy Smith (ZAF), world-rated no. 2 Taj Burrow (AUS) and world rated no. 3 Kelly Slater (USA).
 
Drollet, a two-time trials champion and former Billabong Pro, Tahiti finalist (2008) believes McComb and Puhetini are danger-men at Teahupo’o and capable of causing a serious upset to the ASP Men’s Tour world title contenders.
 
Finishing third and fourth today was former two-time Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials winner (2009 & 2006) Heiarii Williams (PFY) and Steve Pierson (PFY), making it a clean sweep for the Tahitians in the semi-finals.
 
Australia’s Anthony Walsh (NSW, AUS) saw his run for glory cut short in the quarterfinals against local Steven Pierson (PFY). Pierson had the Aussie on the ropes early, scoring an excellent opening ride of 9.1 points for a long backhand tube ride which he backed up shortly after with another good score.
 
With just 10 minutes remaining, Walsh required a combination of scores to overtake the Tahitian and managed to answer back with a near-perfect 9.93 for an awesome double-barrel ride to put him within striking distance.
 
However, with time ticking away, Teahupo’o did not cooperate and still requiring a second good scoring wave Walsh, a former wildcard winner, was bundled out in equal 5th place.
 
Laurie Towner (NSW, AUS) had more than the wave drought to contend with in his quarterfinal. Earlier today Towner received medical attention on-site after he head butted the reef during a wipeout in Round 3. He was treated for a gash in his scalp and doctors inserted a stitch in a cut above his right eye.
 
In his quarter final versus McComb, Towner’s right ear copped it next. Towner unsuccessfully negotiated a frothy Teahupo’o tube and during the ensuring wipeout, the fin of his board struck his ear underwater.
 
He was taken to the nearby Marina by jet-ski and then driven to the nearest hospital immediately after the quarterfinal, a little shaken but otherwise okay.
 
At the time of writing, it’s expected Towner will receive a few more stitches.
 
The world’s top rated 45 surfers are expected to land in Tahiti over coming days for the Billabong Pro, Tahiti which begins August 23rd and runs to Sept 3rd. Just four full days of competition are required to crown a champion.
 
Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials
Final Results
FINAL: Taumata Puhetini (PFY) 18.17 def Tamaroa McComb (PFY) 17.27

SEMI FINALS
SF1: Taumata Puhetini (PFY) 16.67 def Heiarii Williams (PFY) 10.80 pts
SF2: Tamaroa McComb (PFY) 12.10 def Steve Pierson (PFY) 9.07 pts
QUARTER FINALS

QF 1: Taumata Puhetini 16.67 (PFY) def Heremoana Lucian (PFY) 6.67 pts
QF2: Heiarii Williams (PFY) 8.87 def Kamalei Alexander (HAW) 1.20 pts
QF3: Steve Pierson (PFY) 16.50 def Anthony Walsh (AUS) 13.43 pts
QF4: Tamaroa McComb (PFY) 13.17 def Laurie Towner (PFY) 7.00 pts

See full results, including scores, at http://www.surf.pf/index.php?menu=34&event=28&choix=1

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT INFO:
General Enquiries, TV newsfeeds:
“JJ” – Billabong Int. Event Media Manager.
Tahiti Mob: +689 232 627
johnathan.jenkins@billabong.com.au
jj@premiummedia.com.au

Complimentary Digital photos (Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials & Billabong Pro):
Steve Robertson
Tahiti Mobile: +689 232 582
steve@surfingaustralia.com  

Note: High resolution images from the event are available to MEDIA OUTLETS from Life’s a Beach Communications – see contact details below

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications

PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

Monday, August 16th 2010: Teahupo’o, Tahiti: Mother Nature has flicked the switch at Tahiti’s famed surf break, Teahupo’o, turning on a magical day of surfing for contestants in the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials.
 
Invitees from more than 10 nations battled it out in solid eight-to-ten foot waves one Day 1, hoping for one of just two wildcard spots into the upcoming Billabong Pro, Tahiti (Aug 23rd – Sept 3rd).
 
