Yadin Nicol and Julian Wilson bounce back in Round 2 of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast – Surfing News
Australia’s Yadin Nicol and Julian Wilson claimed top honours in their Round 2 heats at Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, first stop of 2012 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour, which went down at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, on Sunday,
February 26.
With his win in the third heat of Round 2, Nicol advanced through into the third round, while eliminating Brazil’s Gabriel Medina from the competition.
Wilson also secured his place in Round 3 after prevailing over fellow countryman Kai Otton in the fourth heat, consequently bringing the competition to a premature end from the event.
One of the biggest upsets of the day was seen in the battle between Nicol and Medina. The latter had announced himself as a formidable force during the last few events of the previous ASP World Tour and had a lot of hype surrounding him prior to Quiksilver
Pro Gold Coast.
However, the young Brazilian sensation was undone in the first round and the second round did not turn out to be any better for him as Nicol got the better of him after what turned out to be an intense battle.
Medina collected a 4.83 and 7.70 off his two business-waves to finish with a heat-total of 12.53 points. However, Nicol responded with a heat-total of 13.13 points, comprising of a 6.50 and 6.63-point wave, to walk away with the win.
“It was a frustrating six months being injured and missing the events,” Nicol said. “The last five minutes of that heat was nerve-racking, so to get the win, I’m over the moon. I’m stoked. I wasn’t really nervous, but I was focused on winning that first
heat on tour. I didn’t want to be the guy who goes the whole year without a win, and now I don’t have to worry about that. I’ll see what I can do from here.”
The 2011 ASP World Rookie of the Year Wilson had a real nail-biting showdown with Otton for the Round 3 spot. Both the surfers were quite learned about the conditions at Snapper Rocks, making it a genuine battle of skills and quick wits.
Wilson caught the first juicy wave that appeared during the heat to score a 7.83 off it and soon followed it up with a 6.23-point wave.
Otton made a really solid charge in the dying minutes of the battle to post a 7.00 and 6.73 on the score-board. However, his determined effort got him to heat-total of 13.73 points, just 0.33-points short of his rival’s and consequently forced him to surrender
victory.
The thrilling surfing action continued with the remaining Round 2 heats of Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks on Sunday.
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