Jordy Smith and Julian Wilson qualified for Round 4 of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast – Surfing News
South Africa’s Jordy Smith and Australia’s Julian Wilson won their respective Round 3 heats at Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, opening stop of the 2012 ASP World Tour, which continued at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, on Monday,
February 27.
Smith’s spectacular performance in the ninth heat enabled him to prevail over Brazil’s Raoni Monteiro and advance into the fourth round of the competition.
Wilson got the better of his in-form fellow countryman Adam Melling in the 10th heat to make the Round 4 cut while bringing the competition to a premature end for his rival.
Smith had been nothing short of outstanding in Round 2 and continued to exhibit a dangerous form in his Round 3 heat that pitted him against an in-form Monteiro.
As the heat kicked-off, Smith got down to business right away with a 6.83-point wave, putting his rival under pressure. He immediately backed it up with an 8.00 off his second business-wave to get to a heat-total of 14.83.
Monteiro responded with a 4.83 and 7.37-point wave for a heat-total of 12.20 points. The inadequate score forced him to surrender victory to his South African rival.
The 10th heat saw the 23-year-old 2011 ASP World Rookie of the Year Wilson put on a superb performance during the heat to down his in-form compatriot Melling.
Wilson opened his account with a near-perfect 9.57-point wave and managed to add an additional 9.00 to his account off his final wave of the heat to finish with a heat-total of 18.57 points.
Melling put on a determined fight to challenge his rival, but his effort turned out to be futile. Scoring a 6.50 and 9.13 off his best-two waves, the 26-year-old Australian finished with a heat-total of 15.63 points.
“I lost in this round last year in a close one against Taj (Burrow) and went on to lose a bit early in the next few events so I was nervous before that one,” Wilson said. “I did want to make a statement. In my first two heats I wasn’t myself – it didn’t
feel like it was coming together for me. Then in that heat I felt a lot better, felt solid on my board and good to get some high scores.”
The surfing action continued at Snapper Rocks with the remaining heats of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast’s Round 3 on Monday.
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