Laurie Towner (NSW, AUS) was the day’s top scorer, his two-wave combined heat score of 16.97 seeing the natural foot advance comfortably ahead of Shimpei Hirogushi (JAP) on 9.93, and forcing the elimination of Sion Miloski (HAW) and Dale Staples (ZAF).
 
Towner took a horrifying wipeout during practice yesterday, yet despite the worst fears of onlookers, surfaced unscathed to regather himself and register today’s impressive effort.
 
Kamalei Alexander (HAW) was another standout on Day 1. The Hawaiian showed he was in perfect synch with the Teahupo’o lineup, easily winning both his Round 1 and Round 2 heats with an absolutely committed display of backhand tube riding.
 
Onlookers erupted when Alexander emerged from one of the most critical tube rides of the day, skimming past support boats and fans as they cheered him on.
 
Anthony Walsh (NSW, AUS) registered the event’s first perfect-10 point ride with just ten seconds remaining in his Round 2 clash versus Hawaii’s Hank Gaskell (HAW) and locals Tuhiti HAUMANI and David DANDOIS (PFY).
 
The score catapulted Walsh from last place to first in the dying moments and secured the Australian a place in Round 3.
 
Not all competitors were so fortunate, many suffering the wrath of Teahupo’o has they unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate the hi-speed tubes. Among those to be eliminated today were Billy Kempur (HAW), Ryan Hipwood (Gold Coast, AUS), Makua Rothman (HAW) and Nick Vasicek (AUS).
 
With the excellent surf expected to continue, organisers are confident of crowning the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials wildcards tomorrow (Tuesday Aug 17 – Tahiti time).
 
The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trails waiting period is 16th – 19th August and decides the remaining two wildcard spots into the upcoming Billabong Pro, Tahiti, stop 5 of 10 on the 2010 ASP Men’s World Tour.
 
The Billabong Pro, Tahiti waiting period begins August 23rd and runs to Sept 3rd, with just four full days of competition required to crown a champion.
 
Local hero Manoa Drollet, a two-time Air Tahiti Nui trials winner, is the recipient of the third Billabong Pro, Tahiti wildcard and has already been allocated a main event seed.
 
Billabong’s award winning production team will again webcast every heat of the Billabong Pro, Tahiti live via: www.billabongpro.com <http://www.billabongpro.com>

ENDS>>>

MEDIA CONTACT INFO:
General Enquiries, TV newsfeeds:
“JJ” – Billabong Int. Event Media Manager.
Tahiti Mob: +689 232 627
johnathan.jenkins@billabong.com.au
jj@premiummedia.com.au

Complimentary Digital photos (Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials & Billabong Pro):
Steve Robertson
Tahiti Mobile: +689 232 582
steve@surfingaustralia.com  

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

The country’s top pro junior surfers (20-and-under) will be vying for coveted invitations to compete in the inaugural ASP World Junior Tour when the Billabong Pro Junior event is run at Victoria Bay in the Southern Cape from 1-4 September.

The event is the fourth and final contest on the 2010 ASP Africa Pro Junior Series and the top four surfers in the yearend rankings will be awarded the sought after invitations to take on their peers from around the globe in the quest to be crowned the ASP World Junior Champion in Sydney, Australia in January 2011.

Billabong team rider Shaun Joubert has already clinched the ASP Africa Pro Junior title for 2010 thanks to victories in two of the first three events of the season and the 19 year-old from Mossel Bay is now focused on improving his position on the ASP World Rankings.

Joubert will not be competing at Victoria Bay, leaving Billabong teammate Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), the winner of the Billabong Pro Junior event on KZN’s Dolphin Coast in April, in the box seat for one of the remaining three invitations.

Staples, a previous winner at Vic Bay, has been in stellar form recently, winning the VonZipper Super Heat to earn a wildcard into the ASP World Tour Billabong Pro J-Bay event where he posted impressive performances against superstars Taj Burrow and Bede Durbidge in the opening rounds.

