2013 Billabong Pro, Rio (part one)

Barra Da Tijuca straightened itself out. Three-to-five feet was the size, depending on your reckoning, and fun-as-hell looking, no matter what your reckoning. Scores were dished to barrels, since it was barreling, and it was men like Gabriel Medina, Jordy Smith, Kelly Slater and Sebastian Zietz who found the best of ’em.

“After Bells Beach, I came home and worked with lots of doctors and rested for this event,” said Gabriel, who posted the day’s highest heat total (18 points combined). “It’s home in Brazil for me and I want to do well in front of my family and friends. I’m feeling pretty good – getting stronger every day. Stoked to get a win in Round one and hope I can keep going throughout the event.”

Kelly, who’s made his intentions well clear this year, looked real sharp. Post-heat, he commented on his absence last year: “Based on the years prior, I thought last year was going to be turns and manoeuvres and there were a lot of barrels,” he said. “I had stitches in my heel last season and could probably have attended if it was just barrels, but I couldn’t really do turns with the stitches in my heel. Lesson learned and I’m here this year.”

And, of more recent events, the current world number one had this to say: “I saw a bunch of good waves down the beach and just kept that to myself. You can take off on that foam ball out the back on the reef and get one or two turns and you’ve already got as good a score as you can get on some of the ones on the right side of the scaffolding. Most of the waves this morning have been closeouts, but I figured at some point today it’s going to get good. There were some unbelievable barrels down the beach.”

Nobody analyses quite like Kelly, huh. But, then you’ve got the other side of the coin, being Jordy Smith, who descends in a ball of fury, guns blazing. Despite the presence of his usual manhandle game, it’s still a very composed Jordy in 2013. “I just started the year off at home,” said the South-African. “I wanted to let last year go. I have incredible people around me at the moment from my friends to my girlfriend. I also did a trip and I felt like I’d been behind the speed bump and couldn’t get past my injury. I was still feeling one step behind and then I went on a trip to Mozambique with my best friend and it changed everything for me. It got me over that hump and put a smile on my face again. It got me stoked again and I’m pumped.”

Hopefully, maybe, round two will lift off tomorrow. Highlights, news, photos, etc, here.

And whilst watching the day’s highlights, might Stab suggest muting the video and firing up Flying Down To Rio by Bumblebeez, instead.

BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 11.50, Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.27, Alejo Muniz (BRA) 1.40
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.07, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 7.56, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 1.83
Heat 3: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 15.66, Ricardo dos Santos (BRA) 8.93, Taj Burrow (AUS) 8.67
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.20, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 8.27, Jack Freestone (AUS) 7.96
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.34, , Messias Felix (BRA) 9.83, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 2.47
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.30, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 4.63, Gustavo Fernandes (BRA) 1.46
Heat 7: Glenn Hall (IRL) 15.46, Travis Logie (ZAF) 10.00, Julian Wilson (AUS) 1.46
Heat 8: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 18.00, Dusty Payne (HAW) 7.26, Damien Hobgood (USA) 4.04
Heat 9: Nat Young (USA) 11.46, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 9.74, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.37
Heat 10: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.94, Adam Melling (AUS) 12.44, Kai Otton (AUS) 5.53
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 11.27, Michel Bourez (PYF) 9.77, Brett Simpson (USA) 9.27
Heat 12: Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.43, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 8.56, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 7.43

BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Gustavo Fernandes (BRA)
Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Messias Felix (BRA)
Heat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Jack Freestone (AUS)
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (BRA) vs. Ricardo dos Santos (BRA)
Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Heat 6: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 9: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 10: Travis Logie (ZAF) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 11: Alejo Muniz (BRA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA)

COLGATE PLAX GIRLS RIO PRO ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Lakey Peterson (USA), Bianca Buitendag (ZAF), Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Sage Erickson (USA)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Silvana Lima (BRA), TBD
Heat 4: Tyler Wright (AUS), Malia Manuel (HAW), Phillipa Anderson (AUS)
Heat 5: Courtney Conlogue (USA), Laura Enever (AUS), Alize Arnaud (FRA)
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW), Alana Blanchard (HAW), Pauline Ado (FRA)