Round 2 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast would return to two-to-three foot runners, opening up with reigning three-time ASP World Champ Mick Fanning against Trials Winner and lethal wildcard Matt Banting.
With pulsing three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves lighting up the Superbank, Fanning’s comprehensive assault on Snapper Rocks showcased the local’s power, speed and extensive knowledge of the break.
Banting answered back with an impressive aerial in the latter stages of the bout, but couldn’t overcome Fanning.
While Fanning would rebound from Round 1 to open the day’s proceedings, top seed Jordy Smith would suffer a major stumble, falling to 2013 ASP Wildcard Tiago Pires.
Pires, who missed the majority of last year due to a serious knee injury, made a major statement, unloading powerful forehand turns and threading the needle on a technical barrel to edge out the South African by a score of 12.70 to 12.67.
Smith, who has long been considered a major threat to the ASP World Title, will have to shake the loss off and regroup for the next stop in Western Australia.
Clean conditions continued into the early afternoon for the Heat 3 bout between Hurley teammates Julian Wilson and Brett Simpson.
Possessing similar approaches in terms of style, power and progression, the match would ultimately come down to wave selection with Wilson’s patience pitted against Simpson’s industriousness.
While Californian Simpson navigated a number of smaller waves with variety and aggression, it was Wilson’s selection of quality waves that allowed the Australian to unleash his impressive repertoire.
Heat 4: Dion Atkinson (AUS) 16.23 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 7.00
As the surf continued to improve, 2013 Breakthrough performer Kai Otton and rookie Dion Atkinson would do battle, with both of the Australians exchanging a series of mid-range scores to kickoff the match.
Atkinson would turn heads midway through the heat, however, smashing a clean Snapper wall with a massive frontside snap to a powerful carve combination for an excellent 8.00 score.
Atkinson would maintain composure while in the lead, dismantling an additional set wave for another 8-point ride, collecting his first career ASP WCT heat win while delivering the day’s second upset.
Heat 5: Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.77 def. John John Florence (HAW) 3.83
With the tide continuing to drop, wave frequency decreased and strategy would play an important role in Heat 5 between Hawaiian John John Florence and South African Travis Logie.
In what would prove to be a heat with minimal waves ridden, it was Logie’s commitment to a powerful backhand approach that would net the heat high single-wave score of an 8.77.
Florence’s attempts at dynamic aerials and fin-free maneuvers would be in vain, however, with the Hawaiian uncharacteristically failing to execute throughout the heat.
As the tide dropped further, Owen Wright and Raoni Monteiro took on inconsistent, wind-blown conditions, with the two competitors equally looking out of sorts.
While Monteiro struck first, Wright’s answers of a 5.67 and a 4.17 proved enough for the the win despite a hard-fought effort from the Brazilian. While the scrappy heat victory would be far from a pinnacle in Wright’s career, it represents the goofy-footer’s first heat win following severe back rehabilitation that sidelined Wright for nearly the entirety of 2013.
Following a one-hour delay to wait for improved conditions, Brazilian ASP World Title threat and European talent Aritz Aranburu blitzed rifling Snapper Rocks conditions, with the two natural-footers delivering exciting forehand exchanges.
Veteran patience saw De Souza lock into the best waves of the heat, allowing the natural-footer to display his full repertoire at Snapper Rocks. Aranburu answered with some promising rides of his own, but was unable to amass the near-perfect score needed to surpass De Souza for the win.
The final heat of the day hosted the battle of the next generation with tour sophomore Filipe Toledo taking on Snapper Rocks local and 2014 rookie Mitch Crews in firing conditions.
The local would get the best of the opening exchange, with Crews delivering an array of powerful forehand gouges and snaps to the tune of an excellent 8.33, vaulting to an early lead.
Both Crews and Toledo stumbled on set waves throughout the middle of their affair, but it was the Australian who backed up his early ride to solidify the first ASP WCT heat win of his career.
