Adrian Buchan and Mark Occhilupo triumph in Round 4 of Nike Lowers Pro – Surfing News
Australia’s Adrian Buchan and his fellow countryman Mark Occhilupo enjoyed success in their respective Round 4 (Round of 48) heats of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) PRIME Nike Lowers Pro that continued at the point-break of Lower Trestles
in San Clemente, California, on Thursday, May 3.
Both the surfers consequently advanced to the fifth round (Round of 24) of the competition. America’s Nathan Yeomans and Australia’s Blake Thornton made their way through into the next round as well after claiming runner-up position in the 11th
and 12th heat respectively.
With clean waves breaking at the fabled event site on Thursday morning, a series of exciting battles were in store for the surfing fans. The competition field comprising of local as well as international talent were determined to put on their best performance
to stay alive in the contention for the prestigious event title, share of prize purse and coveted ASP ranking points.
Buchan found himself pitted against Yeomans, France’s Romain Cloitre and Hawaii’s Hank Gaskell in the 11th heat.
As the heat got underway, the Australian surfer got off to a slow start, struggling to find waves. However, he soon caught his first business-wave to post a 7.77 on the scoreboard. He soon backed it up with a 7.33-point wave for a heat-total of 15.10 points,
which sealed the deal in his favour.
Yeomans was nothing short of spectacular during the course of the event either, scoring a 6.53 and 8.00 off his best-two waves for a heat-total of 14.53 points and thus securing runner-up place to advance into the next round.
Cloitre and Gaskell got eliminated from the competition after finishing with a heat-total of 13.77 and 11.87 points respectively.
The 12th heat saw the former ASP World Champion Occhilupo walk away with the win. He scored a 6.33 off his first business-wave and backed it up with an impressive 7.77-point wave for a heat-total of 14.10 points.
“Trestles hasn’t really been kind to me over the years,” Occhilupo said after the heat. “I don’t think I’ve ever made the Quarterfinals, so to make these heats has been great. I love Trestles, even though it’s a hard wave to surf for me, but I’m stoked.
It’s great surfing with the young guys and the kids are surfing amazing. I’m just working my way through the draw and taking it one heat at a time.”
Thornton remained alive in contention for the event title after getting second-place finish in the heat with a heat-total of 13.83 points, which included a 6.83 and 7.00-point wave.
Australia’s Tom Whitaker and French Polynesia’s Michel Bourez were sent packing rounding out the bottom-two positions with a heat-total of 10.17 and 6.40 points respectively.
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