Billabong Rio Pro 2014 – Round 3 & 4
De Billabong Rio Pro is in volle gang en inmiddels is men al bijna toe aan de kwartfinales. Hieronder kun je het verslag van de derde en vierde ronde lezen, de hoogtepunten hebben we voor het gemak op een rijtje gezet. De organisatie van de Billabong Rio Pro deelde deze wedstrijdverslagen met ons.
Je kunt ook nog even een aantal heats bekijken. Alle andere heats kun je uiteraard checken via de website. Het vervolg van de Billabong Rio Pro is bovendien live te volgen via de webcast op de site.
Heat 1: Travis Logie (ZAF) 15.50 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.00
Round 3 of the Billabong Rio Pro featured a barrel shootout between current ASP World No. 1 Gabriel Medina and veteran Travis Logie. Medina wasted little time in establishing a lead, earning an 8.50 for a deep forehand barrel in the opening minute of the heat.
Medina looked poised for victory when he found another forehand tube for a 6.50, but Logie’s patience paid off. With 1:30 remaining on the clock, the South African drove through an incredible forehand barrel, posting a near-perfect 9.50 and a win over the Brazilian favorite.
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Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 9.97 def. Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 7.63
2011 Billabong Rio Pro Champion Adriano de Souza battled Basque talent Aritz Aranburu next and both regular-footers struggled to find a rhythm in the shifty barrels at Barra Da Tijuca.
De Souza struck first, finding a crucial 7.67 that held the Brazilian in the lead throughout the heat. Aranburu took to the face with just minutes remaining, but his 3.70 for two average turns was not enough to surpass De Souza.
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Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 13.53 def. David Do Carmo (BRA) 10.93
Wildcard David Do Carmo, who earlier in the event eliminated defending World Champion Mick Fanning, took to the water looking continue his miracle run against 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater.
The first half of the heat was quiet, both surfers struggled to find clean exists out of uneven barrels. Going into the final 10 minutes, Slater held a slight lead over the giant killer.
Then came the shootout.
Using his priority, Do Carmo managed to close out a short tube for a 6.33, forcing the first lead change with six minutes left. Slater stalked the lineup and found a deeper barrel, with a cleaner finish for a 6.60.
The heat came down to the final wave: Slater and Do Carmo split the peak but Slater was able to use his veteran experience while Do Carmo’s shallow barrel failed to better his situation.
