RIP CURL PRO DAY THREE

AI seems very positive here, and this makes him dangerous. He paddled out to a messy rip bowl for a couple of waves pre-heat. When it came to actual competition he played a savvy conservative game, holding Rodrigo Dornelles at bay with priority after taking the lead on halfway. RD is a late comeback expert, and when Andy let him sneak one under his guard with 10 seconds left, Rodrigo sneaked a great little barrel and almost got the score. AI knew it, and comes in wiping imaginary sweat from his brow. "I thought there'd be one outside that might be a little bigger," he reckoned. "Then that one came and it drained like Kirra! Never ending, huh." By which he meant: the heat's never over till the hooter blows.

Neither is the contest. 15 heats remain now to be run, with four days of slop and uncertain weather in the forecast. Director Damien "Dooma" Hardman was all ready to keep charging into round four and reduce the future burden down to about half a day, but head judge Perry Hatchett pulled him up, reminding him of last year's final day, when Joel Parkinson had to surf four times to Kelly's three, and got hypothermia in the final. If you run half of round four, Perry reminded Dooma, you'll be setting up the same scenario. Why don't you ask the guys who'll have to surf four times otherwise?

Dooma asked Fanning, and almost on cue, Mick began to froth. "I don't care, I'll surf anything, I'll go anywhere!" he yelped. Then he thought for a second. "But I did see what it did to Parko last year. So…."

Mick walked off while Hardman smote his forehead. "Why'd he have to add that 'but'??" grunted Dooma.

So Bells is left with a day of heats and only a maybe swell on the horizon. Cross your fingers and hope….and pray it doesn't mean another drive south

Today’s Results: (1st to round 4; 2nd receives 17th place and 410 ratings points)

Heat 7: Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.94 def Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 13.50
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.00 def. Nic Muscroft (AUS) 11.84
Heat 9: Andy Irons (HAW) def Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)
Heat 10: Ben Dunn (AUS) 13.67 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.27
Heat 11: Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.37 def. Mark Occhilupo (AUS) 10.20
Heat 12: Fred Patacchia (HAW) 14.17 def. Phil Macdonald (AUS) 13.73
Heat 13: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.66 def. Bernardo Pigmeu (BRA) 12.26
Heat 14: Mick Campbell (AUS) 13.50 def Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.17
Heat 15: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.60 def Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.03
Heat 16: Bruce Irons (HAW) 14.00 def. Ricky Basnett (ZAF) 10.50

Round Four Heat Draw:

Heat 1: Royden Bryson (ZAF) vs Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Heat 2: Danny Wills (AUS) vs Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 3: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs Leonardo Neves (BRA)
Heat 4: Travis Logie (ZAF) vs Kelly Slater (USA)
Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW) vs Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs Fred Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs Mick Campbell (AUS)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs Bruce Irons (HAW)

 

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