Adam Melling and Kelly Slater prevail in Round 1 of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast – Surfing News
Australia’s Adam Melling and America’s Kelly Slater clinched success in their non-elimination Round 1 heats at the opening event of the 2012 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, which went down at Snapper Rocks
in Queensland, Australia, on Saturday, February 25.
While Melling advanced through straight into the third round after winning the fifth heat of Round 1, his compatriot Joel Parkinson and America’s Dane Reynolds finished in second and third place respectively, consequently getting relegated to Round 2.
The sixth heat featured an epic performance by the 11-time ASP World Champion Slater as he secured his place in the third round, leaving Australia’s Garrett Parkes and America’s Kolohe Andino to settle for second and third place respectively. Both the surfers
moved into the relegation round to battle it out for a place in the third round.
The 26-year-old Melling was up against two renowned heavy-weights of surfing, but did not get intimidated and managed to put on a strong performance by quickly detecting and catching the best waves during the course of the 30-minute battle. He scored a 7.17
off his first business-wave and soon followed it up with an 8.53-point wave to finish with a heat-total of 15.70 points, consequently walking away with the win.
“It’s feels great to win that one!” Melling said. “I saw in the news and they were calling it the Dane [Reynolds] versus Parko [Joel Parkinson] heat and I was thinking – what about me, I’m in this one too. Both of those guys surf unreal and I happy to get
the win, my boards are feeling good and my body is fit and I’m hoping for a big year.”
Parkinson put on a solid performance as well, scoring an 8.10 and 7.33 off his best-two waves to finish with a heat-total of 15.43 points.
Reynolds was nothing short of impressive during the course of the heat either, but failed to meet the standard that had been set up by Melling and Parkinson. He scored an 8.40 and 6.50 off his top-two waves to finish with a heat-total of 14.90 points.
The next heat pitted the 40-year-old Slater against event trials’ winner Parkes and Californian sensation Andino in a battle for a spot in the third round.
Slater wasted no time in treating the crowd to what they had been anxious to see since the end of 2011 ASP World Tour. He immediately detected and caught a juicy right-hander to score an 8.93 off it to take an early lead. Almost halfway through the heat,
he collected a near-perfect 9.87 off another right-hander to take his heat-total to 18.80 points. The performance served to send a clear message to the rest of Top 34 surfers about his intentions.
Parkes finished in second place with a heat-total of 12.73 points, which comprised of an 8.60 and 4.13-point wave, while the emerging force Andino rounded out the third position with 10.60 points.
The surfing action continued at Snapper Rocks with the remaining heats of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast’s Round 1.
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