Michael Dunphy and Alan Donato off to an ideal start on day 1 of Burton Toyota Pro
America’s Michael Dunphy and Brazil’s Alan Donato walked away with top honours from their Round 1 (Round of 144) heats of the 6-Star Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Burton Toyota Pro at Newcastle’s Surfest that continued at Merewether Beach in
New South Wales, Australia, on Monday, March 12.
Both the surfers made their way through into the second round (Round of 96). America’s Ian Crane and Brazil’s Jean Da Silva also made their way into the next round, courtesy of their runner-up finish in the third and fourth heat respectively.
The surfers found themselves facing tricky three-foot waves at Merewether Beach on the opening day of the latest World Qualifying Series (WQS) event that offered them an opportunity to take home a handsome prize cheque along with coveted ASP rating points,
crucial to make a place in the World Title series.
Dunphy found things going his way while facing his compatriots Crane and Michael Powell, along with Australia’s Jaymes Triglone in the third heat. He got hold of a juicy wave in the opening minutes of the heat to unload a series of exquisite tricks for an
8.00. Though he struggled to find another good score, an addition of 3.40 points to his account proved sufficient to seal the fate of the battle in his favour.
Crane made the Round 2 cut as well after getting a couple of scores in the five-point range off his two business-waves for a heat-total of 10.63 points.
Powell and Triglone rounded out the third and fourth positions respectively, with the former scoring a heat-total of 9.67 while the latter finished with a two-wave total of 6.67 points. Both the surfers were consequently eliminated from the event.
The fourth heat of Round 1 saw an exhibition of impressive surfing skills and style by Donato as he got the better of his fellow countryman Da Silva, Australia’s Chris Salisbury and Japan’s Kaito Ohashi to confidently walk into the second round.
Donato went through a series of average wave-scores before locking his business-wave to earn a 7.50 off it. He immediately followed it up with a 6.00-point wave to finish with a winning heat-total of 13.50 points.
Da Silva managed to extend his life in the event as well by clinching second position through a heat-total of 9.43 points, which included a 4.73 and a 4.70-point wave.
Salisbury and Ohashi failed to make much of an impact during the course of the four-man battle. The local talent finished in third place with a heat-total of 6.66 points, while the Japanese surfer rounded out the last position with a two-wave total of 5.27
points. Consequently, both the surfers were forced out of the contention for the event-title.
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