The South West buster did its best to ruin the good conditions at first light.
Exactly like the first day of competition, a total of 18 heats were surfed on Day 2 of the Mr Price Pro Ballito, which means despite Monday’s lay day the competition could still potentially wrap up before the weekend kicks off – a bummer for all the surf fans stuck in the office and hoping to see some action on the weekend. It’s not set in stone, but with the forecast not looking great for the weekend, you can guess that the organisers are aiming to get the event wrapped up in the best possible waves.
The medical team have been doing a good job keeping Beyrick’s knee from imploding. The Umhlanga local will be looking to keep up the momentum.
Either way, the field has been narrowed down to the last 24 and SA’s three advancing surfers from Day 1 continued their campaign by scrapping through another round. Beyrick de Vries, Jordy Smith and Dylan Lightfoot are through to Round 3, and with the Round of 24 featuring three man non-elimination heats, we’re guaranteed to see the Saffa boys surf at least twice more.
Dylan Lightfoot took out the heat win in his Round of 48 duel. He’ll be looking to make his first-ever Prime event one to remember.
Young J-Bay surfer Dylan Lightfoot is surfing in his first-ever Prime event, so every heat made is a new personal best for the competitive ripper, and he’ll no doubt be looking to make his first Prime outing one to remember. He’s got the competitive mind, and the skills, he’ll just need to keep on his roll.
Earlier in the day it was unfortunate to see recently crowned ISA World Champ Shaun Joubert and ISA World Masters champ Greg Emslie go down, as the remaining heats from Round 1 were completed in the morning. Not such a disappointment was Dream Tour competitor Julian Wilson’s performance in the Round of 48, as he tore the Surfer’s Point lineup to tatters to lock-in an 18.54 heat total by the time he’d punctuated his third ride with a big gouge. It’s still the early rounds, but Julian has already signaled his intentions and is looking like one of the favourites to take out the event.
Fan favourite Jordy Smith could explode in the later rounds.
The problem with signaling your intentions early, though, is that you leave no room for surprises, so while Julian burns white-hot, guys like Jordy Smith are simmering and waiting to explode when it matters most – the later rounds.
Thursday morning could potentially hold the best conditions for the entire waiting period, so as the 24 remaining competitors complete their morning stretches, surf fans can hope to see some of the competitions best action.
Watch it LIVE on www.mrpricepro.com
Official Press release below.
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WILSON TOP SCORES ON DAY 3
Julian Wilson posted a 9.87 and 8.67 to lead day three of the ASP Prime Mr Price Pro Ballito.
Ballito, South Africa (Wednesday July 3, 2013) – Day three of the Mr Price Pro Ballito kept spectators on their seats, as the world’s best lit up the challenging conditions at Willard’s Beach.
The final six heats of the Round of 96 were completed in clean 1.5 to two-meter waves before a strong southerly wind wreaked havoc with conditions. Wave selection would prove critical as the event ran through the Round of 48.
Event top seed, ASP World No. 11 Julian Wilson (AUS), became the standout performer of this year’s competition – netting the highest scores, a 9.87 and 8.67 (both out of 10). Wilson produced a beautiful series of top-to- bottom turns, surfing with precision and commitment that had some judges scoring him perfect 10s.
“I wore board shorts because I figured I was going to be doing a lot of paddling out there and it made me feel a lot freer on the waves,” Wilson said. “It was tricky out there but there wasn’t much hassling going on and everyone got to surf their own heat, so it was good.”
The Brazilian contingent continued to assert their dominance at an event that has crowned more Brazilian victors than any other nation.
Peterson Crisanto (BRA) couldn’t put a foot wrong in his round of 96 heat. The current World No. 88 earned the second highest wave scores of the competition, a near perfect 9.67 (out of ten) for his fast, powerful surfing and sweeping turns. Crisanto advanced in first with Raoni Monteiro going through in second.
“I feel so good, this is my second time in Ballito and the waves are pumping,” Crisanto said. “I tried to give my best and I got that nine so I am pretty stoked to get through into the next round. This is the best event on the whole tour and the waves feel like home.”
ASP World No. 13 Filipe Toledo (BRA) saved his best for the last heat of the day, landing a critical backside air reverse on a rare lefthander to score an excellent 9.43 for this single maneuver. Toledo snatched the win over Australian Mitch Crews.
“Yeah that was the best heat I’ve had out here,” Toldeo said. “The conditions were hard but I found a good left and the wind was really good for airs. When I landed it I thought that was a good score.”
Former ASP World Junior Champion, Caio Ibelli, joined his fellow countryman in putting on a show. Ibelli earning an excellent 8.83 score to take the lead and ultimately the win over fellow countryman Jesse Mendes.
Also advancing from Brazil on Wednesday were Krystian Kymerson (BRA), Jean De Silva (BRA); David Carmo (BRA) and Jadson Andre (BRA).
All three remaining South Africans in this year’s competition kept the flag flying by advancing into the Round of 24.
2010 Mr Price Pro Ballito champion and current World No. 4, Jordy Smith, lived up to his reputation as one of the world’s best. Tearing apart the head high surf with unprecedented power, Smith posted an excellent 8.00-point ride, following up with a 7.00 to advance seamlessly into the Round of 24 in first place.
