HURLEY PRO | REYNOLDS, SMITH RULE TRESTLES [18.09.2010]Other

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DAY 6 | REYNOLDS, SMITH RULE TRESTLES SKATE PARK

LOWER TRESTLES, California/USA - When competitors woke to perfect 4-6 foot conditions for rounds 3 and 4 of the Hurley Pro, it was clear event coordinator Pat O’Connell had made the right call when he prematurely halted proceedings the previous day.

The jump in swell-size paralleled a significant rise in the standard and performance-level of surfing on display.
 
As predicted, the likes of Dane Reynolds and Jody Smith went about winning in the most sensational of style. Reynolds posted the highest combined heat total of the day in his round 3 match-up with Australian, Luke Steadman. His first wave included a mammoth vertical tail-waft that he spun round into a 360. Both critical and stylish, the turn, which was followed up by a ferocious power-cutty, instigated a 9.17 from the judges. Reynolds said of the wave: “I can’t believe they gave me a 9 because it died-out right after my first turn.” Reynolds then secured victory with a solid wave he sealed by racing down the line to launch a massive 180 Slob aerial. This one earned him a 9.33 and a bloodied head when he nicked his board during the landing of this, perhaps the event’s best aerial. Reynolds looked more like he was skating on an X-Games half-pipe than in a surfing competition – that said, a helmet would have come in handy for him.

Jordy Smith put on a show in his victorious heat against Californian Brett Simpson. Smith scored a 9.6 for a wave in which he linked a massive tail-waft 360 with a Superman aerial. After falling to Simpson in the final of the U.S. Open recently, Smith sounded satisfied to win yesterday’s rematch: “It felt good to get one back on him,” Smith said. “To lose a hundred grand at the U.S. Open is a pretty big knock to the chin, and just to make one more round here is cool.”

Round-4 saw some excellent exchanges take place as set-after-set consistently rolled through during this new 3-man heat format. Australian Owen Wright came from nowhere to K.O Kelly Slater and CJ Hobgood in the last three minutes of their bout. Slater started the heat wearing a sweat-band around his head. His sweat-band, bald head and the comp jersey’s Hurley supplies with surname and number on back, combined to give Slater the look like of an NBA basketball player. However his shot-selection wasn’t great – picking up numerous mid-ranged waves, while Wright’s patient last-minute clutch-shooting saw him pick up the best sets of the heat, which in-turn won him the ball-game. Slater and Hobgood will now have to fight their way back through the elimination round, while Wright advances straight to the quarters.
 
The final heat of the day was one of the best; Taj Burrow vs Dane Reynolds vs Adrian Buchan. Buchan failed to find any rhythm and quite simply had a shocker. It was all about the two progressive natural footers who share a similar style but very different approach to competition surfing. Reynolds went out and just caught whatever looked like a fun ride, while Taj was more calculating and patient, waiting for the bigger sets and acting every bit the veteran. Both guys surfed insane and the heat certainly didn’t disappoint. Reynolds looked beaten as the final seconds ticked away with him needing an 8.0. Then all of a sudden he picked off an average looking inside wave that saw him string together some pretty solid moves and even a little cover-up. The judges could’ve gone either way but following a long deliberation they eventually awarded Reynolds a 7.8, handing Taj a shortcut to the quarters. This day had everything.

- micholas





HURLEY PRO TRESTLES ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.20 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 8.16
Heat 2: Chris Davidson (AUS) 12.17 def. Andy Irons (HAW) 12.00
Heat 3: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.13 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.54
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.50 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 13.06
Heat 5: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.93 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 10.67
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.50 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 12.67
Heat 7: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.87 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 12.93
Heat 8: Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.57 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 12.83
Heat 9: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.60 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 6.63
Heat 10: Dane Reynolds (USA) 18.50 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 10.96
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.17 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.24
Heat 12: Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.87 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.87

HURLEY PRO TRESTLES ROUND4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.30, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 14.00, Chris Davidson (AUS) 12.33
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS), 17.20, Kelly Slater (USA) 15.37, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.27
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.60, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.16, Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.26
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.60, Dane Reynolds (USA) 16.40, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 7.97

HURLEY PRO TRESTLES ROUND5 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)
Heat 3: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 4: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Damien Hobgood (USA)

HURLEY PRO TRESTLES QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. TBA
QF 2: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. TBA
QF 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. TBA
QF 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. TBA


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