Nice

Morning but no surf again.

If you're still off it might be worth a run down south right now or watch Bells instead. Taj is into the semi finals in a few minutes against rookie Nat Young. If Taj wins the final he'll take the number 1 spot on the 2013 ratings.

0.27 @ 12

Bells on

Bells is on with round two for the men in double overhead surf. Taj is through to round three after beating WA grom Jacob Wilcox.

The call at the moment is for the women's final around lunchtime Victorian time. Both Tyler Wright and Carissa Moore have been smashing it all event. Carissa had a 10 in her first heat and has been the stand out. The big swell will suit her but Tyler already has an event win. Should be good.

As usual it's on Fuel TV and online.

Bells rolls on

Taj out, Slater double fist claiming and clean well overhead waves, Bells has been cranking again today. Both the blokes and the girls got through a bucket load of heats. There were some massive scores (and some little one - Taj). Jordy's superman air is a highlight.



Its worth going to the event site and watching a few heats.

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.33 def. Yadin Nicol (AUS) 9.60
Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) 13.97 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 9.63
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 13.77 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 7.17
Heat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.17 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 9.07
Heat 5: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.10 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.83
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.00 def. Nic Muscroft (AUS) 16.30
Heat 7: Kai Otton (AUS) 11.83 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 6.54
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.46 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 15.20
Heat 9: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 16.70 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.60
Heat 10: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.43 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 10.96
Heat 11: Brett Simpson (USA) 15.54 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 12.53
Heat 12: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.94 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 17.37

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Owen Wright (AUS) 15.87, John John Florence (HAW) 15.00, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.93
Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.50, Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.10, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.64
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.20, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 10.83, Kai Otton (AUS) 10.33
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.27, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.60, Brett Simpson (USA) 7.00

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 5 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Heat 3: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. TBD
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. TBD
QF 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. TBD
QF 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. TBD

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 16.74, , Sarah Mason (NZL) 14.50, Laura Enever (AUS) 14.00
Heat 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) 18.30, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.50, Paige Hareb (NZL) 10.34
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 17.94, , Coco Ho (HAW) 12.60, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 5.86
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.90, Lakey Peterson (USA) 15.20, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 14.93

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Sarah Mason (NZL) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Laura Enever (AUS)
Heat 3: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Heat 4: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. TBD
QF 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) vs. TBD
QF 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. TBD
QF 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. TBD

I don't want to go to work !

I just want to sit inside and watch Bells. Round one has finished and Taj is in the water in his second round heat. He has already racked up a high eight on his first wave in the first few minutes.

The waves are clean and offshore but can be a little difficult to surf. Which is the opposite of here where it is massive and onshore. The six metre swell is already showing on the Naturaliste Buoy and still rising. Locally its 1.19 which is massive for the channel.

There will be waves on the Dunsborough side of the cape and it will help set some banks. However with the recent shark attacks and sightings many people will be a bit reluctant to venture out.

It looks like a few have been out at the Wall over the last couple of days and I although I haven't looked myself I suspect that it might have been ok. It would depend a little on the sand.

Surf : Big
Swell : 1.19 at 15 seconds
Wind : howling WNW
Quality : zip
Desperation level : as big as the swell
Recommendation : watch Bells on FuelTV or go to work/school

Round one almost done

Round 1 of the women was run in some pretty clean waves at Bells and then the wind made for some crumbly waves for most of the mens round one.



Taj was the only real seed to lose. Julian Wilson and Yadin Nichol both lost as well but all will get a second chance round two.

A massive swell was forecast before the event and they are still expecting some size in the next couple of days.

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.60, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 12.10, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.17
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) 17.93, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 14.97, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.50
Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 16.00, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 8.67, Taylor Knox (USA) 4.17
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.27, Kai Otton (AUS) 12.23, Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 5: Nic Muscroft (AUS) 16.07, Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.06, Burrow (AUS) 11.10
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 13.70, Brett Simpson (USA) 10.33, Davey Cathels (AUS) 9.77
Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.10, Julian Wilson (AUS) 10.23, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 6.66
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.76, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.10, Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.80
Heat 9: Travis Logie (ZAF) 10.93, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 10.90, Josh Kerr (AUS) 8.50

REMAININING RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 10: Michel Bourez (PYF), Damien Hobgood (USA), C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 11: Alejo Muniz (BRA), John John Florence (HAW), Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 12: Heitor Alves (BRA), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Laura Enever (AUS) 15.00, Paige Hareb (NZL) 12.83, Rebecca Woods (AUS) 9.67
Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 12.77, Malia Manuel (HAW) 11.17, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 8.30
Heat 3: Lakey Peterson (USA) 14.17, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14.17, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 12.90
Heat 4: Carissa Moore (AUS) 16.50, Pauline Ado (FRA) 10.43, Justine Dupont (FRA) 9.40
Heat 5: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 18.84, Coco Ho (HAW) 15.50, Sage Erickson (USA) 11.90
Heat 6: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.93, Sofia Mulanovich (PER) 14.17, Sarah Mason (NZL) 12.57

RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Heat 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (PER) vs. Justine Dupont (FRA)
Heat 5: Paige Hareb (BRA) vs. Sage Erickson (USA)
Heat 6: Pauline Ado (FRA) vs. Sarah Mason (NZL)

Bells is on

Some nice clean conditions for round one of both the men and women. The girls are first and in the water now.

