Taj Burrow-Back On Top

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast 2012 - Images by Peter 'Joli' Wilson
Happy Vegemites Aussie surfers scored a double victory at Snapper Rocks with Taj Burrow winning the Quiksilver Pro and (former world champion) Stephanie Gilmore winning the Roxy Pro. “I’m feeling great mate!” said Burrow after defeating Brazilian Adriano de Souza in what was a tense see sawing 35 minute heat battle in front of a packed Snapper Rocks beach. “I felt like I was in Rio [Rio de Janeiro],” said Burrow about the massive crowd that spilled into the water. “There were so many Brazilians here chanting for Adriano and I was a bit unnerved at first but it got me revved up, and I heard the Aussies bounce back with a really good roar on a couple of my waves, I could actually hear them as I was going through my turns. That’s a pretty special feeling.” Burrow’s definitely needed some local support after de Souza had opened the final with an eight point ride nailing an air reverse on his very first turn. “I was freaking after Adriano’s first ride, it’s quite an exclamation mark to come out on the first wave and try an air on your first turn,” explained Burrow later. “He did a sick turn and got eight (points) for just that one turn which is quite intimidating for sure but I knew I could get those scores too, if not better, if I could pick the right waves, but he (de Souza) sure makes it hard for you.” Adriano de Souza, who had avoided a lot of the contest hype that focused on Joel Parkinson, Kelly Slater and Jordy Smith has come second in this event and would have dearly liked to have won, but Burrow got the better of him again today. “We’ve met about 10 times now and Taj has won about six times,” said de Souza as he watched Burrow being mobbed by a massive media scrum. “I had the heat of my life against Taj last year and I would have really liked to have had a win today. What can I say, he belongs in the top three or four in the world and he has been knocking on the door (of a world title) for pretty much like 10 years. I’m sure we’ll met again and maybe next time it will be different.” Both third place getters, Josh Kerr and Jordy Smith would have liked to have the results go differently too. “If you’d told me a week ago I was going to get a third I would have told you I’d be stoked, “ said Kerr as he watched Burrow and de Souza battle out the final. “I really wish I was out in the final right now,” he continued with a shrug. “I had that heat this morning against Adriano and I really wanted to get through so I’m really disappointed right now, but I’ll take a third.” Jordy Smith had his own reasons for wanting a win at Snapper Rocks after the news last week of the downgrading of the World Tour event at Jeffreys Bay (to a six star); Smith would have been the defending champion. “I had an added incentive to win here because they’ve taken JBay (Jeffreys Bay, South Africa) away and I wanted to win one of the right hand point breaks this year.” Smith was runner up two years ago at the Quik Pro and made the semis twice in the last three years so he was more than a little disappointed about his result. “@#%*, I’m just really bummed, I wanted to make the final so bad. If you want to win a world title you’ve got to win finals,” he said. “I guess it’s a really good start to the year and now I hope to go and do really well at Bells, hopefully win or make the final at least.” When asked about the conditions today he answered with a smile, “It wasn’t perfect Snapper but I’m happy to have beaten Parko out here (Joel Parkinson’s home break). He’s probably beaten me 10 times and I’ve only beaten him three, so I don’t think I’ve got it over him yet, (laughing) but those three times are all out here at Snapper.” The 2012 Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast didn’t have perfect waves and for a lot of the Top 34 surfers it was a nervous start to the year. The tour rookies didn’t really get a chance to shine with the seasoned pros filling the final top eight spots. Taj Burrow has led the world tour ratings at this stage of the year before, but it’s another long year ahead. He just laughed when asked how he felt about his World Title chances this year? “Right now, it’s all about rating points and having a few beers with my mates.”

Kerr gets high to win the Drug Aware Pro

Kerrsey, kerrsey kerrsey. That's all I'm hearing right now. It's a couple of hours after Josh Kerr pulled a joey out of the Kangaroo's pouch by disposing of a 16 point combo in a matter of minutes to win the six star prime Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River . With about five minutes to go Josh pulled two huge airs to score the only perfect 10 point ride of the week. The rights at Margs with the side onshore were providing the perfect ramps for airs. Kerrsey punted again on his next wave to hit the lead, leaving Taj needing over an eight with 90 secs to go.