“It was tough out there, there’s a lot of side chop and it makes it hard when you’re coming off the bottom and into your top turn but I think I got the best waves of the heat because I was willing to wait for them,” Smith said.
After struggling with his equipment for the better half of his WCT career, Smith seems to have settled on that ‘magic stick’ and it is showing in his results.
“I’ve stuck to the same board this whole year while in previous years I was always paddling out on a new board,” Smith said. “To win in front of a home crowd would be amazing and hopefully the waves hold up and we see some more great surfing this week.”
Dylan Lightfoot of Jeffrey’s Bay gave South Africa even more to cheer about rocketing from last into first place in the dying seconds of his Round of 48 heat.
“I think I surprised myself in that heat,” Lightfoot said. “I saw the opportunity on those last two waves and I was lucky David (do Carmo) let me sneak that one from underneath him. I’m so stoked to have made it into the next round and I can’t wait for my next heat.”
Beyrick De Vries was the third South African to advance. Setting the pace with a pair of six-point rides, De Vries survived one of the toughest heats of the day. As the lead changed hands a number of times, De Vries was forced to settle for second place, advancing behind Frenchman Maxime Huscenot.
Basque surfer Aritz Aranburu looked comfortable in the bumpy conditions, netting an excellent score to take a big heat win over Thomas Woods. The pair eliminating World No. 24, Fred Patacchia Jnr, from the event.
Mason Ho (HAW) produced one of his best performances, winning his first ever heat at an ASP Prime event in the Round of 96. Mason went on to take second place behind Billy Stairmand (NZL) in the Round of 48.
The Mr Price Pro Ballito is Stop No. 3 of 8 on the ASP International Prime Tour and features 96 surfers from 16 countries including 13 of the top 34 elite World Championship Tour campaigners.
The event also features a dynamic Beach Festival, three nights of Free Music Concerts on the Beach as well as an exciting new Food and Wine exhibition.
For more information log on to www.mrpricepro.com.
Round of 96 Results:
Heat 19: Mason Ho (HAW)14.83; Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 13.77; Jay Quinn (NZL) 9.17; Halley Batista (BRA) 7.10
Heat 20: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 11.20; Brett Simpson (USA) 10.87; Santiago Muniz (ARG) 10.07; Nic Von Rupp (DEU) 9.26
Heat 21: Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 18.17; Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 11.20; Blake Thornton (AUS) 9.97; Andrew Doheny (USA) 9.67
Heat 22: Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 13.43; Marc Lacomare (FRA) 12.67; Perth Standlick (AUS) 9.93; Shaun Joubert (ZAF) 8.90
Heat 23: Mitch Crews (AUS) 13.67; Brian Toth (PRI) 9.60; Ian Gouveia (BRA) 9.40; Luke Davis (USA) 5.60
Heat 24: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.57; Jean Da Silva (BRA) 12.10; Ricardo Christie (NZL) 9.04; Greg Emslie (ZAF) 7.97
Round of 48 Results:
Heat 1: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 15.60; Jesse Mendes (BRA) 12.97; Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.07; Garrett Parkes (BRA) 10.90
Heat 2: Granger Larsen (HAW) 13.33; Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 12.70; Gabriel Villaran (PER) 11.23; Michael Dunphy (USA) 9.00
Heat 3: Stu Kennedy (AUS) 12.50; Jay Thompson (AUS) 12.27; Bernado Miranda (BRA) 9.47; Davey Cathels (AUS) 9.23
Heat 4: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 13.77; Thomas Woods (AUS) 11.93; Frederick Patacchia Jnr (HAW) 9.90; Kiron Jabour (HAW) 7.27
Heat 5: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.23; Marlon Lipke (PRT) 10.67; Alejo Muniz (BRA) 10.17; Ezekial Lau (HAW) 8.40
Heat 6: Maxime Huscenot (REU) 14.23; Beyrick De Vries (ZAF) 13.40; Matt Banting (ZAF) 13.04; Mitchel Coleborn (AUS) 6.70
Heat 7: Julian Wilson (AUS) 18.54; Dion Atkinson (AUS) 11.84; Nathan Hedge (AUS) 11.50; Messias Felix (BRA) 11.40
Heat 8: Dylan Lightfoot (ZAF) 11.97; David do Carmo (BRA) 11.93; Chris Friend (AUS) 8.26; Joan Duru (FRA) 7.66
Heat 9: Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.67; Jadson Andre (BRA) 13.67; Brett Simpson (USA) 13.23; Tanner Guduaskas (USA) 8.60
Heat 10: Billy Stairmand (NZL) 9.36; Mason Ho (NZL) 8.63; Yadin Nicol (AUS) 7.10; Tom Whittaker (AUS) 4.90
Heat 11: Krystian Kymerson (BRA) 11.73; Jean Da Silva (BRA) 11.24; Brian Toth (PRI) 9.40; Peterson Cristano (BRA) 8.83
Heat 12: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.86; Mitch Crews (AUS) 15.10; Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 13.16; Marc Lacomare (FRA) 11.20
