Taj finally overscored

Taj has won his round one heat in New York, beating Pat G and Bobby Martinez. The waves look like a good day in Bunbury, muddy, brown and hip height. Most of us would struggle to get past the first section in the offshore mush.

Taj got a big score for a single air and then probably just a little overscored on a couple of backhand hacks. Regardless he deserved to win (Pat was overscored too) and he will have no problems in both the small conditions and if the waves pick up. The forecast is for a rising swell from a hurricane that is travelling along the coast.

As usual the Quiksilver webcam is a bit patchy and there is no live coverage on FuelTV.

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

Still live

Another high seed bites the dust with Bobby not getting anything decent.

Tommy Whitaker has just opened his heat quickly with a long clean tube and a big layback rebound off the foam. 8.83. Tiago Pires hasn't stood up yet.

Nearly time for bed as there are no real blockbuster heats left this round and I don't know how many more times I can bare looking at beach commentator Jake Patterson's crap sunglasses !!!!!

More live

Luke Munro has beaten AI after his high 9 and then a toss up between two long clean tubes. As is typical of France it seems that lucking into the rare one that stays open is the only way to win.

AI's remote push for the title has now taken a kicking and his elimination is good for the front runners as they won't have to battle him in waves where his claiming would be worth an extra point.

Bobby Martinez and Dan Ross in the water now. Bobby is higher rated but it will be difficult to thread the barrel backhand.

Taj wins

Taj has kept his roll intact for another contest by winning the Quiksilver Pro. This makes it three from three for him after his win in last year's Pipe Masters and the WQS Burleigh Pro.

Taj beat Bobby Martinez in the semi and then Jordy Smith in the final. The waves had some size but weren't great although all four surfers today did some nice big moves. Taj deserved to win as just about every top turn he has made all contest long had the fin out and his was floating sections humans would consider to be close outs.

The Roxy Pro is down to the semis and could finish any day now.

Round three done

Round three of the Quiksilver Pro was completed today in a mix of waves. Early heats were effected by the high tide making the waves inconsistent and pretty fat. Taj and Owen Wright's heat was the second of the day and the waves really didn't let the do much. Taj still cranked off some good moves but it wasn't the fireworks heat that was expected.

There were no real surprises with all the big guns getting through. The only semi upset was AI going down to Bobby Martinez but Bobby is a consistent top 10 finisher and this should have been expected to win. Welcome back Andy here's your 17th !

The weather forecast for the next few days isn't great so expect the women to run. In the men the champagne heat should be Slater v Jordy.

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 16.00 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.46
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.10 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 13.70
Heat 3: Chris Davidson (AUS) 11.00 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 9.27
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.84 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 6.67
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.16 def. Andy Irons (HAW) 11.26
Heat 6: Damien Hobgood (USA) 14.73 def. Luke Stedman (AUS) 13.40
Heat 7: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.97 def. Dean Morrison (AUS) 12.60
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.74 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 10.43
Heat 9: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.63 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 12.20
Heat 10: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 14.17 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 12.64
Heat 11: Daniel Ross (AUS) 13.54 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.00
Heat 12: Dane Reynolds (USA) 13.57 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.23
Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 19.30 def. Luke Munro (AUS) 7.37
Heat 14: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.06 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 12.43
Heat 15: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.37 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 7.56
Heat 16: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.23 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 14.77

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 2: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Damien Hobgood (USA)
Heat 4: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Mick Fanning (AUS)
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 6: Daniel Ross (AUS) vs. Dane Reynolds (USA)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)

France is like BP

France looks like Bp on a good day but the contest is on anyway.

Round three has hit the water after some heats of a grom contest first thing. The waves are maybe two feet (waist height) and nothing special. Apparently the forecast isn't good and they are going to get through at least round 3 and leave them with only a day's worth of surfing to finish.

However all the heats so far have had a score over 14 for the win with Dane Reynolds scoring 18.27 and Bobby Martinez having a 9 and 7 in his heat. Dane was riding some wide thing with big side fins and a little centre trailer. The commentator didn't want to call Bobby's board a fish but still think it is.

Round three looks like this -
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) def. Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 2: Dane Reynolds (USA) def. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 3: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) lost to Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA) def. Phillip MacDonald (AUS)
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) comboed Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Heat 6: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Dustin Barca (HAW)
Heat 7: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Patrick Beven (FRA)
Heat 9: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Joan Duru (FRA)
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 11: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 12: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Tim Boal (FRA)
Heat 13: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 14: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 15: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)
Heat 16: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)