Chad du Toit (Berea, Durban) and Beyrick de Vries (Umhlanga) currently occupy the third and fourth positions in the rankings with Matt Bromley (Kommetjie) just outside the cutoff point. With each surfer’s best three results counting towards the yearend ranking, Devin Lane (Umhlanga), Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay) and Brendon Gibbens (Kommetjie) are also within striking range of snagging a top-four spot with victory in the season-ending event.

Along with the prized rankings points, the ASP Grade-1 Billabong Pro Junior Vic Bay offers a prize-pool of US $5 000 (approx. R37 500) of which $2 000 goes to the winner.

The Billabong Junior Series also sees the country’s top Under 16, U14 and U12 boys and the Pro Junior (U20) girls in action competing for prize-money and ratings points that count toward the annual Surfing South Africa Pro Surf Tour (PST) titles.

ASP qualifying series campaigner Tarryn Chudleigh (Kommetjie) along with Dolphin Coast event winner and Vic Bay local Bianca Buitendag (George) are the standouts for the girls’ title. But this well traveled duo will need all their international experience to stave off the challenges from Tanika Hoffman (Kommetjie) and Billabong team riders Heidi Palmboom (Bluff) and rising star Emma Smith (Jeffreys Bay).

Billabong’s Steven Sawyer (Jeffreys Bay), who reached the last four in both Pro Junior and U16 divisions in April, and Benji Brand (Kommetjie), winner of the U16’s on the Dolphin Coast and also a favourite in the U14 division, head a highly competitive field in the U16 boys division.

They will do battle with Dylan Lightfoot (J-Bay), Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand), Jarred Veldhuis (Kommetjie), Slade Prestwich (Scottburgh) and Mikey Venter (Warner Beach), amongst a host of other emerging rippers.

Kommetjie friends and rivals Benji Brand and Max Armstrong will go head to head with Slade Prestwich, Matt McGillivray (Port Elizabeth), Steffen Burrows (Strand) and Shane Sykes (Salt Rock) in the U14 division while Jordan Maree (Kalk Bay), Ethan Fletcher (Kommetjie), Adin Masencamp (Strand), Donovan Wichmann (Marina Da Gama) and brothers Jake and Max Elkington from Cape Town look the pick of the U12’s.

Billabong Junior Series events also feature a spectacular VonZipper Air Show where the surfer successfully completing the most innovative aerial manoeuvre pockets the winner-takes-all R2 000 prize-purse

Images, results and news from the event will be available daily at www.billabong.com.

The Pro Surf Tour (PST) events in the Billabong Junior Series are sanctioned by Surfing South Africa (SSA), the national controlling body for the sport, while the internationally rated Pro Junior men’s event is sanctioned by ASP Africa, the regional office for ASP International.

Entries for the Billabong Pro Junior Vic Bay have officially closed but there is still space for late entries. To enter go to www.aspafrica.com. Entries for the PST events close 14 days before the scheduled dates. Entries can be made at www.billabong.com/girls/za/entries/enter.php for the Pro Junior girls and the U16, U14 and U12 boys’ divisions.

The series is proudly supported by Von Zipper, Kustom and Nixon and fueled by Monster Energy.

\ends

Issued on behalf of:

Brendon Kegel – Media and Communications
Billabong South Africa
Tel: 042 200 2747
Fax: 042 293 2478
Cell: 083 799 0110
Email: brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

Compiled & Issued by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie, 7976 South Africa
Tel / Fax: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

 

Marc Lotz-de Beer from Hout Bay in Cape Town will be travelling to Tasmania for the surf adventure of a lifetime courtesy of Billabong and V Australia. The 26 year old, who owns a small milling company, will be swapping his tools for surfboards as he prepares to head across to Australia’s wild frontier in October this year, in the search for big, empty waves.

