The 2013 Billabong Pro, Tahiti (part two)

Day two of the Billabong Pro, Tahiti sure was a gas. Clean as y’like conditions, a slight growth in swell and all the killer match-ups you could hope for. “My heart was in my mouth,” said Mick Fanning after locking up a 10-pointer right when he needed to against wildcard Ian Walsh. “I was looking at waves and Ian had priority and played a smart heat. You’re looking for a special wave out there, but they’re all special. I was just lucky and stoked to get that one. It’s times like those when you need those clutch performances when you’re going for a title and I’ve had those in the last couple of events. That’s what you train for. It’s about staying cool.”

Mick’s always totally cool. And so, too, is Mr Kelly Slater. Especially after he posted an 18.97 combined total in the heat following Mick’s. “I think Anthony is one of the best barrel riders in the world,” said Kelly of the other (unrelated) wildcard named Walsh. “He’s dangerous out there and spends a lot of time out here. He’s not a guy you want to draw early and you expect to surf against him later in the event. I got a little too greedy to start and he started off with a good one. Luckily I got that 9 and backed it up. I got some good waves. This is the best Teahupoo I’ve surfed in a couple of years for the size.”

Jeremy Flores is always a gun at Chopes – just consult the perfect 20-point heat he put together two years ago – and confirmed today with a 19.33 combined total against Brett Simpson. “I think the only 10s I’ve had have been at Teahupoo,” said Jeremy. “Every year we come, it’s one of the best events in terms of waves. Tahiti is paradise and it’s one of my favorite waves in the world. It’s perfect and terrifying at the same time, even when it’s small. It feels good to get a 10. I didn’t expect to get a right like that. It felt like Backdoor. It was a proper right and spat me out. That right was a good wave. I knew if I didn’t come out I would get cut up by the reef. There was definitely some pressure to get out of that barrel.”

And of course, we can’t forget Mr John John Florence, who also put together a 19-point total. The West bowl he no-hands dropped into was particularly special. “That 10 was one of those lucky wide ones,” John said. “To get those wide ones, you have to be so close to peak to get the wave and I was over far enough to get it. I thought I’d be deep and I had to grab my rail. It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster on that one. I was trying to get out of the barrel any way that I could and then I had a nice lip to do a turn on.”

And, how about Kai Otton putting together a 19-point total against Kolohe Andino? “My initial takeoff could’ve been a mistake, but I just wanted to kill the nerves,’ said Kai. “Luckily Kolohe didn’t go on the other one and I was able to get under it. The conditions are so west today that they give you time to get in and they just open up. I had a bit of a chess game for the rest of it and overall, that was a dream heat. I’ve never had that many chances in a heat. It’s dream conditions. It’s four foot perfect barrels.”

Don’t miss a second of this whole damn party tomorrow. Drink it in, here.

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.90 def. Nathan Hedge (AUS) 17.70
Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 17.87 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 15.60
Heat 3: Josh Kerr (AUS) 18.53 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 17.83
Heat 4: John John Florence (HAW) 19.10 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.13
Heat 5: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 17.03 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.27
Heat 6: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.83 def. Ian Walsh (HAW) 17.60
Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.97 def. Anthony Walsh (AUS) 16.23
Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) 16.43 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 16.27

REMAINING BILLABONG PRO TAHITI REMAINING ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 9: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 10: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Heat 11: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 12: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Alain Riou (PYF)

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI REMAINING ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 5: Nathan Hedge (AUS) 15.53 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.76
Heat 6: Josh Kerr (AUS) 17.17 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.17
Heat 7: Julian Wilson 14.77 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 8.60
Heat 8: Adam Melling (AUS) 14.10 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 14.10
Heat 9: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 15.30 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.97
Heat 10: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 19.33 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 17.10
Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) 19.06 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.33
Heat 12: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.90 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.60