Patrick Gudauskas and Kelly Slater emerge triumphant in Round 1 at Quiksilver Pro France
America’s Patrick Gudauskas and America’s Kelly Slater successfully secured their place in the third round at the Quiksilver Pro France, the latest stop on the 2012 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, after claiming top honours
in their respective Round 1 heat that went down at La Graviere in Hossegor, France, on Friday, September 28.
Gudauskas got the better of Hawaii’s John John Florence and Brazil's Miguel Pupo in the third heat to go through, sending both this rivals into the second round where they were to take another shot at earning their place into the third round.
The fourth heat saw Slater prevail over Hawaii’s Dusty Payne and Portugal’s Tiago Pires, moving directly into the third round while causing his rivals to take a trip to the relegation round.
The clean yet challenging three-to-five foot waves breaking at the primary event site seem to be the perfect setting to put the skills, perseverance and experience of the surfing heavy-weights of surfing in contention for the event title to test.
Pitted against two of surfing’s most promising prospects, Gudauskas had his work clearly cut out. However, the American surfer rose to occasion and after opening his account with a 6.50-point ride, went on to add an additional 6.20 points to it, thus finishing
with a heat-total of 12.70 points.
Florence finished with a heat-total of 11.67 points, comprising of 6.50 and 5.17-point ride, thus finishing in second place.
Pupo struggled to find rhythm during the course of the battle, managing to score only a couple of threes of his best-two waves, thus finishing with a heat-total of 6.86 points.
The fourth heat saw Slater, reigning ASP World Champion and current ASP World Championship Tour No.3, continued his excellent run of form from Lower Trestles to down Payne and Pires comfortably.
The 40-year-old Florida-based surfer scored a 6.83 off his first business-wave and went on to back it up with a 5.23-point ride, thus finishing with a heat-total of 12.06 points.
“Well I didn’t back-up my result in Fiji with one in Tahiti,” Slater said. “It’s tough at this level. There’s no doubt about that. I always enjoy France though. I’ve been coming here for so long that it really is like another home for me and I feel really
comfortable out there. I was surfing on that same quad I surfed in the Final at Lowers last week and it’s been feeling really good so if it stays like this I may stay on it.”
Payne scored a 5.67 and 2.07 off his best-two waves to finish with a heat-total of 7.74 points, while Pires finished with a dismal heat-total of 4.16 points, which included a 1.33 and 2.83-point ride.
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