Marc was one of hundreds of entrants who submitted their details, along with unique verification number found on every Billabong Exile Jacket to www.exilejacket.com. After being randomly selected into a preliminary 10-person shortlist once the entries closed last week, Marc received the incredible news today that he will be on his way to Tasmania for a surf trip of a lifetime, along with a partner of his choice.

Upon receiving the incredible news, an ecstatic Marc yelled, “I’m totally speechless…I’m actually shaking. This is the most incredible news. I have never won anything before in my life so I’m actually blown away. ”

When asked who he would be taking with him on this once in a lifetime journey, Marc stated, “I’ll be taking my good friend, surf partner and charger, Andrew Preen.”

Together, Marc and Andrew’s prize includes an opportunity to take a boat ride out to Shipsterns Bluff to see it bare its teeth. It is as raw a surfing experience as you could wish for. The wave at the end of the world might not be everyone’s piece of cake, but for the hardcore surfer its one stern test of internal fortitude and offers a chance to be barrelled like you’ve never been barrelled before.  Marc and Andrew, along with the Billabong Crew, will hook up with Tasmania local Jono Mereszka, owner and operator of Coastrider surf academy, who will guide them to the all corners of the island in search of the countless empty setups that litter the unspoilt natural landscape of Tasmania. 

Over one third of the 68,401 square kilometer large Island lies in reserves, national parks and world heritage sites. This relatively unspoiled natural environment typifies Tasmania as a premier surf adventure destination. As long as you’re willing to travel, and up for an adventure, you will undoubtedly find cranking, empty waves in some of the most breathtaking, remote, wild and uninhabited places on Earth.

“What appeals to me most about this trip is the rawness of Tasmania,” claimed Marc. “I love bundu bashing, experiencing different locations and encountering new cultures and people. I’m not a city slicker so the idea of roughing it around the wilderness of Tamsania is my ultimate travel experience.”

Other than Shipsterns there are loads of great waves across the island. The 7-day itinerary will consist of a careful balance between adventure and surfing around the island. For more information on Tasmania visit www.discovertasmania.com.

You can follow the entire surf adventure online at www.billabong.com/za, or on twitter at twitter.com/BillabongSA or facebook – Billabong South Africa.

Ends

 

Pictured: Marc Lotz-de Beer displays the Billabong Exile Jacket that ultimately won him the surf adventure trip of a lifetime to Tasmania

 

 

 

THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF TEAHUPO’O

32 TRIALS INVITEES PREPARE FOR THE RIDES OF THEIR LIVES! 

in the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials

(Tuesday, August 3^rd, 2010) South African surfer Dale Staples (St Francis Bay) is among an elite field of 32 internationals who have been invited to contest the prestigious Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials scheduled to take place at the notorious break of “Teahupo’o” in Tahiti over four days beginning August 16^th.

The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials is a precursor to stop 5 on the ASP Men’s World Tour, the Billabong Pro, Tahiti and only the winner is guaranteed a wildcard seed direct into the Billabong Pro’s elite main event. A second position is open to the highest placed local Tahitian surfer.

All surfers have been chosen based on previous performances at either Teahupo’o or abroad, and for their dedication to riding the world’s most intimidating surf spots.

The nature of the Teahupo’o break and the intensity of competition make the competition like no other. In surfing circles, the trials winner is lauded as a minor hero – required to put his life on the line inside the huge barrels that break across dangerously shallow, tropical reef – and the respect earned from his peers is on par with the eventual champion of the main event.

From there, further glory lies in overcoming one of the Billabong Pro’s top three seeds in Round 1 of the main event. In 2010 those seeds include current world ranked no. 1, Jordy Smith (Durban, ZAF), world ranked no. 2 Taj Burrow (WA, AUS) and world ranked no. 3 Kelly Slater (Fl, USA).

Historically, the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials champions have a habit of putting a dent in the world title campaigns of their top-seeded rivals. Most notably in 2007 when relative unknown Brazilian Bruno Santos and local wildcard Manoa Drollet went all the way to the final, finishing first and second respectively.

