DAY THREE UPDATE
by Brendon Bosworth
SurferMag.com Correspondent

"Slater was hacking yesterday. I saw him dig the rail twice. He was hardly making his turns." The rumors flitter through the grandstand like angry seagulls pecking at the eyes of the fans. Most can't believe them - don't want to. And as Kelly strolls down the boardwalk, you hear the claps. No one cares about yesterday, no one cares if he made one turn or a hundred; it's all eyes on the enigma for his match-up with Travis Logie. An unfortunate predicament for the young South African: on your backhand, surfing in front of a swollen home crowd, KELLY: the unstoppable.

No one's forgotten that Travis pipped Slater in Brazil in 2005. But could he do it again? The goofy-footer has been in superb form, showcasing some of the best backhand riding of the event. But Slater opens up with sequence of his trademark off-the-top slides. Loose, casual, measured. 9.17. Your heart goes out to Travis. A strong opening from Logie: fast, hard, long tail-drop floaters, poetry. 7.33 – it's not enough. Kelly bides his time on the inside, a few scrappy ones. Then it comes to him, like a surge of iron filings being pulled towards a giant magnet. He drops in, swallowed into the shadows. Out. In again. Out. One more time…spelunking through the emerald depths. 9.97. It's ridiculous really.

Slater took his non-human form straight through to Round 4, putting Tom Whitaker in the emergency room and in need of an high-scoring combo, which the Australian didn't manage to secure. Now it's on to the quarters, where he'll be up against Adriano de Souza, who was shredding today and is looking primed for tomorrow's duel.

I know it sounds like I'm struck with the Slater fever, but it's hard to concentrate on anything else when Kelly's out there making history and proving why he's cut from a different cloth to most mortals. Maybe I'll check in tomorrow with my tail between my legs?

We've still got Mick vs. Bruce, CJ vs. Freddy P, Taj vs. Jordy (which is bound to be an absolute ringer), and A.I vs. last year's rookie of the year, Jeremy Flores (who was gliding smoother than butter today) to get through before the quarters kick off. It's getting close to the end; the swell's looking solid with a trifling onshore ruffling the face tomorrow. Can Slater be stopped? Only time will tell.

Watch all the best waves from Round Three.

Click here to view Exclusive Photos from the third day of competition.

Return to SURFER's Exclusive J-Bay Coverage Landing Page.

Check out how the pros have been spending their time on the lay days.

Read an exclusive interview with Kelly Slater.

Conditions:
3 to 5 foot, straight offshore. Long lulls in the morning, as well as the afternoon. Some heats cook on full gas, whilst others are completely sloth-like.

Rounds
Round 3 and half of 4

Highest Heat Score:
Slater scoops a 19.14 in Round 3, Heat 8.

Wave of the Day:
Slater's triple-tunnel smoker in the same heat.

Weirdo of the Day:
They guy cruising around with a Labrador draped across his shoulder and a rubber glove on one hand. Scary.

New School:
After summoning a double-pitted 9.17 from who knows where; Parko takes off on a little insider and punts a clean and relaxed air 360. Too easy.

Home Too Early:
Taylor Knox, who claimed the highest heat score of the event so far on Day One, is sent home by Tommy Whitaker in Round Three, in what amounts to a pretty shocking heat.

Quotes:
"I was just trying to keep my feet warm. I lost two of my toes, my pinky and the next one. You get used to the waiting. I was lucky to get that one." - Joel Parkinson on waiting close to twenty minutes for his first wave in Heat 4

“I don’t know how everyone else feels you know. It’s not really something that I talk to everyone about. I don’t feel any different. I think he’s going to win this year (laughs). I honestly think that if you’re not winning it then who cares if you’re second, third, twenty-seventh. As long as you’re back on tour next year to try it again. For me, I’m just having fun and going for it every heat." - Freddy P on how the guys on tour are feeling about Kelly


 

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