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SURFERMAG.COM PRO TOUR UPDATES

Official Rip Curl Pro Round Two Results (1st>Rnd 3; 2nd finishes=33rd, receives US$3,000)

• H1: Taj Burrow (Aus) 15.0 def. Nic Muscroft (Aus) 12.2
• H2: Adam Robertson (Aus) 10.54 def. Michael Lowe (Aus) 10.23
• H3: Kieran Perrow (Aus) 11.07 def. Jamie O'Brien (Haw) 9.5
• H4: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.17 def. Danilo Costa (Brz) 11.83
• H5: Shea Lopez (USA) 14.4 def. Tim Curran (USA) 9.27
• H6: Cory Lopez (USA) 13.77 def. Luke Stedman (Aus) 13.5
• H7: Kalani Robb (Haw) 15.17 def. Toby Martin (Aus) 13.43
• H8: CJ Hobgood (USA) 14.1 def. Tom Whitaker (Aus) 11.97
• H9: Dean Morrison (Aus) 15.9 def. Chris Davidson (Aus) 11.66
• H10: Victor Ribas (Brz) 15.5 def. Pat O'Connell (USA) 12.94
• H11: Flavio Padaratz (Brz) 14.83 def. Jake Paterson (Aus) 14.57
• H12: Richie Lovett (Aus) 16.43 def. Michael Campbell (Aus) 12.34
• H13: Nathan Hedge (Aus) 12.3 def. Peterson Rosa (Brz) 9.17
• H14: Lee Winkler (Aus) 14.6 def. Shane Powell (Aus) 14.0
• H15: Phil MacDonald (Aus) 18.0 def. Nathan Webster (Aus) 15.43
• H16: Paulo Moura (Brz) 16.6 def. Trent Munro (Aus) 14.1

April 20, 2003 (Bells Beach, VIC, Australia) Six-time world champion Kelly Slater (USA) was at his best today in the 2003 Rip Curl Pro. The 31st anniversary US$250,000 World Championship Tournament (WCT) completed remaining round two heats before a huge Easter Sunday beach crowd.

Clean 3ft (1m) surf was on offer at Bells Beach. Early heats were contested at the 'Bowl' section, while the higher tide saw competition move towards the inside 'Rincon' section.

Slater, 31, schooled WCT newcomer Danilo Costa (Brz) with a commanding performance. The Floridian collected a series of quick, high scoring rides, topped by a 9.17 and additional 9.0, for the highest combined total of the event so far with 18.17-points. His confident and committed forehand attack was awe-inspiring, as fins busted out the back on one wave, and long floaters and searing cutbacks made the small conditions appear perfect. Costa also landed an impressive backhand aerial on his last ride, but still required a combination worth 11.84-points.

"I've been notorious for slow starts during the last year, so I'm focusing a little more on getting my wave count up and trying to get ahead," explained Slater. "When another guy gets ahead it puts a little stress on and you can't surf as freely. I rode a smaller board too, which is three inches shorter than normal. It doesn't draw as long lines, but I can surf it a little tighter and quicker. I just figured if we were going to be surfing small waves, I'd want to be able to maneuver on them.

"Last night was probably the first time I've dreamt about surfing in a long time and I was excited," he added. "It's been an interesting 12-months for me, from this time last year, so I'm kind of getting my mind back in the right place competitively."

Current ratings leader Dean Morison and fellow Australian Chris Davidson put on a great display in their highly anticipated match-up. The intensely fought battle was a definite crowd pleaser, as both carved the 'Rincon' right-handers to shreds. Morrison, in particular, picked off the better waves and applied complete focus to each maneuver as he worked them down the line. His last ride scored a 9.07 to secure a comfortable victory.

"At the start of the heat I kept getting waves from halfway out and the judges weren't really scoring me," explained Morrison. "I realized if I wanted a big score I had to take off out on the boil. 'Davo' is unbelievable in rights, but he didn't put it together like he usually does. He's an amazing surfer, but grabbed a couple of rails, while I got one really good wave and a back up. I'm just taking this event one wave at a time, so there isn't a lot of pressure if I keep it simple."

Brazilians Victor Ribas and Flavio Padaratz advanced to round three. Ribas controlled his heat with Californian Pat O'Connell from the start; collecting a 7.5 and then 8.0 on his first two rides to create a gap his opponent was unable to bridge. The goofy-footers backhand attack was as impressive as ever.

"I had a great heat," admitted Ribas. "My first two waves were really nice and I won on those. It's been a long time since I won a heat on the WCT. I focused very much on this contest as I began badly on the Gold Coast (first WCT last month). I want to do better this year, so I'm very stoked."

Hawaiian Kalani Robb won a nail-biting exchange with Australian Toby Martin. The world #13, now sporting a dyed-blond hairstyle, held the lead for most of the 30-minute decider, but upped the ante with his final two rides and posted an 8.17 in the dying seconds. Martin was also in form during the heat, but ultimately required another 7.78 score.

"All morning it seemed the regular footers might have an advantage in the small rights," said Robb. "It's hard to get going on your backhand out there. I just tried getting good waves, and my last one proved to be my best. Toby had priority at the end, but went the first wave, so I got lucky."

Floridian brothers Shea and Cory Lopez won their respective heats. WCT newcomer Luke Stedman (Aus) held the lead and priority over Cory until the final seconds, but the world #12 snuck into a clean right-hander under the Australians watch and proceeded to belt the lip on his backhand for the much needed 6.77 score.

"I was getting bad waves the whole heat and he had a couple of good ones," explained Lopez. "I was behind and needed a big score. I got one wave to be back in it, needing a 6.5, but he still had priority. Luckily the last wave kind of came underneath him and I don't think he could have caught it if he tried. It was a small wave, but hugged the reef and I was able to do four or five turns and it worked out for me."

2001 world champion CJ Hobgood continued Florida's domination today, eliminating Tom Whittaker in heat #8. The 23-year-old posted two strong scores at the outset, while the Australian left his charge until too late, coming up short on his final ride.

"I thought I played a good heat, but just at the end made a couple of mistakes," recalled Hobgood. "I managed to get some waves that linked through and luckily it proved enough to hold him off. We both had to wait a long time for waves, so it was pretty nerve-racking."

Richie Lovett advanced past fellow Aussie Mick Campbell. Despite winning the recent 6-Star WQS event in Western Australia, Campbell was unable to match the forehand surfing of Lovett, requiring a combination of rides at heat end.

"I knew it was going to be a tough heat," said Lovett. "Round two is tough enough, but when you come up against someone like Mick who's usually in the finals, makes it even harder. You've just got to go for it and luckily I found some waves that opened up and I was able to get some rhythm going."

Phil McDonald posted the day's best single score for a 9.33, eliminating fellow Australian Nathan Webster in the second last heat of the day. In what proved a dramatic match, McDonald collected another 8.67 for the second highest tally of the event, while Webster also collected two scores high enough to win most other heats of the round.

The Tooheys Extra Dry 'Move Of The Day' went to Slater for the carving 360 he executed this morning.

The Rip Curl Pro would not be possible without the combined efforts of the different groups involved in the event's staging - Surfing Victoria; The Victorian Government Department of Tourism, Sport & The Commonwealth Games; The Surf Coast Shire Council; and the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) - plus the supporting sponsorship of Lifesavers, Ansell, Coca-Cola, Vodka Cruiser, Falls Creek, Fudge & Tooheys Extra Dry.

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