GOLDCOAST ON FIRE!

Siguen pasando las mangas en Snappers y el surf está al más alto nivel a pesar de que las condiciones sean complicadas.


GOLD COAST, Feb 28 - The world's best surfers blasted through another marathon day at the Gold Coast's Snapper Rocks as the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro presented by Land Rover completed 16 heats, determining the men's Quarterfinalists and women's Semifinalists before day's end. The opening stop on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, The Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast has seen four, consecutive days of action with event organizers making the most of the swell on offer.

Home town favourite Joel Parkinson (AUS) has scored the first perfect 10 of the Quiksilver Pro presented by Land Rover to reach the quarter final of the ASP men's world surfing championship event on the Gold Coast. Not even the lashing pain of a bluebottle sting could distract him as he grabbed the 10-point wave with five minutes remaining to leave fellow Queenslander Julian Wilson no hope of catching him.

Parkinson comes up against Jordy Smith (ZAF) in the quarter final in what could be a lively meeting - earlier in the day Smith relegated Parkinson to round five as the South African advanced with the win into the quarter finals. At their previous meeting at Snapper Rocks in 2011 the South African eliminated Parkinson from the event in round five.

The other quarterfinal heats pit Gold Coaster Josh Kerr against the red hot Kelly Slater, (USA). Owen Wright (Aus) against Brazil's Adriano De Souza and Taj Burrow (Aus) against fellow Aussie Adrian Buchan (Aus).

Earlier in round four Australian Taj Burrow (17.34) confirmed his strong title aspirations with a convincing victory against Adrian Buchan (AUS – 12.33) and Julian Wilson (AUS – 9.33) to advance directly into the Quiksilver Pro quarterfinals in on-shore 3 – 4ft waves at Snapper Rocks today. Burrow was forced to change a broken board late in the heat, but already had the heat victory secure with wave scores of 9.27 and 8.07 locked in. Burrow’s trainer Johnny Gannon ran the replacement board up to the Snapper Rocks keyhole with just four minutes remaining.

Eleven-time world champion KELLY SLATER (USA) used his 14.00 heat tally to join Burrow in the quarterfinals with a round three win over HEITOR ALVES iBRA – 12.13) and MICHEL BOUREZ (PYF- 11.10). The 40 year-old Floridian overcame a shaky start and changed to a shorter board with more fins after his first wave in the round four heat of the ASP men’s World Tour event. Slater said he got caught off guard for the early morning heat and felt all three surfers in the heat were out of rhythm.

Brazil’s Adriano de Souza (15.37) also advanced to the quarterfinals relegating Wright (15.13) and Kerr (9.00) into the elimination round. De Souza said wave selection was key in the tricky conditions. All competitors who finished 2ndand 3rdwill surf in two-man elimination Round 5 heats for a spot in the quarterfinals, while all the winners advanced.

Saludos a todos!