Drollet is a two-time trials winner at Teahupo’o and sits at the top of the wildcard heap. As a result, the 34 year-old has earned a seed direct into the main event in 2010.

Billabong Pro, Tahiti competition director and former world no. 2, Luke Egan (Gold Coast, AUS) says Drollet’s performances at the infamous break surpass anything he has witnessed during his career as a competitor and previous four years as Contest Director.

“Manoa’s surfing over the years at Teahupo’o is regularly above and beyond anything I have seen from any of the Top 45 rated men,” said Egan.

“There is not one world rated surfer in the competition, from Kelly Slater down, who will risk holding back when Manoa is in the water. He is the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons at Teahupo’o. It’s very probable that by having him in the competition he could knock out one of the top guys and it will affect the world title race.”

Along with 32 internationals, an additional field of 32 local Tahitian surfers make up the total trials field of 64.

The VonZipper Air Tahiti Nui trials begins from August 16^th.

A series of pre-event webisodes will be made available over coming days and weeks for websites. Stand by for further info.

Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials

2010 Official International Invitees

HAWAII
Jon Florence
Conan Hayes
Bruce Irons
Danny Fuller
Sion Miloski
Kamalei Alexander
Reef McIntosh
Ian Walsh
Kalani Chapman
Marcus Hickman
Steven Koehene
Gavin Gillette
Jamie Sterling
Hank Gaskell
Clay Marzo

USA
Dane Ward

AUSTRALIA
Wade Goodall
Ryan Callinan
Laurie Towner
Nick Vasicek
Anthony Walsh
Koby Abberton
Mark Matthews
Damien Wills
Ryan Hipwood

PERU
Alvaro Malpartida
Gabriel Villaran

BRAZIL
Ricardo Do Santos

Puerto Rico  
Alejandro Moreda

JAPAN 
Takayuki Wakita

FRANCE
Ben Sanchez

New Zealand
Blair Stewart

South Africa 
Dale Staples

Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials 

Former Champions

2009 Heiarii Williams (PFY)
2008 Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
2007 Manoa Drollet (PFY)
2006 Heiarii Williams (PFY)
2005 Manoa Drollet (PFY)
2004 Heimata Carroll (PFY)
2003 Alain Riou (PFY)

2002 Vetea David (PFY)

2001 Bruce Irons (HAW)

 Celebrating 10 years of the Billabong Pro, Tahiti!

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT INFO:

Trials highlights and TV newsfeed will be made available, contact:

“JJ” – Billabong Int. Event Media Manager.
Mob: +61 (0) 421 384 431
johnathan.jenkins@billabong.com.au

Rights free digital photos and full press release will also be made available via ASP Australasia contact:

Steve Robertson
+61 (0) 407 706874
steve@surfingaustralia.com 

Please Note: High resolution versions of the above images are available to South African MEDIA outlets from Life’s a Beach Communications – see contact details below.

Distributed by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa
Tel:              +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax:             +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile:         +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email:           lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

Jordy Smith was crowned the Billabong Pro J-Bay 2010 champion at Jeffreys Bay today, convincingly defeating Adam Melling from Australia in the final to become the first South African surfer to win an ASP World Tour event since the legendary Shaun Tomson back in the mid-eighties and cementing the 22 year-old Durbanite’s position at the top of the ASP World Title Race Rankings.

Smith’s maiden victory and ascension to the rankings lead in home waters could not have been scripted better, coming on master statesman Nelson Mandela’s birthday and adding further momentum to the tremendous outpouring of South African sporting pride following the successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup.

Coming into Stop No. 4 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour ranked ASP World No. 2, Smith was the form surfer throughout the event. He stamped his authority on the final from the outset, locking in excellent scores of 8.90 and 9.03 in the first five minutes to leave his opponent in a combination situation and needing to improve on both his scores throughout the 35 minute match-up.

