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With turns like this throughout the event, we have to ask how Jordy Smith did not win?
Ok, I am a South African and Jordy is my mate. This however is not what prompts my feelings on the results on the final day at Bells. I have sat and watched the Semi Final between Jordy and Adriano about ten times and I cannot see how Jordy lost that heat? Compare their two first scoring waves and it is clear that Adriano is over scored. He had a section of wave he had to half turn and hit a wobble and did less aggressive turns than Jordy, its that simple, yet he got a score in the 9's. Now take a look at Jordy's last wave, needing over a 9, he gets an 8.8 and I reckon the entire contest site, surfers and all the viewers were calling him getting the score. Now, I dont blame Adriano for this, in fact I think he ripped the whole contest, but the ASP judges need a good wake up klap! Either that or Jordy needs to start going up the stairs and throwing his weight around a little - maybe get some advice from Sunny Garcia...
Anyway, that is my rant. All in all the contest was absolutely amazing. Cooking waves throughout the rounds, including an old fashioned 8ft day at Bells, you could not ask for much more really. Early losses for Kelly Slater and Joel Parkinson opened the door for the rest of the field and allowed Adriano, Jordy and Taj to play catchup in the rankings. Stand out for the event must be tour rookie, Nat young, who absolutely caned every wave he got all the way to the final. I thought he had it for a while there. Jordy was looking his sublime and powerful best and must be thinking World Tour run this year.
Anyway, congrats Adriano! (Please dont rape the trophy again, a little decorum goes a long way!)
Next up Brazil, with probable shitty waves and the focus back on the air game. All in all, it looks to be a cracker year on the World Tour...
Mick Fanning may have won in 2012, but it was "that air" by Kelly Slater in the final we all remember. (Photo:ASP)
52 Years of iconic contest surfing starts up again tomorrow with the start of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. Stop 2 of the World Tour gets underway in small conditions with the forecasters calling epic conditions for the Easter Weekend, just in time for droves of fans to line the point at Bells.
That man Kelly Slater is in the number 1 slot once again, with Joel Parkinson breathing down his neck. Mick Fanning as defending champion will also be a major threat and after watching his turns at Snapper, you best believe that if Bells is big, Jordy Smith will be taking names! Dust Payne has just come off a win at Margaret River and that confidence may well see his best result on tour happening at Bells. Julian Wilson was also in that final and will be feeling good. Dark horses in my opinion will be Kohole Andino and Philipe Toledo.
Anything can happen at Bells though, so look forward to an exiting event!
Current Tour leader, Taj Burrows, showing how dangerous he can be at Bells. (Photo: ASP)
Who will ring the famous Bell in 2012? After a manic start to the year at Snapper, with some who had been raved about, failing miserably, and others who had been written off, doing well, it is now a tough call to say who should win Bells. The shifty and difficult point break (Though it looks so perfect in those photos.) plays solidly into the hands of the Natural Footers and the poor Goofy guys will be at a severe disadvantage.
Taj took the win and the number 1 slot at Snapper and he will be difficult to beat at Bells. He is surfing fast, loose and hard - all of which will score well at the Rip Curl Pro. He also has the confidence of the number 1 seed, so watch out for Taj.
Bells looks amazing, bu it can be a deceptive arena for the surfers. (Photo: ASP)
Joel Parkinson is the defending champion and always surfs well at Bells, where his smooth, power lines are tailored for the wrapping point waves. Mick Fanning is also always going to be dangerous at Bells. At this point, there is speculation on whether the "Freak", Kelly Slater will arrive or not. Your guess is as good as mine. If he does, add him to the list of could easily win Bells.
Then we have the younger guns. Jordy Smith is looking in great form after Snapper and being 3rd on the rankings will help with the confidence. (Just hope his Dad's snoring does not keep him from waking refreshed!) Bells suits the Jordy package and with 2, 3rds already there, he is ready to step up and ring the Bell. John John Florence, fresh off a huge win at the Margaret river 6 Star, will also be brimming with confidence. If the surf goes to "Point Break" sizes then the youngster from Hawaii will certainly be the one you don't want in your heats.
My outside shot, Josh Kerr. If the waves are super clean, this guy could ring the Bell. He has been surfing really well the last 6 months on tour and is due a win. He has it all from the power lines to the air. Don't be surprised if Kerr and Bells ring each other!
