Joel Parkinson wins the Oakley Pro, Bali

Reporting by Craig Jarvis

After fighting off a dangerous team of unexpected presences in the business end of the event, Joel Parkinson just won the Oakley Pro, Bali. The winds shifted all day at Keramas and while there were smooth barrels in the morning, the afternoon became about hurting lips.

Unexpected accelerator number one? Josh Kerr. What follows is a pre-semifinal discussion.

Stab: You’ve been a wave magnet this whole event. What’s that about?
Kerrzy: I let some of them go. I’ve just got that simple thought that I want to go for the waves that I actually wanna be on. I’m just looking for the makeable barrels. It’s just such a perfect wave you’ve got to wait for the right ones.

There have been a few not so good wave selections from your competitors. Yeah, well, I think some of the other guys have been taking more risks. Taking risks can pay off, but I’m happy just taking it easy and waiting for the perfect ones.

You look so experienced out there. I’ve been coming here for 8 years so, I do know my way around the line-up.

I’ve seen people throwing money on you now on a few informal online betting agreements. How does that make you feel? I haven’t won an event before so it’s definitely long odds.

It was, as Josh stumbled in the semis against Joel. So, unexpected accelerator number two: Nat Young. After watching him draw those power lines and the barrel he punched, he was another danger. When asked about the barrel, Nat told Stab: “It was such a big barrel, and I set it up with a high line and just grabbed my rail. It was so wide, and then I saw that it was starting to section ahead, so I pumped a bit and reset my line, and came bursting out. It felt so good, such a perfect wave, I was so stoked to get a wave like that in a heat. I kind of started off hungry, but then I went a bit wide and waited for the sets. It worked for me towards the end of the heat.”

But despite the memorable moment, Nat went down to Michel Bourez in booming sets.

And so unexpected accelerator number three, Michel Bourez, bounced into the final with Joel Parkinson. Michel gave Joel a run for his money, but Joel was surfing phenomenally, adding to his incredible performance throughout the event. Joel had been showing everyone why he was the current World Champion, as well as demonstrating how to change game according to conditions. While the waves for the final were pumping from all accounts, it was a far different arena to the one that saw Joel score a perfect 20-point. It was about power turns in the pocket, massive gouges, and compulsory close-out turns over dry coral.

Joel rose to the occasion, and dominated the heat from the get-go. Michel came back strong in the final seconds with a little barrel ride and lip-bash to free fall, but he needed one more king-move and didn’t get it, failing to get the required score and came in a satisfied second.

Of course Joel had great things to say about the event, as it is a rare man who would say anything negative about an event that he had just won, but Joel was all smiles and glowing in his reportage to the gathered crowds of bintang-swilling, gudang-puffing, tiny bikini-clad and junkie-chic hipster fashionistas looking cool throughout Komune. “It was one of the best events I’ve been involved in,” Joel said.

OAKLEY PRO BALI FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.86
2 – Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.67

OAKLEY PRO BALI SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.43 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 5.33
SF 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.50 def. Nat Young (USA) 14.97

OAKLEY PRO BALI QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.17 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 3.13
QF 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 17.44 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.83
QF 3: Nat Young (USA) 17.03 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 15.57
QF 4: Michel Bourez (PYF) 16.27 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.50

ASP WCT TOP 5 (After Oakley Pro Bali):
1. Mick Fanning (AUS) 31,400 points
2. Kelly Slater (USA) 30,950
3. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 26,700
4. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 25,200
5. Taj Burrow (AUS) 24,900