“This is the best day of my life,” a beaming Smith said on the podium. “The crowd on the beach has been supporting me the last few days and hearing the cheers and the Vuvuzelas just get me fired up to perform. It feels like they’re pushing me along. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

“I knew the swell was dying and I had to take advantage of every wave that came through,” Smith said of the final. “Adam (Melling) is such a dangerous surfer. He’s been in form all day and I knew that if he got the waves, he would get the scores. I went out there knowing I had to open up strong.”

Smith defeated Nate Yeomans (USA), Owen Wright (AUS) and Adriano De Souza (BRA) before facing his biggest test in the semifinal against Bede Durbidge (AUS). The experienced Australian seemingly had a berth in the final sewn up with the swell dropping and less than three minutes remaining. However, urged to catch a hip- high wave by his advisers on the dunes, Smith raced down the line and punted a high-risk ‘Superman’ aerial that he landed successfully and performed a couple more moves before the ride ended.

In a classic never-say-die effort before the scores for the ride were even in, Smith then paddled into what was to be the last wave of the heat which opened up and allowed him to execute a series of progressive manoeuvres. Needing 7.41 to advance, his score of 7.93 resulted in rapturous applause and a cacophony of vuvuzelas and cheering from the packed partisan crowd basking in the mid-winter sunshine.

“I’m still not too sure what happened – it’s all a blur,” Smith said of the semifinal. “I got that first one where I did the little grab air that I didn’t think was good, but the judges scored the whole wave pretty well. Then I backed it up and put everything I had into it.”

Melling’s “Cinderella” climb to the finals was nothing short of sensational. Rated a lowly 41st on the ASP World Title Race rankings heading into Jeffreys Bay, the 2010 ASP Dream Tour rookie who had not won a single heat in the first three events of the year powered his way through five rounds of competition, including defeating compatriot and 2007 Billabong Pro J-Bay winner Taj Burrow in the semifinals. His runner-up finish sees the Australian bumped up to ASP World No. 19, well inside the safety zone for the dreaded mid-year reduction in the field from 45 to 32.

“The ocean didn’t cooperate with me in the final so that’s a shame, but I couldn’t be happier,” Melling said. “We had amazing waves and to get the best result of my career is huge. I came into Jeffreys with a long road ahead if I was to make the mid-year cut-off, and now that I’m 19th, I feel like I have a bit of a buffer heading into Tahiti. I worked really hard to get here and I want to stay here.”

Durbidge suffered one of the hardest losses of the event, having victory snatched from him by Smith’s last-minute heroics. Despite the bitter loss, Durbidge’s equal third place finish vaults him from 10th to 7th on the ASP World Title Race rankings heading into the fifth event of the year.

“I had him comboed with only four minutes to go,” Durbidge said of the semifinal against Smith. “He took off on that one-footer and pulled a ‘Superman’ air and finished off well, then came out and got another one. I think he got two waves in a minute or something. It’s a hard way to lose, but a semifinal is my best result of the year and it’s something to build on. The focus is on Tahiti now.”

Burrow consistently wowed audiences with his performance from Round 1 onwards, collecting the event’s highest heat total of 18.87 out of 20 in yesterday’s Round 4 to win the Nixon WTA award of a US $10 000 custom built Nixon timepiece. Despite today’s semifinal loss at the hands of Melling, Burrow moves up to the ASP World No. 2 ranking heading into Tahiti.

Sean Holmes’ rampaging run through the event was finally ended by Durbidge in the quarterfinals. The 32 year-old wildcard from Cape Town, who eliminated former ASP World Champions Kelly Slater (USA) and Andy Irons (HAW) yesterday, came within half a point of upsetting Durbidge too, but came up short in the small wind affected waves early this morning.

“The way these guys train and their ability to perform in conditions like this is so good,” Holmes commented after his loss. “On top of his ability, I think Bede (Durbidge) is one of the hardest guys in the world to beat. He’s smart and he’s powerful.”

“Yesterday was a very special day for me. Not so much in terms of my surfing as I’ve definitely surfed better, but more so from a tactical perspective. Kelly (Slater) and Andy (Irons) are the best guys on their days, but I feel like I surfed smart and anticipated what both of them would do in their situations. It paid off and it was a great day for me.”

