THE HEAT IS ON | SLATER VS IRONS [24.08.2010]Surfers

THE HEAT IS ON | SLATER VS IRONS - TEAHUPOO 2010

TEAHUPOO, TAHITI - Good news sports fans, guess who’s has drawn each other in one of the opening heats of The Billabong Pro at Teahupo’o? It’s surfing’s ultimate sparring partners, Kelly Slater and Andy Irons.

The Irons/Slater rivalry is stuff of legends. Irons breathed new life into the tour with the killer-instinct approach he adopted to snatch a three-peat of world titles from 2002 to 2004. Up until that point, no one had truly challenged the nine-time world champion Slater, who had waltzed his way to an untouchable ‘Michael Jordan of surfing’ status.

Both men are experts at Teahupo’o. Since the fearsome break’s inception onto the ASP World Tour in 1999, Slater has taken out the event a record three times (2000, 2003, 2005), while Irons claimed his maiden victory there in 2002.

In edition to Slater’s edge in the Teahupo’o victories department, he also boasts, during his triumphant Teahupo’o campaign of 2005, having been the first surfer ever to be awarded two perfect scores for a total 20 out of 20 points under the ASP two-wave scoring system (watch below).

While the Teahupo’o stats favour Slater, you’d be a little naïve to put loafs of bread on him being victorious simply based on this. It’s common knowledge Irons is a master at Teahupo’o; his freesurfing exploits at the place speak for themself (watch below). Irons grew up surfing some of the planet’s heaviest waves in Hawaii (including a certain other infamous and big-barrelling left-hander) and would barely bat an eyelid at the prospect of out-hustling anyone at this portly Polynesian break.

With this year’s main event due to kick-off today, unfortunately only the occasional 3-foot set has been rolling in. Following a morning of monitoring conditions, Contest Director Luke Egan, along with Head Judge Richie Porter and Surfers Rep Kieren Perrow, decided a lay day was in order.

When the contest gets underway it will be fascinating to see how these two guys each approach this opening heat and whether there’ll be some early warning shots fired. Lets hope the swell picks up for this initial showdown, and further, lets hope Iron’s brings some of that killer-instinct he possessed when he dominated the sport and reputations counted for nothing.

Slater and Irons currently sit 3rd and 18th on the tour, respectively.

- Micholas

Watch as the action unfolds live at Billabong Pro

SLATER'S PERFECT 2005 AT TEAHUPOO

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