Jordy Smith prevails over Joel Parkinson to clinch Semi-final slot at Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
Australia’s Joel Parkinson bowed out to South Africa’s Jordy Smith in the third Quarter-final of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast that went down at the iconic Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, on Sunday, March 4, sending the latter into the Semi-finals.
The low-tide conditions at the primary event site were expected to push the surfers against the wall, putting their skills and experience. Even the likes of 11-time Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Champion Kelly Slater had failed to come
up with his best in the two-to-three foot waves earlier in the day.
The 24-year-old Smith had been pretty impressive in the opening event of the 2012 ASP World Tour so far, save for an early stumble in the first round. Going strong since bouncing back in Round 2, the South African was proving to be a formidable force and
comfortably made his way into the Quarter-finals.
Pitted against Smith in the third Quarter-final was Parkinson, 2011 ASP World Tour Runner-Up. The 30-year-old Australian had finished in runner-up position last year at Snapper Rocks and was expected to make the most of his local knowledge of the waves to
make the going tough for his South African rival during the battle for the Semi-final slot.
As the battle got underway, Smith got off to a solid start, posting a 7.73 on the score-board off his first business-wave. Instead of attacking the less-promising waves, he conserved his energy for a relatively juicier wave. He eventually found just the
wave that he was waiting for and charged towards it to unload a series of 7.83-point wave, finishing with a heat-total of 15.56 points.
Parkinson got off to a shaky start and only managed to score a 5.27 off his first business-wave. Despite a determined hunt and effort, he was only able to add an additional 6.03 to his account, finishing with a heat-total of 11.30 points as a result. Consequently,
he was forced to surrender victory to Smith, sending the latter into the Semi-final.
Commenting on the heat and conditions at the end of the day, Smith said, “It wasn't perfect Snapper but I'm happy to have beaten Parko out here at his home break. He's probably beaten me 10 times and I've only beaten him three, so I don't think I've got
it over him yet, but those three times are all out here at Snapper.”
The surfing action continued at the primary event site with the remaining surfing battles of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover.
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