Mick Fanning prevails in Round 1 heat of Billabong Pro Tahiti – 2011 ASP World Tour
Australia’s Mick Fanning clinched top honours in the fourth heat of Round 1 at the latest stop of Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour, Billabong Pro Tahiti, which went down at Teahupo’o beach in Taiarapu, Tahiti on Saturday, August 20.
The 30-year-old Fanning defeated America’s Gabe Kling and Portugal’s Tiago Pires, who finished in second and third place respectively, moving directly to Round 3. Kling settled for runner-up place, while Pires finished third to get relegated to Round 2.
The fourth heat kicked off in great surfing conditions, with clean four-to-six foot waves gracing the main event site. The stage was all set for an intense contest between the best surfers from around the globe.
As the heat kicked off, Kling took an early lead, scoring 4.77 points off his first business-wave. The two-time ASP World Champion, Fanning soon snatched the lead from his American rival.
In the later stages of the heat, Fanning collected an impressive 7.83 off a wave and soon followed it up with a 7.40-point wave, moving to a heat-total of 15.23 points. Kling responded with a sensational wave, executing a series of tricks to earn 9.20 points
off it. However, the score only took him to a heat-total of 13.97 points, forcing him to surrender victory to his Australian rival.
Pires came up with a disappointing performance, collecting 1.60 and 6.37 points off his two best waves, to finish in third place with a heat-total of 7.97 points.
In 2010, Fanning had made it into the finals at Billabong Pro Tahiti, but failed to get his hands on the event title. The perfect start to this year’s event would definitely give him the necessary confidence to finish what he had started last year.
Talking to a reporter after his heat, Fanning said, “This leg is going to be the one that determines who is the champ come the end of the year. It’s a long leg, but it’s one I generally do pretty well on so I’m looking to get on a roll. Stoked with the first
round result and will look forward to the rest of the week.”
Billabong Pro Tahiti is the fifth stop on the 2011 ASP World Tour and will play a crucial role for the surfers looking to keep their place in the ASP Top 34 after the September cut.
Tags: