Mick Fanning exhibits a dominant form in Round 1 heat at Volcom Fiji Pro – Surfing News
Australia’s Mick Fanning put on a superb performance to claim top honours in the eighth heat of Round 1 at the latest stop on the 2012 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Title Series, Volcom Fiji Pro, which got underway at the main venue of
Cloudbreak in Tavarua, Fiji, on Sunday, June 3.
With his success in the opening round of the competition, Fanning advanced straight into the third round. His fellow countryperson Matt Wilkinson had to settle for a second-place finish, whereas the third Australian in the heat Adrian Buchan rounded out
the third position. Both Wilkinson and Buchan consequently got relegated to the second round, having to surf another heat for a place in the third round.
The best surfers from around the globe arrived in Fiji to resume their campaign for the coveted ASP World Tour. The six-to-eight foot waves gracing the event site on the opening day of the competition presented the surfers with a handful of opportunities
to put their exquisite skills on display. The huge crowd in attendance at Cloudbreak expected to get treated to a series of memorable battles.
The opening round of Volcom Fiji Pro was a non-elimination one, thus there was not a lot of pressure hanging over the head of surfers. However, an opportunity to head straight into the third round without having to surf in Round 2 was a strong enough motivation
for the surfers to push hard during their Round 1 battle.
The eighth heat pitted Fanning against Wilkinson and Buchan in a three-man battle for the Round 3 spot.
Fanning, a two-time ASP World Champion, made his solid form apparent with an impressive performance on the very first day of the latest event on the elite tour. Locking his first business-wave in the opening minutes of the heat, the Australian sensation
posted a 6.33 on the score-board. He went on to back it up with a near-perfect 9.33-point ride, which took him to a heat-total of 15.66 points. With neither of his two rivals managing to challenge his score, he eventually walked away with a convincing victory.
Wilkinson put on a pretty lacklustre performance, scoring a mere 3.27 and 1.63 off his best-two waves to finish with a heat-total of 4.90 points.
Buchan only managed to lock one wave during the course of the heat and failed to earn much off it either. Scoring a 2.00 off his only wave, the Australian surfer finished in third place. Both Wilkinson and Buchan needed to step up in their next heat if they
wished to stay alive in the contention for the event title at Volcom Fiji Pro.
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