Date: Sunday, April 13, 2014 Schedule: Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Final Conditions: Building three-to-five foot (1 – metre) waves at Main Break.
Final: Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.90 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.44
Finalists Michel Bourez and Josh Kerr would take to the water at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro, with both surfers searching for their first career ASP WCT wins. The bout would get off to a slow start, but Bourez would eventually light up two consecutive waves of 6.33 and 7.57 with his patented forehand power.
Kerr would answer back, delivering a full fledged attack on the Main Break rights, but Bourez would continue to build momentum, adding an 8.33 to his scoreline to secure the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro.
The opening Semifinal would see Australian flyboy Josh Kerr take on fellow countryman Bede Durbidge, with both Australians engaging in a seesaw battle for a spot in the final.
Kerr would take the early lead, logging a 5.50 and 8.83, for his signature forehand panache on the Main Break rights. Durbidge would slug his way back in to the heat compliments of his powerful approach, detonating a 7.07 and 7.80 of his own.
With just minutes remaining on the clock, Kerr would answer back once again, posting a 6.67 with a powerful game of his own, solidifying a slot in the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Final.
SF 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 16.14 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 14.90
Margaret River’s Main Break continued to deliver in Semifinal 2 as righthanders marched in for the bout between 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater and Tahitian powerhouse Michel Bourez.
Slater was dominant from the outset, blending a variety of impressive turns on a number of waves while Bourez struggled to find a rhythm.
In the dying minutes however, the momentum changed and the Tahitian lit up a righthander with Herculean power for a 9.37. The heat turned and the Spartan now finds himself in the Final.
The final day of the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro would kick off between power surfers Bede Durbidge and Jordy Smith in building surf at Main Break.
After a slow start to the 30 minute bout, Durbidge would make the first move, notching two small scores. Smith would make his opening rides count, driving through the Main Break canvas with surgical carves, notching a 6 and 8 to establish a strong lead.
Durbidge would fight back, however, making his next two waves count. The Australian veteran would unload a series of powerful forehand maneuvers, earning a 7.67 for the score. Durbidge would sneak another wave under Smith’s priority, posting a 7.63 to surpass Smith.
The South African would strike again at the buzzer, but his score of 5.83 would fall short, with Durbidge advancing to the Semifinals.
Surf continued to steam through at Margaret River’s Main Break for Quarterfinal 2 between current ASP WCT No. 1 Gabriel Medina and former event winner Josh Kerr.
Medina opened up with a number of mid-range scores, but struggled to ramp up his scoreline in the Margaret River righthanders.
Kerr, on the other hand, blended a number of diverse and exciting maneuvers on his forehand to collect above average scores and advance through to the Semifinals of the event.
QF 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.53 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.44
Quarterfinal No. 3 would see an evenly matched battle between juggernauts Kelly Slater and Joel Parkinson.
The tactical heat would see Slater strike first, locking in an 8.43 and 7.10 on the rights of Main Break with his signature forehand prowess. Parkinson would answer with excellent scores of his own, belting a heat-high 8.77 along with a 6.67, leaving him just .10 shy of a lead over the 11-time ASP World Champion.
While Slater would hand priority over to Parkinson in the final minutes of the match, Parkinson was unable to find a wave, advancing Slater to the Semifinals.
QF 4: Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.00 def. Nat Young (USA) 9.76
Quarterfinal action at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro was rounded out by a battle between Hurley teammates Michel Bourez and Nat Young.
Tahitian Bourez was dominant in the powerful conditions this morning, throwing his well-built frame into section after section.
Young struggled with equipment choice, opting to change boards twice during the 35-minute affair, and ultimately fell to Bourez.
