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SA surfers grab J-Bay wildcards
11/07/2007 13:56 - (SA)
Jeffreys Bay - South African surfers grabbed all three wildcards at stake in the Von Zipper Wildcard Trials at Jeffreys Bay to join their four seeded compatriots in the draw for the R2.1m Billabong Pro that started on Wednesday.
The fabled waves of Supertubes at Jeffreys Bay defied the predictions, producing excellent one to 1.5m walls of water that reeled down the point making contest director Mike Parsons's decision to start the event immediately after the opening ceremonies an easy one.
Jeffreys Bay local Shaun Payne (St Francis Bay) took the first VZ Trials heat, posting an excellent 8.0 point score on his second ride to lead throughout the 30 minute encounter against TJ Barron (Hawaii), Australian pro junior champion Wade Goodall and fellow South African Rudy Palmboom (Bluff), who finished in that order.
The second trials heat saw Damien Fahrenfort (Cape Town) secure his third wildcard in as many years when he disposed of the challenge from Stirling Spencer (USA), Luke Dorrington (Australia) and 16-year-old local Dale Staples (St Francis Bay), who despite finishing fourth only needed 7.51 points to take the victory after a great opening ride.
Warwick 'Wok' Wright then made it a clean sweep for the SA contingent when he eclipsed Fahrenfort's heat tally by recording two scores in the excellent category, an 8.0 and a 7.67, to total 15.67 for the heat and victory over Hodei Collazo (Spain), Billabong Junior Series Under-16 champion Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay) and 2004 world junior champ Pablo Paulino (Brazil).
Parsons then immediately started the opening heat of the Billabong Pro in glassy surf as Africa's most prestigious event got underway under sunny skies with crowds flocking to the beach in shorts and T-shirts.
Luke Stedman (Australia) snatched victory by the narrowest of margins from compatriot Shaun Cansdell after the two were tied on 12.33 points at the end of the first heat.
Stedman got the nod as he had the highest single ride score and advances directly to round three while Cansdell and Tom Whitaker, who placed third, go into the sudden-death man-on-man second round draw where the winner advances and the loser is eliminated from the event.
Danny Wills then clinched a third round berth and a day off by defeated fellow Aussie and 1999 world champ Mark Occhilupo with Raoni Monteiro (Brazil) in third.
Heat three went the way of 2006 ASP rookie of the year Bobby Martinez (USA) who defeated a pair of Australians in Phil MacDonald and Troy Brooks.
The three wildcards have been drawn against the event's top three seeds in heats eight, nine and 10. Payne takes on top seed and current world number one, Mick Fanning (Australia), Fahrenfort is pitted against three-time world champ Andy Irons (Hawaii) and Wright faces the eight-time world champ and three-time Billabong pro champ Kelly Slater (USA).
The event is likely to run until sunset as the swell is predicted to increase during day with both Thursday and Friday forecast to produce fantastic surf.
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