ASP Press Release: BELLS BEACH, Victoria/Australia (Monday, April 2, 2012) – The
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Ranger will commence its
waiting period tomorrow and the Southern Ocean is poised to deliver
excellent conditions for the world’s best surfers to do battle in.
Event No. 2 of 10 on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, the Rip
Curl Pro Bells Beach will recommence the race for the ASP World Title
and the elite ASP Top 34 will do surf for the honor of ‘ringing the
bell’ by event’s end.
Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, current ASP World No. 1 and former Rip Curl Pro
Bells Beach winner (2007), is fresh off a victory at the season-opening
event on the Gold Coast and will look to consolidate his efforts this
week at Bells Beach.
“Coming off a win definitely helps in terms of confidence,” Burrow
said. “It’s impossible to commit to long-term projections so early in
the year, but I definitely want to back myself up with a good result
here.”
Coastalwatch Plus, official forecaster for the Rip Curl Pro Bells
Beach, are calling for the start of the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach to
be nothing short of excellent. The forecast broadly hinges on an active
storm track affecting the far southern Indian Ocean through to Western
Australian longitudes over the next week.
“I’ve never been much of a forecast guy,” Burrow said. “I usually
just try to approach each day ready to surf anything. From what I’ve
been hearing though, it sounds like we’re going to have a good week of
waves. I’ve been working on my boards and I think I’ve got some good
ones ready for Bells. Equipment is crucial as Bells is such a unique
wave.”
While Burrow currently sits atop the elite ASP World Championship
Tour ratings, the Western Australian admits that the depth of talent
within the ASP Top 34 is staggering.
“There are absolutely no easy draws on tour anymore,” Burrow said.
“It’s about as elite an ASP Top 34 as you can get and everyone is
capable of posting a win. It makes it really exciting to watch and
hopefully I can put in some good showings this week.”
Burrow will take on highly-touted rookie Kolohe Andino (USA), 18, and
trials winner Nic Muscroft (AUS), 29, in Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro
Bells Beach.
When competition kicks off, up first will be Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24,
Kieren Perrow (AUS), 35, and Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), 30, in Heat 1 of
Round 1.
Running in conjunction with the men’s event is the second stop on the
2012 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
presented by Ford Fiesta.
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and
current ASP Women’s World No. 1, regained her frontrunner status last
month with a hometown win on the Gold Coast. The young natural-footer
claimed an unprecedented four ASP World Titles from her first four
attempts on tour, but last year fell to No. 3 as she was dethroned by
Hawaiian sensation Carissa Moore (HAW), 19.
“Winning any event on tour is a great feeling, but definitely winning
at home and at the opening event of the year is special,” Gilmore said.
“Compared with 2011, I’m in a much better place this season. I’m not
dealing with any injuries and I’m feeling a lot more relaxed. It’s
definitely a different kind of mindset that you experience when you’re
the frontrunner as opposed to chasing the frontrunner, and I think
that’s played in my favor to start the year off.”
A three-time past winner of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach
(2007, 2008, 2010), Gilmore’s affinity with the wave will serve her well
this week as she takes on her fellow ASP Top 17 competitors.
“I’ve been surfing and competing at Bells for as long as I can
remember and it’s a special place in surfing,” Gilmore said. “I don’t
mean to sound redundant as everyone says this, but it truly is an
incredible natural amphitheater and when the waves are on, it’s one of
the most rippable spots on the planet. I think my style of surfing
definitely suits the walls at Bells and I just hope we get swell for the
event.”
While a percentage of pundits within the surf media questioned
Gilmore’s motivation and commitment to competition following her
dethroning last season, the progressive natural-footer has brushed such
criticism aside, reaffirming her desire to win and her perspective on
maturation.
“It’d be an easy thing to say that after winning the first event of
the year, my focus has returned, but that’s just not accurate,” Gilmore
said. “My focus never left the tour – I’ve always wanted to compete, and
I compete to win. The ASP Title is still the goal, it’s still a driving
force in my life – it’s just not the case that I have a singular goal
anymore. That said, all my efforts right now are geared towards
preparing for Bells and I’m very much looking forward to it.”
Gilmore will battle rookie Lakey Peterson (USA), 17, and wildcard Nikki Van Dijk (AUS), 17, in the opening round of competition.
Event organizers will convene tomorrow morning at 7am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach will run from April 3 – 14, 2012 and will be webcast LIVE via http://live.ripcurl.com
