The 2013 Hurley Pro, Trestles (part two)

Alejo Muniz wasn’t sure who he was surfing against this morning at the Hurley Pro, Trestles. So, when he got up, he put on John John Florence’s movie Done to get the juices flowing. When he arrived at the beach, he discovered that John was the man who was actually in his heat. Alejo paddled out and put together a 15.80 combined total to John’s 13.83, and a more ironic victory is yet to be seen at this event. Afterwards, Alejo told John that he’d watched his film to get psyched, and John said “That just makes it worse.”

“It’s a little bit smaller, but when you’re from Brazil, this is really good,” said Alejo afterwards. “I was a little bit nervous because John John beat me here in his rookie year. Before my heat I talked to Mikey Picon and he told me the lefts were better than the rights on the set waves. I was just trying to get the bigger waves. I think John John was trying to get a lot of waves and I did the opposite and I’m stoked to get those waves.”

In fact, Alejo is lucky to be competing. “I’m riding the same board since the US Open and I’ve been riding it in the last two contests,” said Alejo. “It’s a great board. I had an injury in the Azores and I didn’t think I’d be able to come here, but everything went well with the MRI and the physio. I’m still surfing with pain, but my board is working amazing and I’m stoked.”

Jeremy Flores, who surfed the following heat, still has reef stuck in his foot from Tahiti (and a sliced heel from Keramas). He’s gonna keep surfing, and probably with the form he did today (he beat Yadin Nicol), but is gonna require mini-surgery after the event. Betcha didn’t know that J-Flo was a pretty damn tough cookie. “On the Dream Tour, we’re surfing really good waves all of the time so we’re not used to competing in these conditions, but you have to be a complete surfer,” said Jeremy afterwards. “Wave selection out there is super important today because there are a couple that are going to make the difference. They open up more, whether it’s a right or left and there are not many waves so you have to get the good ones. It’s anyone’s game out there.”

Sea Bass, in the following heat, has been training for the Hurley Pro by catching as many waves as possible at Lowers. But, with the crowd so thick, he’s had to sit on the inside picking of every smaller one that didn’t break for the pack out back. And today, with a very diminished swell, Bass was surprisingly prepared – the takeoff spot was further in. And, he beat Raoni Monteiro. “I was super bummed in Tahiti and I didn’t really trust my instincts,” said Bass. “I’m going back to the old school and trusting my instincts. I’m hoping to get a result here and I love Trestles. It’s been a big part of my career. It’d be great to get a Quarters or Semis and I’ve got a good small wave board.”

And in the last heat of the day, Kolohe Andino put the day’s highest combined total (16.33) together against Matt Wilkinson, and bounced himself into the next round, where he’ll face Taj Burrow. Which you sure as hell don’t wanna miss.

HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES REMAINING ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 5: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.10 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 9.10
Heat 6: Kai Otton (AUS) 12.67 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.97
Heat 7: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 15.80 def. John John Florence (HAW) 13.83
Heat 8: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.50 def. Yadin Nicol (AUS) 12.37
Heat 9: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 14.67 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 9.14
Heat 10: Fred Patacchia (HAW) 17.43 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.74
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 11.37 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.00
Heat 12: Kolohe Andino (USA) 16.33 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 9.00

UPCOMING HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES ROUND 3 MATCH UPS:
Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 5: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Heat 10: Nat Young (USA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Heat 12: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)