2008 Rip Curl Search Day 2

HEAT RUNS: Round Two, Heats 1-10
CONDITIONS: 4 to 8 foot and mysterious
NATURE’S CALL: It’s not me, it’s you
PREDICTIONS: Somewhere, somehow, somewhat

Dane Reynolds had just rock-hopped and reef-shuffled his way to the moist end of the coral shelf here at Nowhere when representatives from the judging tower start waving him back. They’re calling off the competition — for the second time today — because no one can figure out where the waves are.

No, it’s not the whole “Somewhere” thing. We know YOU know where the waves are. But the competitors, they’re having a bit of trouble. It’s tricky. Most of the Top 44 have never surfed this place. They’ve heard of it plenty — everyone has — but in terms of actual experience out here, this really is searching.

And it’s a tricky wave, with a take off zone that shifts along the reef as the tide drops, and then shifts back as it rises again. Half the sets break outside, half the waves break inside, and a rare few break waaay outside. It really is confusing. Sure, when there’s 50 guys in the lineup it seems like no wave goes unridden. But when there’s just two guys on their own out there…it’s like having one outfielder for a major league baseball game. Lotta running around. Not much luck. Add to that an inconsistent swell, a ambitious tide, and a whole lotta inexperience…well, today was not a landmark day in pro surfing.

That said, and given the fact that we can’t talk about where we (are and we refuse to talk about “he who is talked about waaay to much in relation to these events”) well, whatta you wanna talk about? Read any good books lately? How about those [INSERT SPORTS TEAM HERE]?

OK, let’s at least look at what happened today:

Taj, Bede, Adriano and Bobby made quick work of the wildcards on the morning’s high-tide washthroughs. The entire event took an midday lunch break, hoping the tide would stop changing for a moment, and then Jeremy Flores, Ace Buchan, Tommy Whittaker, and Ben Bourgious lucked out on the back-end of the shifting reef matrix.

Taj Burrow

But look at these scores: Tom won with a combined score of 9.27. Reyes won with a 10.77. Benny B. won with a big 12.5. And those were the winning scores.

The tide was shifting the peak once again by the time Royden Bryson and Jordy Smith were out there, and the two looked totally confused. Sitting no where near the take off spot. Jordy’s four waves netted him a 6-something. And Royden’s four rocked him a big 10.57. There were waves out there…somewhere. But not even the Internet could help people find out where they were. So we’re done for the day. And we’re blaming the swell. The wind. The tide. And now that 75 guys just paddled out to cover the massive playing field, this little stretch of nowhere is actually looking pretty…well, let’s just say it’s gonna be 76 any second now.

Stay tuned, it’s bound to get interestinger.

COMPLETED ROUND 2 HEATS:
(1st advances to Round 3; 2nd finishes =33rd)
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) def. Komang “Gogo” Suijaya (IDN)
Heat 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS) def. Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) def. I Made Garut Widiart (IDN)
Heat 4: Bobby Martinez (USA) def. Bruno Santos (BRA)
Heat 5: Jeremy Flores (FRA) def. Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 6: Adrian Buchan (AUS) def. Dan Ross (AUS)
Heat 7: Tom Whitaker (AUS) def. Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 8: Tim Reyes (USA) def. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 9: Ben Bourgeois (USA) def. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 10: Royden Bryson (ZAF) def. Jordy Smith (ZAF)

REMAINING ROUND 2 HEATS:
Heat 11: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Daniel Wills (AUS)
Heat 12: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Leonardo Neves (BRA)
Heat 13: Pancho Sullivan (HAW) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 14: Jay Thompson (AUS) vs. Mikael Picon (FRA)
Heat 15: Ben Dunn (AUS) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 16: Luke Munro (AUS) vs. Mick Campbell (AUS)

 

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