Date: Sunday, April 20, 2014 Schedule: Round 2 (Heats 2-12) Conditions: Three-to-five foot (1.5 metre) waves at Bells Bowl.
Heat 3: Glenn Hall (IRL) 13.20 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 9.34
Round 2 continued at 7:15am in glassy six foot waves at Bells Bowl and current ASP World No. 4 Michel Bourez and injury replacement Glenn Hall tested conditions first.
Hall, who is competing in his first event since his back-breaking injury in Fiji, drew first blood, linking together a series of smooth backhand turns for a 6.67.
Bourez answered back on his forehand, throwing his powerful frame in to the Bells walls for a 3.67 and 5.67 to temporarily snatch the lead off of Micro.
The seesaw battle continued when Hall answered back. The goofy-footer strategically dismantled a set wave for an additional 6.53, regaining the lead. Both Hall and Bourez rode only a total of five waves in their heat, but Hall’s surgical performance earned a Round 3 berth, seizing Bourez’s momentum following a Margaret River victory.
The Bells Bowl continued to pump for Heat 2 of Round 2 as defending event winner Adriano de Souza took on stylish Californian Brett Simpson.
The opening exchange was electric, with De Souza power blasts edging out Simpson progressive fin-free maneuvers.
The second exchange provided even more fireworks with the Brazilian decimating a running righthander to the tune of a 9.17. Simpson had opportunity on the following wave, but a mistimed reentry ended the potential.
De Souza’s Bells Title defense moves to Round 3 while Simpson will look to regroup for Brazil.
Heat 5 got off to a slow start, with both Otton and Monteiro logging only one small score each at the halfway mark. A crucial exchange unfolded, however, and Otton strung together a series of seamless backhand turns for a 7.17 while Monteiro’s flatter set only garnered a 5.67.
Otton locked in to an additional set-wave, carving up a 7.67 to establish a healthy lead. The Brazilian battled back, but his final wave score of 5.87 fell shy of the number needed to surpass the Australian.
Heat 6: John John Florence (HAW) 14.80 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.16
Round 2 of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach continued to steam ahead this morning with the Portuguese “Tiger” Tiago Pires facing off against Hawaiian sensation John John Florence.
Following a upset in his elimination of Jordy Smith on the Gold Coast, Pires was absent from Margaret River due to a knee injury sustained in training. Despite the absence out West, Pires showed no signs of slowing this morning, bolting out to an early lead with crisp, powerful surfing.
Florence posted a solid score early on, but the young natural-footer’s full-throttle approach resulted in a number of falls and missed opportunities. Needing a solid score in the dying moments, Florence drove into a Bells righthander, blasting a series of high-velocity maneuvers to net a 7.53 and take the heat win.
Heat 7: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 14.23 def. Dion Atkinson (AUS) 10.53
Miguel Pupo started first in Heat 7 against rookie Dion Atkinson with a variety of backhand turns, opening his campaign with a 5.83. Atkinson answered back with a stylish forehand approach of his own, belting a 6.03 to get his name back in to the game.
Pupo built momentum on his opening score with an impressive display of speed, power and flow on the open faces of Bells, adding a 6.50 and 7.73, placing the Australian in need of an excellent ride to overtake the lead.
In need of an 8.20 in the final minutes, Atkinson locked in to a final ride, but failed to find the excellent score needed.
Heat 8 hosted a battle of light-footed and lightning-quick surfers with Brazilian natural-footer Filipe Toledo taking on South African goofy-footer Travis Logie.
Into his second year amongst the elite, Toledo opened up the affair in sizzling form, netting an 8.33 on his opening ride.
Logie answered back with a 7.33 of his own, followed by a 5.83 and temporarily capturing the lead.
The young Brazilian would have the final say, however, in a relatively slow heat, posting a 6.27 on his final ride and advancing through to Round 3.
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 15.63 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.16
Heat 9 hosted a battle between close friends Matt Wilkinson and Adrian Buchan in a heat that saw both goofy-footers exchange the lead multiple times throughout the 30 minute affair.
Buchan got on the board first, notching a midrange score. A crucial exchange unfolded soon after, with Wilkinson unloading his progressive backhand attack for an 8.13 while Buchan’s surgical approach earned an 8.33. Wilko detonated another set wave shortly after, combining a big carve, a tail-drifting turn and additional snap for a 7.50 and a spot in Round 3 over his fellow countryman.
Bells Bowl continued to deliver action for the Heat 10 bout between Frenchman Jeremy Flores and rookie Mitch Crews.
Crews has had an impressive rookie run thus far, taking down some big scalps en route to a 9th place finish on the Gold Coast and the young natural-footer continued his run this morning.
Surfing with speed, power and flow, Crews worked over the Bells Bowl with style while Flores was left frustrated with both his surfing and his wave selection.
Heat 11: Fred Patacchia (HAW) 14.83 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 11.84
Fred Patacchia dissected the Bells Beach lineup with precision and confidence, unloading powerful combinations on his opening two rides for an excellent 8.33 and 6.50. While the heat began with fireworks, the ocean went quiet, leaving Andre unable to find any substantial scores.
Andre eventually connected on two-rides, but Patacchia’s opening heat dominance secured a Round 3 victory.
Clean surf continued to steam through the final heat of Round 2 this morning as Australian powerbroker Adam Melling took on Californian youngster Kolohe Andino.
With the tide coming up, swell energy moved off the Bells Bowl and up to Rincon. Melling capitalized on the conditions available, utilizing his powerful frame and flawless technique to draw lines on the Bells faces.
Andino had an opportunity towards the end of the heat, but Melling utilized his priority to block a potential Andino score.
