Another lay day called for Billabong Rio Pro as wait for high-quality swell continues
The third of ten stops on the 2013 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, Billabong Rio Pro, failed to commence on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, as the event organisers deemed the swell at Barra da Tijuca unsatisfactory.
This was the fifth consecutive day for the competition to remain on hold because of the small surf at the main event site.
The one-to-two foot waves breaking at Barra da Tijuca were not something that made it impossible to surf, but in order to ensure that the fans of the sport were not disappointed with the action at the latest elite tour event, the ASP officials decided to
keep the competition on hold until a better swell filled in.
The event window has permitted the officials to make such a decision in order to resume action in favourable conditions.
“Groundhog day here at Barra (da Tijuca) with small surf and another lay day for men’s competition,” Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge said. “Fortunately, the event window affords us a few days of no competition for less-than-ideal conditions and
we should be back on in the coming days as the new swell fills in.”
There is hardly any doubt about the frustration that the competitors and the surfing fans would be feeling, but it is hard to disagree with the fact that the decision taken by the ASP officials is in best interest of the competition and the sport, not to
mention the fans as well.
So far, Billabong Rio Pro has only completed Round 1 and that too started and completed on the first day of competition.
While majority of the surfing heavy-weights, including America’s 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater, reigning ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson from Australia and former two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning, also from Australia, managed to make
their way through into the third round after registering a win their respective Round 1 heats, there were plenty of surprises and upsets as well.
One of the biggest upsets during Round 1 was the relegation of Australia’s Taj Burrow to Round 2 after failing to hold his own against his rival in Round 1.
Australia’s Josh Kerr and Julian Wilson also failed to advance directly to the third round as they suffered defeat at the hands of their rivals in the opening round of the competition.
Once the competition resumes, 24 surfers will take each other on in man-on-man battles for survival and thus the third round.
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