The superb surf produced at Supertubes for the first three days of the event, and the smaller but still contestable waves today, saw the Billabong Pro J-Bay 2010 completed in the first four days of the 11 day waiting period for the first time since it became an ASP World Tour rated event in 1996.

All the action from the Billabong Pro J-Bay can be viewed live at www.billabongpro.com and where the “video on demand” and ground-breaking “waves on demand” facilities enable every wave surfed in the event to be re-played. All the content is also available on your mobile phone at www.asptogo.com or download the iPhone application ASP ToGo from www.apple/iphone/.

Highlights footage is also available on the channels of Fuel TV (on Top TV in South Africa) and a wrap of the day’s highlights will be broadcast on the SuperSport channels at 10pm this evening and repeated at 7am tomorrow.

The 2010 Billabong Pro J-Bay is proudly supported by Eastern Cape Tourism, Virgin Atlantic, Monster Energy, Vida e Caffe, Corona and Tavcor

Billabong Pro J-Bay 2010
Final Results:
1 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.93 10 000 pts US $50 000
2 – Adam Melling (AUS) 10.00 8 000 pts US $25 000

Billabong Pro J-Bay Semifinal Results: (Winner to final; Loser = 3rd, 6500 points, US $ 14 500
SF 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.83 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.40
SF 2: Adam Melling (AUS) 14.00 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.67

Billabong Pro J-Bay Quarterfinal Results: (Winner to semifinals; Loser = 5th, 5250 points, US $10 000)
QF 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.43 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 9.20
QF 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.17 def. Sean Holmes (ZAF) 11.83
QF 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.00 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 3.66
QF 4: Adam Melling (AUS) 16.43 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 5.67

Billabong Pro J-Bay Round 4 Results: (Winner to quarterfinals; Loser = 9th, 3750 points, US $8 000)
Heat 8: Adam Melling (AUS) 17.07 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.50

Current ASP World Title Race Top 5 (after South Africa):
1. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 28500 pts
2. Taj Burrow (AUS) 24750 pts
3. Kelly Slater (USA) 23500 pts
4. Dane Reynolds (USA) 20000 pts
5. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 19500 pts
6. Mick Fanning (AUS) 19250 pts
7. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 18750 pts
8. Bobby Martinez (USA) 16500 pts
9. Jadson Andre (BRA) 16000 pts
10. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14750 pts

South Africans
30. Travis Logie (ZAF) 6500 pts

ENDS

Issued on behalf of:

Billabong South Africa
Contact: Brendon Kegel
Telephone: +27 (0) 42 200 2747
Email: brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

Compiled and issued by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272 def. Kommetjie 7976 def. South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za

South African wildcard Sean Holmes added another scalp to his storied list of giant-killing acts at the Billabong Pro J-Bay when he eliminated current World No. 1 and 9 x ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) from the event in a massive result that has reverberated throughout the ASP World Tour.

Holmes, competing with a back injury incurred on Day 1 of the event that has required extensive physiotherapy and pain-killing injections, waited patiently for the best waves during the 30-minute Round 3 clash before scoring the narrowest of victories over the former four-time J-Bay champion, securing his place in the last 16 by just four-hundredths of a point – 13.10 vs. 13.06 – out of a possible 20.

“I’m definitely feeling a lot of pain in my lower back and am very stiff so I entered the heat knowing that I was going to have to surf smart,” Holmes, 32, from Cape Town explained. “I focused on getting the biggest waves I could and applying as much power as I could.”

“Kelly (Slater) and I have surfed once before out here when it was a bit smaller and he got me by taking off on a lot of insiders. There wasn’t as much opportunity out there today so being selective played a big role.”

Both surfers rode waves in the final minute and Slater, needing just 5.51 to snatch victory, produced a potentially heat-winning ride of 7.23. The judges kept the packed beach on tenterhooks for two minutes after the heat-ending siren had sounded before awarding Holmes 5.77 points and a berth in Round 4 to a roar of patriotic elation.

