Dane Reynolds and Kieren Perrow make the Round 4 cut at Billabong Pipe Masters
America’s Dane Reynolds and Australia’s Kieren Perrow powered into the fourth round at the Billabong Pipe Masters after walking away with top honours from their respective Round 3 heats that went down at the Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii, on Sunday, December 9, 2012.
Reynolds got the better of Brazil’s Adriano de Souza in the third heat to earn his place in the fourth round, while removing the latter from the contention for the event title.
The fourth heat saw Australia’s Julian Wilson failing to hold his own against fellow countryperson Perrow, consequently getting eliminated from the competition while sending the latter through into the next round.
With pumping six-to-eight foot waves breaking at the primary event site on the latest day of the competition, which was serving as both the final stop on the 2012 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour and the 30th anniversary Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, the stage was set for a day of adrenaline-pumping action.
The third heat pitted event wildcard Reynolds against De Souza, who was among the most prominent surfers during last year’s campaign for the coveted ASP World Title.
Reynolds put on a thrilling performance during the heat and eventually managed to get to an intimidating heat-total of 17.83 points, which included a perfect 10.00 and 7.83-point wave.
De Souza was unable to offer any sort of challenge to his rival and eventually finished with a heat-total of 10.66 points, which included a 5.83 and 4.83-point ride, thus getting forced to concede the Round 4 spot to his rival.
“There weren’t any rights out there,” Reynolds said. “It just looks like the right swell and size for the rights but they weren’t coming in. On my right, it was crumbly and I was trying to get under the lip. It crumbled and I just got under the whitewash. I was deep and just pushed through it. It’s the first 10 I got out here. I’ve been competing a lot this year still. I don’t think there is a shifting of gears, you’re just trying to make due with what comes to you.”
The fourth heat saw Perrow, defending event champion, get the better of Wilson, though he was made to work hard for the win by the latter.
Wilson got off to an excellent start, earning an 8.50 off his first business-wave, but was only able to add an additional 4.67 to his account, thus getting to a heat-total of 13.17 points.
Perrow responded with a solid 8.83-point ride and managed to back it up with a 5.33-point ride just in time to get to a heat-total of 14.16 points, thus allowing him to seal the deal.
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