Date: Sunday, April 6, 2014
Schedule: Round 3 (Heats 1-12) of the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro
Conditions: Four-to-Six foot (1 – 1.5 metre) waves at Main Break.
Following Women’s Semifinals competition, local hero Taj Burrow would fece off against fellow Australian Bed Durbidge.
Durbidge would strike first, notching a midrange score, with Burrow quickly answering back. Both Durbidge and Burrow would struggle to find a rhythm, as the choppy onshore conditions would buck both athletes off of potentially high scoring set waves.
While Durbidge would have to change equipment due to a fin break, his scores of 7.50 and 6.50 would prove enough to upset the Western Australian, dashing Burrow’s chances of a local win while securing Durbidge’s first Round 4 berth of the season.
Heat 2 would see a regular vs. goofy battle, with flyboy Josh Kerr against technical wizard Ace Buchan.
Kerr would strike first with a series of carves on his forehand, while Buchan would answer with a backhand attack. Both surfers would garner only low scores to open their campaigns, but Kerr’s next ride would consist of a committed air reverse on the outside followed by an array of frontside turns, leaving Buchan in search of scores through the remainder of the heat.
Kerr would advance to Round 4.
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) def. Adam Melling (AUS)
Jordy Smith and Adam Melling would hold through a sluggish start to their Round 3 heat, in a battle that would eventually come down to two crucial exchanges.
Smith would get the best of Melling on both accounts, with the South African powerhouse detonating a 7.83 for a seering two-turn combination while Melling would drop a 7.50 for three solid turns and a complete ride. Smith’s backup would notch a 5 point backup, while Melling’s final wave offered minimal scoring potential.
Heat 4 would see a scrappy battle between goofy-footers Miguel Pupo and C.J. Hobgood. Both the American and the Brazilian would struggle to find substantial scores throughout the affair, with neither competitor able to log higher than a 4 throughout the majority of the affair.
With just two minutes remaining in the heat, Pupo would get the best of a crucial exchange, earning a 6.67 to Hobgood’s 5.67, securing a heat win and a spot in Round 4.
