Semi-finalists decided at Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
The opening event of the 2013 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, saw the completion of Round 5 and quarter-finals at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, on Tuesday, March 12, 2013.
The latest day of the competition saw clean three-to-four foot waves gracing the primary event site, creating a perfect stage for the surfing heavy-weights to put their skills and experience on display as they battled for an early lead in the latest campaign
for what is undoubtedly the most prestigious honours in professional surfing.
The latest day proceedings kicked-off with Round 5, with eight surfers taking each other on in man-on-man heats for the four remaining spots in the quarter-finals.
The first heat of Round 5 saw French Polynesia’s Michel Bourez getting the better of France’s Jeremy Flores to make his way through into the next stage of the competition.
He successfully utilised the momentum gained his win early in the day to eliminate the defending event champion and recognised Australian surfing heavy-weight Taj Burrow in the first-quarter-final later in the day, taking boasting rights for causing the
biggest upset of the day.
Reigning ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson downed fellow countryperson Adam Melling in the second heat of Round 5 and later went on to clinch a comprehensive victory over another compatriot Julian Wilson in the quarter-finals, finishing with a heat-total
of 18.27 against his rival’s two-wave total of 8.80 points.
“That was an amazing heat to be in,” Parkinson said. “Julian (Wilson) is one of the most exciting surfers in world. Even with a 10, you’re never safe with him. It’s one of those heats that’s a big match-up on paper and there were some big exchanges going
down between us. Semifinals is good start for me and I’m feeling good and excited for a big finish tomorrow.”
Australia’s Bede Durbidge defeated America’s Brett Simpson in the third heat of Round 5, but ended up tasting defeat at the hands of 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater, with the American surfer stamping his authority in the quarter-final heat with a
heat-total of 18.03 point against his rival’s 10.40 points.
Former two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning downed fellow Australian Matt Wilkinson, who earned his place in the quarter-finals after defeating South Africa’s Travis Logie in the fourth heat of Round 5, in the fourth and final quarter-final to make his
way through into the semi-finals.
With the final four decided, the next day of competition is sure to reveal the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast winner.
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