TEAHUPO'O, Taiarapu/French Polynesia (Sunday, August 28, 2011) -- Conditions may have subsided over night, but the drama continued to unfold in the South Pacific where the world's best surfers are competing in event five on the Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour, the Billabong Pro presented by Air Tahiti Nui.
Yesterday a "Code Red" advisory warning was issued by the French Government which prohibits boats and water craft from legal operation during dangerous seas, but with the ban lifted three rounds were completed today in excellent six-to-eight foot surf (two-to-three metre) waves at Teahupo'o, and the list of injuries nearly as high as some of the scores awarded by the judges.
Matt Wilkinson (AUS) became the third surfer of the event to be awarded a perfect-10 point ride, after he threw himself over the ledge and into a cavernous Teahupo'o tube in the first heat of the day against Brazilian Jadson Andre (BRA).
Wilkinson attempted to repeat the feat during the 30-minute clash, but his fervent approach came with a price -- the 22 year-old was gobbled whole and rag-dolled across Teahupo'o's razor-sharp coral resulting in cuts and bruises and a third trip to the doctors in as many heats.
Current World rated number 2, Jordy Smith (ZAF) was the next to go down, disappearing into an innocuous looking barrel, only to surface in immense pain. His heat versus fellow South African Travis Logie (ZAF) was immediately placed on hold when the water patrol informed the Contest Director an ambulance was required and Smith would be taken to shore with a serious rib-related injury.
However, Smith regathered himself and surfed out the heat, pipping Logie with his last wave. Historically, heats experiencing similar unforeseen circumstances have continued uninterrupted and the outcome stirred controversy. Logie's camp lodged a protest and a re-surf was decided upon.
Battered and bruised, both surfers were forced back to the line-up ... low-ranked Logie with requalification on his mind, and top seed Smith chasing valuable world title rankings points.
The doctors diagnosed Smith's injury as "Left chest wall contusion, potential fractured rib and punctured lung".
Logie was diagnosed with "left shoulder supraspinatus tendonitis with impingement AC joint sprain" (which in layman's terms translates to a shoulder that don't work so well).
Logie went on to eliminate Smith 14.93pts to 12.43pts, which opens the door for the one-and-only Kelly Slater (USA) who is the only surfer from the top five remaining in the Billabong Pro competition.
The perfect 10s continued late in the day, with Jeremy Flores (FRA) becoming just the third surfer in history behind Kelly Slater and Joel Parkinson (AUS) to surf a perfect 20/20 heat. Until today Flores had never cracked a perfect score, today however against good friend and local Tahitian charger, Michel Bourez (PYF), he managed two.
Flores's best result at the Billabong Pro is his equal-third finish last year. Tomorrow, the 23 year-old will have a chance to go a couple places better, with momentum clearly on his side heading into the final day.
Owen Wright (AUS), 21, current No. 9 on the ASP World Title rankings, was another to cement his reputation as one of the premier Teahupo'o specialists this afternoon with the second highest heat total of the year, a 19.77 out of a possible 20. In a hard-fought Round 4 bout with Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), 29, and Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 29, Wright built an impressive score line, opening with 7.77 before grabbing a 9.77 and finishing with a Perfect 10.
Eight surfers remain in contention for the 2011 Billabong Pro presented by Air Tahiti Nui with just one day of competition required to find a winner. The excellent conditions are expected to continue tomorrow, with surf forecast to remain in the two-to-three metre range.
Highlights from the Billabong Pro Tahiti presented by Air Tahiti Nui are available via http://www.billabongpro.com
