Photo: ASP/ Cestari
Travis Logie replaced Kelly Slater in Billabong Pro J-Bay and advances now to Round 3.
South Africa’s Travis Logie received a welcome boost to his campaign to requalify for the ASP World Title Tour when 10-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater failed to show up for Round 2 heat at the Billabong Pro J-Bay this morning and the Durbanite was allocated Slater’s spot in the event. Logie defeated wildcard Shaun Payne (St Francis Bay) .
Logie versus Payne was the first clash of the day and Logie demonstrated the competitive savvy and lightening fast reflexes that saw him spend five years at the world’s highest level of competition by opening his account with a mid-range 5.33 point ride out of a possible 10 before adding a 7.0 for a heat tally of 12.3 that ultimately Payne could not match. “It’s been the weirdest week of my life,” Logie said. “I’ve been hanging around and wondering if I’m getting into the event and dealing with the rumour mill. I guess it was all worth it though. That was a huge heat for me and my campaign to get back on tour full time.”
Travis will compete next against fellow South African Jordy Smith in heat 6 of Round 3.
St Francis Bay fans particularly were saddened when Payne was eliminated from Africa’s most prestigious event in equal 25th place overall . He, however, pocketed US $7 000 (about R48 000).
The next heat saw 2007 event champ Taj Burrow (AUS) make use of the progressive repertoire of manoeuvres that has made him one of the perennial standouts on the ASP Dream Tour for more than decade. Posting an excellent 7.83 just four minutes into his encounter with dangerous wildcard Sean Holmes (Cape Town), and adding a 6.50 at the halfway mark, Burrow gained some payback for his defeat by Holmes at the same stage of the 2009 event by leaving the Capetonian unable to overtake him even if he scored a perfect 10 point ride.
“It’s tricky out there today,” Burrow said. “It’s really clean, but a bit inconsistent. Sean (Holmes) is so dangerous out there. He knows the wave better than anyone and I wasn’t taking him lightly. Stoked to get through and hopefully we are able to take advantage of some swell later in the week.”
Rising SA Pro Junior star Shaun Joubert (Mossel Bay), benefitted from the non-appearance of Bobby Martinez (US) and went up against wily campaigner Bede Durbidge (AUS) in Heat 3. Despite the 2010 semi-finalist being on the back foot early in the heat, he eventually prevailed over his 20 year-old rival.
“I changed my strategy a little bit actually,” Durbidge said. “Bobby (Martinez) is a really good point-break surfer, he’s really strong and powerful. Shaun (Joubert) is a really good air surfer, but he hasn’t surfed at this level a whole lot so I tried to put some scores up early and put the pressure on him.”
Other competitiors who now advance to Round 3 include Adrian Buchan (AUS), who posted the highest heat total of the day of 15.80 out of 20, Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, current leader in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title and red-hot young Australian talent Owen Wright.
Today’s event was halted as the tide started to rise again. Organisers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7 am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30 am start.
When competition resumes, up first will be Damien Hobgood (USA), 32, against compatriot Taylor Knox (USA), 40, in Heat 7 of Round 2.
Billabong Pro Round 2 Results:
1: Travis Logie (ZAF) 12.33 def. Shaun Payne (ZAF) 7.30 Heat
2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.33 def. Sean Holmes (ZAF) 6.04 Heat
3: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.10 def. Shaun Joubert (ZAF) 11.06
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.03 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 12.50
Heat 5: Owen Wright (AUS) 11.86 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 10.77
Heat 6: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.80 def. Cory Lopez (USA) 6.50
Remaining Billabong Pro Round 2 Match Ups:
Heat 7: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 9: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 10: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 11: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)
All articles written, all photos taken, plus all adverts designed, by the Editor and printed in the St Francis Chronicle are protected by Copyright. Reproduction or copying of any part of the contents of this newspaper and its concept and design can only be done with the Editor’s written permission.
