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SURFERMAG.COM ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Slater meanwhile had to fend off a valiant charge from 2007 top tour recruit Jeremy Flores (REU).

The youngster Flores, who hails from Reunion Island but resides in France, had huge crowd support and every time he jumped to his feet they were very vocal.

Flores was in need of a mere 4.50 to overtake Slater with a few minutes to go but was unlucky when the wave just didn’t cooperate. Slater was aware of the situation and was happy to get away with a win.

“Yeah he’s given me a couple of stressful heats so far,” said Slater. “The first contest of the year this year in the three-man heat. Then this one and the one last year at the same spot. He’s good in little waves; you could see that his best wave was the little tiny one at the end. He just rips on those things.”

Slater often faces wildcards due to the nature of the seeding system and was totally wary that there was always the potential for an upset.

“A lot of times you get wildcards who are really good,” said Slater. “Jeremy (Flores) is always a threat, he beat Fanning here last year in big perfect barrels. And then he almost got me in the next heat when it was big and hollow. You have to be on your toes.”

Slater will now go on to face Travis Logie (ZAF) in a rematch of Brazil last year.

In that heat, which was held in similar conditions to those of today, Logie emerged the victor and nearly thwarted Slater’s seventh world crown claims.

Logie certainly won’t be pulling any punches. Before knowing he would match Slater he was hoping that they would meet.

“Hopefully if I’ll come up against Kelly (Slater),” said Logie. “I’d like to have another match up with Kelly – it would be fantastic. The day he won the world title I got him and then he got me back on the Gold Coast at the beginning of this year. So it’s one all and hopefully I can make it two in tomorrow’s sudden death decider.”

Organisers will back at first light tomorrow and the first heat of the day is expected to paddle out at around 7.30am.

And with the forecast looking extremely promising there is every chance that the event will be wrapped up tomorrow.

Stay tuned to www.aspworldtour.com or www.quiksilver.com for all the details.

Round three results: (1st to round four; 2nd receives equal 17th placing)

Heat 1: Roy Powers (Haw) 15.83 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 12.24 Heat 2: Daniel Wills (Aus) 12.57 def. Victor Ribas (Bra) 11.97 Heat 3: Bruce Irons (Haw) 16.53 def. Adriano de Souza (Bra) 12.67 Heat 4: Mick Fanning (Aus) 13.67 def. David Weare (ZAF) 8.84 Heat 5: Jake Paterson (Aus) 11.60 def. Tim Reyes (USA) 10.83 Heat 6: Michael Lowe (Aus) 13.00 def. Dean Morrison (Aus) 10.10 Heat 7: Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.60 def. Trent Munro (Aus) 11.30 Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) 11.50 def. Jeremy Flores (REU) 10.83 Heat 9: Andy Irons (Haw) 15.00 def. Adrian Buchan (Aus) 10.10 Heat 10: Cory Lopez (USA) 12.67 def. Greg Emslie (ZAF) 11.00 Heat 11: Marcelo Nunes (Bra) 12.60 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 10.36 Heat 12: Tom Whitaker (Aus) 12.50 def. Peterson Rosa (Bra) 10.40 Heat 13: Pedro Henrique (Bra) 15.37 def. Taj Burrow (Aus) 12.83 Heat 14: Fred Patacchia (HAW) 13.90 def. Mark Occhilupo (AUS) 11.17 Heat 15: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.33 def. Raoni Monteiro 11.54 Heat 16: Phil Macdonald (AUS) 14.67 def Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 10.10

Round four heat draw: (1st to the quarter finals; 2nd receives equal 9th placing)

Heat 1: Roy Powers (HAW) vs Danny Wills (AUS) Heat 2: Bruce Irons (HAW) vs Mick Fanning (AUS) Heat 3: Jake Paterson (AUS) vs Mick Lowe (AUS) Heat 4: Travis Logie (ZAF) vs Kelly Slater (USA) Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW) vs Cory Lopez (USA) Heat 6: Marcelo Nunes (BRA) vs Tom Whitaker (AUS) Heat 7: Pedro Henrique (BRA) vs Fred Patacchia (HAW) Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs Phil Macdonald (AUS)

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