Apparently Taj and Josh had been joking out in the water late in the final about the roll that Taj Burrow was on. "Yeah I was telling Taj how many points he'd have and how he was killing it in the ratings and how he'd won three contests this year and then he didn't win" said Josh with a laugh." Even the beach commentators were claiming Taj had won 23 heats in a row and won three finals on the way. They were being a bit liberal with the truth cos Taj had lost his first round heat at the Quikie Pro before winning the contest but as Bede Durbidge, who lost to Taj in the semi's reckoned, "Nobody counts first round losses, so technically he has won 23 in a row."

If anybody was on a roll this week it was Josh. He beat the current world champ Mick Fanning twice and then took out the World #1 Taj in the final. Maybe a drop of the Margaret River reds (not the kangaroo variety) helped him along in the early rounds but last night he went to bed by 8.30 and was stressing that he wouldn't be able to perform today. An unnecessary worry and if you look at his board preparation for the comp then maybe it just sums up his whole week.

"I only rode two of my own boards this week,' said Josh '... and I haven't ridden them for over a year. I've been riding everybody elses boards and then today I jumped on a board that I'd never even seen before... (laughing) .... It was a 6'0" and I've only been riding 5'8"s, 5'6"s and 5'5"s for months...it was strange riding 'normal' boards this week and I certainly wasn't prepared for the contest (laughing again) but I've enjoying riding them again."

It was Kerseys first ever WQS win. He's won plenty of air shows but never a CT or a WQS. He said later he only came over to the West because Rusty were one of the Sponsors and he'd come over to hang out and have fun. He did all that, hung out, had fun and won the whole damn thing.

Peter 'Joli' Wilson

Last Minute Gasps at the Drug Aware Pro

Here's a little update from the west.
The 'situation' of the day were the last minute gasps. A bit like last night when I was stopped for a random breath test by the local cops. I passed and so did a lot of guys today. So many last gasp waves. Adrian Buchan nailed one in the last seconds and Josh Kerr snuck past Mick Fanning in their Round of 16. The funny thing is that Josh has beaten Mick twice in this contest; once in the 4 man heats of the Round of 96 and again in the man on man rounds. Air specialist Kerr was joking that Mick beat him in the Boost Air Show last weekend in Sydney and now he's beating him in a 'straight' WQS contest. Maybe it was the local red wine coursing through his veins courtesy of a Rusty sponsors dinner that helped scrap through.

Today was a morning of convoys. The word went out that North Point was sure to be going off...a bit like St Patricks day. Hire cars in packs of 4 or 5 were darting all over the place. North Point was packed at first light but the little dirt car park was jammed with locals utes and 4WD's. No hire cars, they were still on the roads looking for a decent wave.
The swell was definitely 'pumping', somewhere in the 12' range, but way too south for most of the breaks. A lot of the crew ended up back at the contest watching the action and in the words of one of the surfers... "when the Gudangs (Gudauskas Bros) can't find waves then there aren't any around.'

Cory Lopez got everyone 'moo'ing' today. He caught a triple overhead bomb and proceeded to try to emulate Tom Curren's mid 80's wave. Margs was huge when Curren caught a wave and rode it over 250 yards to the river mouth of Margaret River. Cory came very close today, pumping his board at the end but with about 30 yards to go the wave backed off and he had to kick out. The surfers in the competitors tent were all up and riding the wave with him and the event commentators were yelling and laughing as Cory tried to make the river mouth.

While Cory was going for glory Sunny Garcia was hiding from the public. He'd tried to pull in on a huge right and got blasted for his trouble. The resulting wipeout disrobed him and tore two fins out of his board.
Sunny was stuck in the channel calling for the jet ski while scrambling to get his trunks back from the end of his leg rope. He was joking about it later and laughed when the cold water jokes came out.

Who's on form... CJ, Taj, Bede and Cory. Heat of the Round on paper was Josh Kerr and Mick Fanning while the heat to watch was Sunny Garcai and Neco Padaratz. They hadn't met since Pipeline in 2008. This time it was Sunny coming out on top. The swell's dropping and they'll crown a champ tomorrow.

Peter 'Joli' Wilson