Day three at the best surf contest ever run (the Billabong Pro, Tahiti)

All photos by Domenic Mosqueira (@dmosqphoto)

Well, that was really something. Day three of competition at the Billabong Pro, Tahiti saw round two wrap up and steam into an amazing round three amongst a rapidly growing swell and near-perfect conditions. Highlights? Where to even begin! With seven gents finishing on 18 (and above) combined totals, plus Kelly Slater’s 19.44 total and John John Florence’s 19.93 totals… if you didn’t watch this live, then you really must go get lost in the Heats On Demand for a stretch.

“I just went for it out there today, I’m really stoked it picked up and I’m so happy to get some waves,” said John John after beating fellow Hawaiian Sea Bass with a painfully close to perfect total. “The last few heats I’ve had I haven’t really got too many waves. The ten-point wave I got was crazy, I just hoped for the best and it worked out.”

Kelly was just… Kelly, at his best. You know what that is. “This is probably the best I’ve ever surfed ‘Chopes,” said Kelly. “It’s just big enough for that outside ledge to go hollow. I would say it’s almost safe out there. It’s 15 feet or so and this is where it gets beautiful.”

Tomorrow? Even better, if the forecasts are right…

Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 2 Results (1st to Round 3, 2nd finishes Equal 25th):
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.27 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 8.83

Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 3 Results (1st to Round 4, 2nd finishes Equal 13th):
Heat 1: Tiago Pires (PRT) 18.67 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.57
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.33 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 14.73
Heat 3: Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.90 def. Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 14.77
Heat 4: Kolohe Andino (USA) 18.10 def. Mitch Crews (AUS) 10.17
Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.10 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.10
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 18.80 def. Nathan Hedge (AUS) 13.44
Heat 7: Brett Simpson (USA) 16.23 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.17
Heat 8: John John Florence (HAW) 19.93 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 18.50
Heat 9: Kai Otton (AUS) 18.17 def. Nat Young (USA) 18.06
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA) 19.44 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 6.43
Heat 11: Owen Wright (AUS) 18.36 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 5.36
Heat 12: Dion Atkinson (AUS) 16.50 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 5.94

Billabong Pro Tahiti Round 4 Match-Ups (1st to Quarterfinals, 2nd and 3rd to Round 5):
Heat 1: Tiago Pires (PRT), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 2: Kolohe Andino (USA), Bede Durbidge (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 3: Brett Simpson (USA), John John Florence (HAW), Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 4: Kelly Slater (USA), Owen Wright (AUS), Dion Atkinson (AUS)