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Billabong Pro Tahiti
Stop No 3. of 10 on the 2007 Foster’s ASP World Tour
Teahupoo, Taiarapu, Tahiti
May 4-14, 2007

LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com

Early Action Likely at Billabong Pro Teahupoo

Mick Fanning making his intentions clear for the Billabong Pro title during the pre-event freesurf sessions at Teahupoo. Pic Credit ASP Tostee

TEAHUPOO, Tahiti (Thursday, May 3rd, 2007) - The waiting period for the Billabong Pro Teahupoo begins tomorrow, May 4, and a solid swell forecast to build overnight may see the ASP Foster’s 45 hit the water as soon as early as 7:30am.

Former World Tour stalwart turned Billabong Pro Teahupoo event director Luke Egan (AUS) is hoping to get the action for event No. 3 on the 2007 Foster’s ASP World Tour underway on the first day of the 11-day waiting period.

"For the opening day of the waiting period, we’re telling everyone that we’re going to be pushing extremely hard for a start tomorrow morning," Egan said. "Surfline is indicating that the bump is coming tonight and it will be enough to get us a start tomorrow morning. We’re looking at sitting through a bit of average weather with average swell so we’re pushing very hard to get the first heat out in the water at 7:30am Tahitian time."

Local surfer Hira Teriinatoofa (PYF), 25, was awarded the Billabong Pro Teahupoo wildcard for his stunning performances in previous years. Teriinatoofa will join Air Tahiti Nui Von Zipper Trials winner Manoa Drollet (PYF) and runner-up Anthony Walsh (AUS) in the main event.

"I am really happy to get the wildcard but I kind of wish I would have been in the Trials too because they had such great surf," Teriinatoofa said. "I am back in there and my goal is to beat the result I got last year. I have got to do better than that. Once I do that, I will just take it day by day."

The young Tahitian, who lost to Fred Pattachia (HAW) in the quarters last year, will have his work cut out for him when he draws current Foster’s ASP World Tour ratings leader Taj Burrow (AUS) and ’07 rookie sensation Jeremy Flores (FRA) in his Round 1 heat.

Locals taking it all in from the famous Teahupoo channel will no doubt be cheering wildly when their home-grown hero paddles out for his Heat 10 battle.

"The local advantage here is really cool because having all the people here to cheer for me makes it really comfortable," Teriinatoofa said. "It doesn’t matter if there are big names in my heat or not. They are all good anyway - they are all Top 45, that’s why they’re here. I just need to be careful and not be overconfident. I’m just going to take it one by one and with the support of Tahiti, I hope to do well."

When action hits the water, past Billabong Pro Teahupoo champions Bobby Martinez (USA), Andy Irons (HAW), Kelly Slater (USA), Cory Lopez (USA) and Mark Occhilupo (AUS) will be looking to once again take top honors at what is widely considered ’the world’s heaviest wave.’

Surfline.com, the official forecaster of the Billabong Pro Teahupoo, is calling for surf to remain in the head-high range tomorrow before dropping slightly over the weekend. It is very possible that Round 1 of competition may hit the water at 7:30am local time.

The Billabong Pro Teahupoo will be webcast LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and www.billabongpro.com.

ROUND 1 BILLABONG PRO TEAHUPOO MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA), Cory Lopez (USA), Trent Munro (AUS)
Heat 2: Bruce Irons (HAW), Josh Kerr (AUS), Victor Ribas (BRA)
Heat 3: Damien Hobgood (USA), Chris Ward (USA), Troy Brooks (AUS)
Heat 4: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Adriano de Souza (BRA), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Greg Emslie (ZAF), Luke Munro (AUS)
Heat 7: Andy Irons (HAW), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Hira Teriinatoofa (PYF)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA), Phillip Macdonald (AUS), Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS), Raoni Monteiro (BRA), Anthony Walsh (AUS)
Heat 10: Taj Burrow (AUS), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Bruno Santos (BRA)
Heat 11: Daniel Wills (AUS), Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Shaun Cansdell (AUS)
Heat 12: Michael Campbell (AUS), Ricky Basnett (ZAF), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
Heat 13: Ben Dunn (AUS), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Bernardo Miranda (BRA)
Heat 14: Travis Logie (ZAF), Kai Otton (AUS), Dayyan Neve (AUS)
Heat 15: Taylor Knox (USA), Michael Lowe (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 16: Dean Morrison (AUS), Luke Stedman (AUS), Mark Occhilupo (AUS)

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