BILLABONG PRO | GUDAUSKAS' CLUTCH RODEO [02.09.2010]Surfers

BILLABONG PRO | IN THE FLIP OF TIME

TEAHUPOO, TAHITI – As the waves continued to deteriorate at the Billabong Pro Tahiti, so did the hopes of many surfers looking to stay afloat as the ASP cuts the number of surfers on its World Tour from 45 to just 32. 

Sitting 41st on the ASP rankings coming into The Billabong Pro, 24-year-old American rookie, Pat Gudauskas, was one such surfer in serious jeopardy of being culled from the World Tour at the culmination of this event.

Down on the scoreboard and with the clock ticking in Round 3 against Australian Chris Davidson, the heat and Gudauskas’ place the Dream Tour looked all but over. Then, in the dying moments Gudauskas managed to snag an otherwise insignificant two-footer. Needing an unlikely 7.83 to win, the Californian made something from nothing by executing an incredible Rodeo Flip in the final seconds to overtake Davidson with an 8.10 and advance through to Round 4.

Gudauskas’ advancement to Round 4 of the Billabong Pro Tahiti guarantees an Equal 9th, a career best, and also propels him to 24th on the ASP World Tour, which sees him avoid the cut-off.

“It was really tough out there,” Gudauskas said. “There weren’t a lot of waves coming through and I didn’t know if I should wait for the good ones or if there were even any good ones left. I knew I needed to go big at the end there so I thought, ‘whatever, I’ll just try this’. It had a really nice section and when I came out of the rotation, I knew I had it so I just kind of rode out and gave the judges a little thumbs up.”

“My mind is still here for the moment,” Gudauskas said. “But it’s been my dream of mine since I can remember to surf at this level at home and at Pipe, and I’m over the moon. First and foremost though, focus remains here.”

At the close of Round 3, the newly formed ASP Top 32 has now been finalised. It’s a sad day for those listed below who previously sat pretty in the Top 45. They now find themselves off the tour and facing the uphill battle of requalification. Among them, Gudauskas' younger brother, Tanner.

- Drew Courtney (AUS), 31
- Neco Padaratz (BRA), 34
- Tanner Gudauskas (USA), 22
- Mick Campbell (AUS), 34
- Kieren Perrow (AUS), 33
- Tom Whitaker (AUS), 30
- Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), 25
- Blake Thornton (AUS), 25
- Dean Morrison (AUS), 29
- Jay Thompson (AUS), 28
- Nate Yeomans (USA), 29
- Ben Dunn (AUS), 24
- Marco Polo (BRA), 29

It brighter news, enjoy the following footage of Gudauskas’ clutch Rodeo Flip.





BILLABONG PRO TAHITI REMAINING ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 13: Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.50 def. Tamaroa McComb (PYF) 6.83
Heat 14: Andy Irons (HAW) 9.34 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 9.16
Heat 15: Damien Hobgood (USA) 10.77 def. Marco Polo (BRA) 8.74
Heat 16: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 13.43 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 13.16

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 2: Tiago Pires (PRT) vs. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 6: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Damien Hobgood (USA)
Heat 8: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)


- micholas


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