Billabong Pro Tahiti - The Captain's Preview

Yes, it's that time of year again when the world's best surfers head to the islands of French Polanesia to surf the most sphincter clenching wave on the planet, Teahupoo. The contest has disappointed the last few years with not much in the way of death defying antics or giant waves and we can only hope that this year will provide a little more size and action. When Teahupoo is on, its one of the Wonders of the natural world, when it's off, it looks like a hundred other little perfect reef passes.

This is the kind of Teahupoo we want to see. Anthony Walsh standing tall. (Courtesy: Robertson/Billabong)

Local Knowledge is Key
You will hear “Teahupo’o” pronounced in a variety of ways, but when we talk to Billabong’s Manoa Drollet, one of the best surfers ever at the break and a Tahitian local, he pronounces it “Chee-yow-po” so we’re running with that.  And what’s “Teahupo’o” translated? Roughly, it means ‘head with no hair’ or ‘place of skulls’. Referring of course to a battle between a couple of tribal groups over the territory pre-European arrival. The area is kind of prized as a really nice piece of farmland with access to excellent fishing -- worth fighting over apparently. The skulls of the losing team were built into a wall to warn off other people who may have been interested in the land value thereabouts.
The freshwater flowing from the mountains inhibits coral growth, thereby creating the reef passes that provide most of the rideable waves in Tahiti. The reef pass at Teahupo’o is known as Passa Hava’e.
If you do get cut by the coral, and it’s kind of inevitable if you’re active in and out of boats and having a surf, the best thing to do in order to prevent infection is rub lime into the cut. Serious! It stings more than hell itself, but sterilizes the wound. The alternative? The bacteria survive inside your body, you get a staph infection (blood poisoning) and the nearest doctor is your new best friend! If you can’t stand the lime treatment, be sure to seek other treatment.
Because most of the surf is off shore in Tahiti, beyond the lagoon that rims the island, ideally you’re accessing the breaks by boat, local-style. Paddling to the breaks is possible, but will often take around 20 minutes one-way. Boats are available for hire to media looking to cover the competition, but booking is required well in advance! Numbers are limited!
There’s normally only one restaurant year-round in Teahupo’o, but roughly 20 when the Billabong Pro is in town! Locals call them ‘Le Snacks’.
Most pros surf something a couple inches longer than their usual shortboards – like a 6’3” - then their quiver moves up in two-to-three inch increments. Eight to ten board quivers are common with the longest board typically around 7’0”. Teahupo’o is a BEAST of a wave so refined, specialised equipment is a must!

Ricrado Dos Santos won the trials. (Photo: ASP)

The Trials
Boasting the second biggest field of Trialists and non-world tour surfers behind Pipeline, the contest has had some big upsets before. This year it was Brazilian surfer, Ricardo Dos Santos who took the win in pretty mediocre conditions to qualify for the main event. He will be joined by local trialist, Heiarri Williams. Expect these two to take some big names down.

Who to Watch
I have a couple of favorites at Teahupoo. These guys have show time and time again that they have what it takes to win at the gnarliest left in the world:
Kelly Slater - he changed how people surf the wave, even downing a beer coming out of a massive tube one year in his final! Never write off Kelly in Tahiti. He missed Jbay and has dropped on thr ratings, he will be very hungry to win.
Bobby Martinez - The man has not had a great year, but if there is one wave he has show time and time again he can win, it's here. Smooth, committed and a consummate forehand tube rider.
Damian & CJ Hobgood - Both brothers have had good results here, in the contest and just free surfing. Neither are intimidated by the big stuff and neither hold back from a possible 10 point ride. They both could use a solid result on the tour, so expect no holds barred action from these guys.
Jordy Smith - What you may say? But yes, I am talking him up. Jordy is the current number 2 and fighting for his first World Title. If he ever wants to achieve this goal, he will need to win at the two big left-handers, Teahupoo and Pipe. He is coming off a win in front of his home crowd at Jbay and has just spent time in Namibia charging the frigid tubes of Skeleton Bay. What better place to hone your backhand tube riding? He has no reputation here yet, expect that to change!

I am super excited for the event, the last before the mid year point and things get real confusing on the World Tour, with some leaving and new faces popping up on the scene at Trestles. If the swell comes, there will be some careers on the line and you can bet your salary some guys pushing themselves well beyond their limits!

Follow all the Live Action at - Billabong Pro Tahiti

Billabong Pro Jefferies Bay - The Preview

The Billabong Pro Jbay starts it's waiting period tomorrow and the outlook is not looking great. The forecast is looking grim, with small swell and onshore North and East winds for the next week. It has been a long time since the organizers have had to surf Boneyards and other spots due to lack of waves and this will be a major disappointment after last year ran over 3 straight days with cooking Supers.

Adriano knows Jbay, but wont have the crowd behind him. (Photo: ASP)

Adriano de Souza leads the ratings going into Jbay, after what many thought was a lucky result winning the last contest in Brazil. He has done well in Jbay before and should be full of confidence, though heavy floaters are not going to win the Jbay contest. He injured himself recently and this may well lead to less than perfect surfing at Jbay.