In his next clash Holmes takes on former 3 x ASP World Champion Andy Irons in a continuation of their long-standing rivalry in which the South African holds the upper-hand with two victories to the Hawaiian’s one.

“Andy (Irons) and I are great friends now so any rivalry that we may have had I don’t think exists anymore,” Holmes commented on his next encounter. “He’s a fantastic surfer and I don’t think he even thinks about who he has in a heat. He just goes out there and does his thing. It will be a fun heat.”

The result has sent shock-waves through the 2010 ASP World Title Race as Slater’s early exit at J-Bay opens the door for a number of the top contenders to take over the No. 1 ranking after this event. The biggest beneficiary could be SA’s Jordy Smith who came into the event ranked No. 2, but the likes of Taj Burrow, fellow Australian and reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning, Bobby Martinez (USA) and the rest of the top 10 will be eyeing the opportunity to improve their standings with a good result here.

Slater, who only arrived in Jeffreys Bay at 10am on the opening day of the event on Thursday after a 40 hour, weather delayed trip from the USA, was complimentary of Holmes’ performance and philosophical about the defeat and the rest of the year.

“I never felt in sync here this year,” Slater said. “I’ve been tired ever since I arrived. I’ve been going to bed at 8pm and waking up at 1am. I’ve been up today for 8 hours already. That said, Sean is always in sync out here at Jeffreys. He knows the spot really well and is always on the best waves.”

“It’s a long year ahead. I think I entered this event two or three heats ahead of Jordy (Smith) and if he wins this event, he’ll be two or three heats ahead of me. So I’ve got a month to think about it before the next one. I’ll go home, recharge and focus on Tahiti.”

For the third consecutive day, the Billabong Pro J-Bay started at 7.30am in clean offshore winds. However today’s small one metre waves come from an unusual ESE direction generated by a weather system in the Indian Ocean below Madagascar, forcing the competitors to start their rides halfway down the famed Supertubes point. The predicted new swell from the traditional SSW direction has started to appear and organisers expect the waves to rise to overhead through the day and have scheduled completing Round 3 and at least the first four heats of Round 4 before nightfall.

All the action from the Billabong Pro J-Bay can be viewed live at www.billabongpro.com and also on your mobile phone at www.asptogo.com or download the iPhone application ASP ToGo from www.apple/iphone/. The “video on demand” and ground-breaking “waves on demand” facilities enable every wave surfed in the event to be re-played. Live and highlights footage is available on the channels of Fuel TV (on Top TV in South Africa).

The 2010 Billabong Pro J-Bay has a waiting period that runs from 15-25 July and is proudly supported by Eastern Cape Tourism, Virgin Atlantic, Monster Energy, Vida e Caffe, Corona and Tavcor

Billabong Pro J-Bay 2010

Round 3 Results: (Winner to R4; Loser eliminated in equal 17th place; 1 750 pts; US $6 500)
Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.33 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 8.50
Heat 6: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 15.80 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 3.97
Heat 7: Andy Irons (HAW) 12.33 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 9.43
Heat 8: Sean Holmes (ZAF) 13.10 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 13.06
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.93 def. Joan Duru (FRA) 10.64
Heat 10: Tiago Pires (PRT) 14.60 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 13.80
Heat 11: Dane Reynolds (USA) 13.23 def. Neco Padaratz (BRA) 12.50

Remaining Round 3 Match-Ups:
Heat 12: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 13: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 14: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Dean Morrison (AUS)
Heat 15: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 16: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)

ENDS

Issued on behalf of:

Billabong South Africa
Contact: Brendon Kegel
Telephone: +27 (0) 42 200 2747
Email: brendon.kegel@billabong.co.za

Compiled and issued by:

Life’s a Beach Communications
PO Box 48272 def. Kommetjie 7976 def. South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965
Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250
Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964
Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za