The remaining six heats of Round 2 of the Rip Curl Pro Search were completed this afternoon in speedy, low-tide four-foot (1.5 metre) waves at the primary venue “somewhere” in Indonesia.

Stop No. 6 of 11 on the 2008 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search went on hold for most of the day before event organizers decided to complete Round 2 in hollow lefthanders, which bore witness to some of the more dramatic performaces of the event.

Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), current No. 22 on the 2008 ASP World Tour ratings, lit a fire this afternoon securing deep tube rides and executing beautiful forehand carves to net a day’s high heat total of a 17.33 out of a possible 20, eliminating Leonardo Neves (BRA) from competition.

“The tide is super low out there right now but these conditions really suit my surfing,” Patacchia said. “I think I managed to pick off the best waves in that heat and they really opened up for me and allowed me to perform. I’m stoked to advance through Round 2 and I’m looking forward to the rest of the event.”

Patacchia will now face Luke Stedman (AUS) in Round 3 when competition resumes.

“I’ve yet to really have a breakout result this season,” Patacchia said. “I feel like I have been building momentum the last two events though and the wave here in Indo is one that I could really do well at. I think the swell is supposed to pick up over the next few days and I hope it does – game on.”

Daniel Wills (AUS), current No. 34 on the ASP World Tour, survived a hard-fought Round 2 heat this afternoon, narrowly eliminating highly-touted rookie Dane Reynolds (USA) from Rip Curl Pro Search competition. In the dying moments of the heat, Wills used a priority tactic to draw an interference on Reynolds, causing the youngster’s triple barrel finale to become nullified.

“No one wants to win heats that way but it’s a competition and that’s how it goes sometimes,” Wills said. “I had a good start to the heat and then held priority for the back half. I should have done my job a little better and stayed on him a bit closer towards the end and I would have been in better position to perform on that wave, but that was my mistake and I had to take off anyway.”

Mikael Picon (FRA), current No. 26 on the 2008 ASP World Tour ratings, overcame the dangerous low-tide conditions this afternoon to advance past 2008 Dream Tour rookie Jay Thompson (AUS) with a solid 16.94 out of a possible 20.

“I lost a bit on skin on the reef on my elbow and my foot and my ass but it was worth it to get through the heat,” Picon said. “It’s so shallow out there this afternoon, but I am very happy to advance through to Round 3. The wave here is good for me on my forehand and I am hoping for a good result here.”

Event organizers will meet tomorrow morning at 7am to make the call for a potential 7:30am start.

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