My other guys to watch out for, especially with the small wave forecast, are as follows:

Kelly Slater - He has won more contests here than anyone and has a special relationship with the wave. Rumors are a tweeting that he may not arrive as the forecast is so bad, but we have heard this kind of thing before with Kelly and I will believe it when I see it.



Jordy Smith - The defending Champion and a man who has grown up surfing Supers. He has the crowd behind him and will be super motivated to defend his title. He has been very consistent this year and with his large bag of aerials will be a good pick if the waves are small and onshore or big and perfect.

Julian Wilson - The young gun has had a slow start to the year, but has come alive the last 2 major WQS events, winning in Portugal and making the finals in Ballito. This will have boosted his confidence and if the waves are small the kid can pull huge aerials to get the scores.

Taj Burrows - You can never discount Taj in any surf contest, but he has loads of experience at Supers and has won before. Taj always does well in Jbay and with the great start to his campaign this year he will be hungry for a win!



Mick Fanning and Joel Parko - The 2 guys from the Gold Coast have had incredible results over the years in Jbay and both are coming onto great form through the last few events. You would be a fool to leave either out of your Fantasy Surfer team.



ASP Press Release:
JEFFREYS BAY, South Africa (Saturday, July 9, 2011) – After nearly seven weeks since the last stop in Brazil, the ASP World Title season is poised to reignite with the upcoming Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay from July 14 – 24, 2011.

Event No. 4 of 11 on the 2011 ASP World Title season, the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay recommences what is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing ASP World Title races in several years.

Adriano de Souza (BRA), 24, has had an incredible season thus far in 2011, posting back-to-back Equal 3rds before an emotional hometown victory at the last event in Brazil. The young natural-footer now sits in the leader spot in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title – the first time in history that a South American has been in this position.

“The win in Brazil was a very good feeling,” de Souza said. “To have all those people on the beach, all that energy, it was a magical moment. I’ve always worked very hard to achieve my objectives. I know that still the ASP World Title Race has many thing s to happen this year. My situation may be temporary. I believe that this moment is important for the Brazil as a whole though.”

Wasting little time during the post-Brazil break, de Souza spent his time training in Sumatra and the Maldives before a knee injury cut his time short.

“The diagnosis is a hyperextension in the right knee with contusion in a medial collateral ligament,” de Souza said. “The rehabilitation has consisted of kinesiotherapy combined with muscle strengthening. It feels much better. I’ve been surfing and it still hurts a little. I am hoping it will continue to improve until J-Bay.”

Despite reaching the Quarterfinals of the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay on three separate occasions (2007, 2008, 2010), de Souza has never managed to advance through it – something he hopes to remedy this season.

“I’ve been going the J-Bay since I was a kid and I’ve always liked the place,” de Souza said. “I’ve always performed pretty well here and I hope the consistency continues this season. I believe that I must always be striving for the best result possible, but I have to think step-by-step, stage-by-stage, to be consistent and to have good performances to reach these results.”

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, winner of the second stop of 2011 at Bells Beach, currently sits in the No. 2 spot in the hunt for the 2011 ASP World Title. Parkinson’s April victory in Bells Beach marked the first in 18 months for the stylish natural-footer, and planted him firmly back in the race for this year’s title.

“For sure the win has been a confidence boost, but in saying that, I felt pretty confident going into Bells,” Parkinson said. “I knew at that stage that I was injury free, and that I’d been doing all the right things with my surfing and my preparation. But with the good waves we got and the whole feel of the contest on its anniversary, it was fun more than anything else.”

Parkinson’s last dance with the iconic walls of Jeffreys Bay came in 2008, where he claimed an impressive second victory at the spot (10 years after his original) and cemented his reputation as one of the great all-time surfers at the venue.

“It’s such a good flow and timing wave I reckon,” Parkinson said. “When your timing’s right out there, there’s no better feeling in the world. When a wave goes according to plan out there, it’s a better feeling than riding pretty well any other wave anywhere in the world. And for me personally, I just love being in J-Bay. I’ve got a lot of good friends there and the place has got a vibe about it like nowhere else on tour.”

Tiago Pires (PRT), 31, current No. 9 on the ASP World Title rankings, is leading the charge for the emerging European contingent on tour this season.

“My goal this year is to finish in the Top 10,” Pires said.” I feel good about my surfing and more consistent than last year, but I’ve let myself slip up during the last two events. You really need to be focused and positive in order to get a good result, but sometimes that isn’t easy to accomplish. I think it’s all part of a big learning process.”

Although stumbling in his opening two seasons at Jeffreys Bay, Pires posted a career-best Equal 9th in 2010, and will look to improve upon it in this year’s installment.

“Jeffreys Bay used to be kind of tough to me out there, but in the last few years I’ve grown more confident out there,” Pires said. “I feel very good about it now and I love the wave. I can’t wait.”

The Round 1 draw will be finalized upon the completion of the ASP Prime Mr Price Pro Ballito.

The Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay will be webcast LIVE via http://www.billabongpro.com

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com