Bells

Watched a bit of Bells from my hotel room in Naples, Italy. It is on in the very early morning but I have picked up the odd heat before breakfast and some of the heats on demand.

Looks like decent surf for the first time in the last few years. If the men's finals are run tomorrow as planned it will be the first time for a while that the event has stayed at Bells (Winki counts as staying) and run straight through.

Sally Fitzgibbons has won the women's event from Carissa Moore. Steph Gilmore made the semis. The title race could have some contenders this year.

The judging has come under some scrutiny with Bobbie Martinez complaining even after winning against Taj in round two. It is very difficult to work out how some rides are being scored. I don't think one hugeish snap that is on a poor choice of wave or that put you behind the running wall and you kick out is better than a number of hacks down the line. Mick Fannins first 9 in round four was deserving but his second, maybe not.

Final tomorrow. Watch it online or FuelTV.

Ciao

TB - the Bridesmaid !!!

Taj has lost his first heat in his last four contests at Snapper. On the positive side it was the final and he was beaten by Slater in terrible waves. With a forecast of howling onshores and bad weather for the limited time that remained in the waiting period the organisers were stuck running it today and hoping the lower tide made for decent waves. Still the best two surfers all event made the final and now sit one and two leading into Bells.

The TV News is reporting that Slater will join Burrow at next month's Margaret River Pro prime event. They should be joined by some talent as everyone scrambles to avoid or take advantage of the mid-season cut. Now we just need the weather to change and some swell to arrive.

Best hack of the day - Martin Potter in the legends heat. Killed it like he was still 16.

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST FINAL MATCH-UPS:
1 – Kelly Slater (USA) 11.20
2 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.17

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS:
SF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.77 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 8.20
SF 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.56 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.40

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.40 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 9.06
QF 2: Tiago Pires (PRT) 14.64 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.40
QF 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.30 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 11.60
QF 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.03 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 9.95

ASP WORLD TITLE TOP 5 (After Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast):
1. Kelly Slater (USA) 10,000 points
2. Taj Burrow (AUS) 8,000 points
3. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 6,500 points
3. Tiago Pires (PRT) 6,500 points
5. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 5,200 points
5. Brett Simpson (USA) 5,200 points
5. Dusty Payne (HAW) 5,200 points
5. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 5,200 points

Surf report from the way back

Bells was cranking this morning. One digit air temperature and a wind that cuts right through you but what we would think of a classic Bells conditions.

Probably 30 out at Bells but spread out across a few peaks. No drop ins and the waves were overhead and a bit.

Winkipop was also firing. The crowd was about 15 but the take off zone was smaller and there were a few burnings here and there. The waves were a consistent head height but with the odd steamer coming through unridden every now and then. It is a great looking wave.

Looks like there have been some decent conditions locally but does that mean waves ? I'll be back Friday with two more weeks of holidays so it should either be flat, onshore or both !

Surf Report

from further along.

Day started cold and got colder. The swell had dropped overnight at Apollo Bay and by the time we reached had breakie and left it was howling onshore.

Apollo Bay

Spending the night in Torquay before heading back to Melbourne. Will hopefully get to see a firing Bells before I go.

Surf Report

From the Great Ocean Road.

Bells was big and blowing onshore at a million miles an hour. It was freezing so it is no surprise that there was no one out. Regardless of the mush you could see the potential.

Checked out SurfWorld Museum in Torquay. Nice but not overly packed with stuff. It was probably because I knew most of what they were talking about that kept my trip short but if your a newbie or think Kelly Slater is the oldest surfer in the world then it is worthwhile. There was a cabinet full of surfing books and bit and pieces. I had about a quarter of them in my house somewhere.

The only place there were any surfers out was at Lorne in some nice clean conditions inside the bay. The waves were pretty small and it was pissing down with rain.

Staying at Apollo Bay about half way along the Road. The Great Ocean Road is the windiest road I have ever driven on and it was wet and slippery. Good job I was driving an Audi A4 hire car and it drove like it was on suction caps.

It would be nice if the wind drops but I'm not holding my breath.

Four is the number

Fourth venue for the contest and fourth Bells win for Slater. Slater nailed Mick Fanning with a huge no hands spinning air in decent wave at Johanna.

Taj added a third to his Snapper win. So far this year he has two firsts, a second and a third. He looked to be a little underscored against Mick but as usual it is really hard to get a handle on what the judges were looking for.

The next event is in Brazil in a couple of weeks. Hopefully it won't be in the usual crap.

Third venue for Bells

Round three and half of round four went down today in clean peaks at Winkipop.Taj was on fire again beating Matt Wilkinson by four points and smashing AI. His surfing is magic at the moment and he seems that ever turn is critical, powerful and fins out. Jordy Smith thrashed Owen Wright in waves that tended to run quickly down the line and favour natural footers. He then pull and air and a superman air on the same wave to earn a 9+ and beat Roy Powers.


RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 16.67 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 11.16
Heat 2: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.37 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 11.70
Heat 3: Andy Irons (HAW) 10.67 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 6.70
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.04 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.33
Heat 5: Roy Powers (HAW) 13.50 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 12.34
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.67 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 8.47
Heat 7: Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.14 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 12.17
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.20 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.84
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.16 def. Neco Padaratz (BRA) 13.57
Heat 10: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.17 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.06
Heat 11: Bobby Martinez (USA) 12.83 def. Drew Courtney (AUS) 10.34
Heat 12: Jadson Andre (BRA) 16.53 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 14.37
Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.90 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 15.63
Heat 14: Luke Stedman (AUS) 14.34 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 14.17
Heat 15: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.10 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.84
Heat 16: Michel Bourez (PYF) 16.24 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 10.00

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.90 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.90
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.77 def. Andy Irons (HAW) 11.93
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.30 def. Roy Powers (HAW) 13.77
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.60 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 10.90

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH REMAINING ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 6: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Jadson Andrew (BRA)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Michel Bourez

Round two is done

Round two was completed today at 13th Beach in reasonable looking waves. Some rookies won their first WCT heats and head to round three. It was a bad day for the Hopgoods with both brothers eliminated by people they should have beaten. Bells was Damo's 100th WCT event, the seventh surfer to do so and CJ is still looking for his 200th WCT heat win. Travis Logie has recorded another 33rd.

Heat of round three will be Jordy v Owen Wright, especially if there are peaky and crumbly waves.

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.16 def. Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 12.06
Heat 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 10.43 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 9.84
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) 15.24 def. Adam Robertson (AUS) 14.07
Heat 4: Neco Padaratz (BRA) 12.03 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 9.60
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) 9.06 def. Blake Thornton (AUS) 7.46
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.23 def. Marco Polo (BRA) 9.84
Heat 7: Taylor Knox (USA) 13.67 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.60
Heat 8: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 13.83 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.54
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 10.10 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 9.43
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) 11.94 def. Nate Yeomans (USA) 5.60
Heat 11: Chris Davidson (AUS) 16.13 def. Jay Thompson (AUS) 16.10
Heat 12: Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.56 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 9.83
Heat 13: Brett Simpson (USA) 13.66 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 8.70
Heat 14: Drew Courtney (AUS) 12.84 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 8.27
Heat 15: Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.50 def. Luke Munro (AUS) 2.43
Heat 16: Owen Wright (AUS) 9.84 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 9.10

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH REMAINING ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 2: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 3: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 5: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 7: Daniel Ross (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 10: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 11: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Luke Stedman (AUS)
Heat 15: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 16: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)

Steph wins again

Steph Gilmore continues to be better than everyone else on the tour. She is starting to look like a female version of Slater, unbeatable by anyone but herself.

The waves were pretty crappy but some of round one of the mens was held. Taj, Parko and Mick all went straight through to round three.

The forecast isn't good. Not much swell and onshore winds. Might be Bells at Johanna again this year.

Women to finish soon

The womens event at Bells continues in difficult onshore conditions.

Steph Gilmore is through to another final and her opponent will be Chelsea Hedges or Sophia Mulanovich, who are in the water right now.

The webcast is on and Fuel TV will be broadcasting after the current semi.

Bells has started

Bells has started with the first two rounds of the womens event today. Can't tell you what the conditions were like as I was working and no heat on demand have been loaded yet.

Clare B won her round one heat and heads straight to round three with Steph Gilmore and Marges winner Chelsea Hedges. Wildcard Tyler Wright moved into that round with a second in round two.

When the mens round one starts most heats have at least one surfer of interest. Parko and Mick both have wildcards including last year's trial to final wildcard Robbo.

The website is a bit glitchy at the moment but hopefully they will sort it out soon.



RIP CURL WOMEN'S PRO BELLS BEACH RESULTS

ROUND 1

Heat 1 First: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Second: Carissa Moore (HAW), Third: Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Heat 2 First: Coco Ho (HAW), Second: Paige Hareb (NZL), Third: Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
Heat 3 First: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Second: Tyler Wright (AUS) Third: Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
Heat 4 First: Silvana Lima (BRA), Second: Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), Third: Nikita Robb (ZAF)
Heat 5 First: Claire Bevilacqua (AUS), Second: Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Third: Rosanne Hodge (ZAF)
Heat 6 First: Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Second: Melanie Bartels (HAW), Third: Amee Donohoe (AUS)

ROUND 2

Heat 1 First: Rebecca Woods (AUS), Second: Nikita Robb (ZAF), Third: Amee Donohoe (AUS)
Heat 2 First: Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), Second: Lee Ann Curren (FRA), Third: Bruna Schmitz (BRA)

Low Tide in Portugal

The on and off first round is on for the second time today. This time it is at another of the back up venues.

After running a couple of heats earlier they have started again after the tide bottomed out. The waves look ok and offshore but a bit slow. At least today's heats were won with scores around 14.

The webcast is on but the stats tab shows you what happened at Bells !!!!!!!!