MUNDAKA DIA 2

Segundo día en Mundaka. No estaba para echar cohetes, precisamente. Marcos, Txaber y Hodei se han ido a la calle. Quedan Aritz, que ha ganado con autoridad, y Eneko, que la puede liar. Le ha tocado nada menos que con Kelly Slater y puede pasar a la historia si le elimina... por retrasar la celebración de su 9º título.

Para mañana se anuncian condiciones más grandes. A ver si me acerco por la tarde.

Foto de Aritz sacada de www.alaplaya.com, una buena web surfera.

Info en vivo en www.billabongpro.com

Mundaka Fires for Day Two

MUNDAKA, Basque Country/Spain (Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008) – Day two of the Billabong Pro Mundaka saw the elimination round two heats staged in 1.5 metre waves (4-5ft) at the river-mouth break in the Basque region of Spain. As the tide drained out the famed Mundaka barrel turned on for the world’s best surfers contesting the ASP men’s world tour event.

Event organizers and the ASP have opted to use the Dual Heat format today to optimize the excellent conditions. First used in ASP World Tour competition at the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii last year, the ‘Dual Heat’ format features two heats run concurrently to maximize conditions on offer for the surfers and action in the water for the fans.

Top seeds reasserted themselves to dominate their wildcard and replacement opponents in their round two match-ups today. World no.3 BEDE DURBIDGE (Gold Coast, AUS) set an early pace, locking in a nine-point ride in the days opening heat to progress through to round three.

Looking sharp on a long-walling wave DURBIDGE amassed a number of major maneuvers for the excellent score and eliminated replacement surfer REUBYN ASH (GBR) from round two. DURBIDGE is out for a strong finish on the home run of the men’s world tour in a bid to challenge TAJ BURROW (AUS) for the No.2 position.

World no. 4 ADRIANAO de SOUZA (Brz) also advanced with ease into round three of the Billabong Pro Mundaka after disposing of local wildcard MARCO SAN SEGUNDO (EUK). The Brazilian, who has been enjoying a bumper season, is after a big result in Mundaka to solidify his position in the world’s top five.

American surfer C.J. HOBGOOD was forced to battle for his round three berth following a strong challenge by replacement surfer TXABER TROJACIA (EUK). The local charger managed an 8.17 but failed to find a back up wave to be eliminated in equal 33rd. Hobgood moving through to round three of the Billabong Pro Mundaka.

World no.9 ADRIAN BUCHAN (Avoca, AUS) bounced back from his opening round loss to defeat wildcard HODEI COLLAZO (EUK) and advance into round three of the Billabong Pro Mundaka. The twenty-six year old who posted his inaugural world tour victory last week in France is out for another taste of glory.

Hawaii’s stylish goofy footer FRED PATTACHIA made the most of the barrels with his prolific tube-riding ability. The 26 year-old managed a high scoring 9.5 ride to book his round three berth in the Billabong Pro Mundaka.

Australia’s KAI OTTON (Curl Curl) was another goofy footer to perform at the left hand break. The 28 year-old winning his way into the all-important round three. OTTON defeated big wave Tahitian charger MANOA DROLLET (PYF) in a one sided affair.

French favourite JEREMY FLORES out-surfed wildcard opponent MARK OCCHILUPO (AUS) to secure his place in the round three line-up of the Billabong Pro Mundaka . The twenty year-old managing to find the high scoring waves in the tricky line-up to defeat the former event champion.

Local favourite ARITZ ARANBURU (EUK) found his rhythm early to take down American CHIRS WARD and advance into round three of the Billabong Pro Mundaka. The 23 year-old crowd favourite is the first Basque in the sports history to join the ASP world surfing tour. With home-town advantage and a fierce determination ARANBURU is capable of an upset.

Fellow Basque surfer ANEKO ACERO is set to become apart of the sports history having drawn eight time world champion KELLY SLATER in round three of the Billabong Pro Mundaka tomorrow. Thirty-six year old Slater only has to progress though that one heat to claim his ninth world title. ACERO said no matter which way the heat goes it’s all good for him.

The opening four heats of round three were staged with de Souza, Mick Campbell (Aus), Pattacchia and Joel Parkinson all advancing into round four.

Mundaka is predicted to be at it’s best tomorrow for surfing sensation Kelly Slater’s (USA) possible ninth world title win,

Billabong Pro Mundaka Round 2 Heat Results:
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.00 def. Reubyn Ash (GBR) 6.93
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.83 def. Marco San Segundo (EUK) 9.27
Heat 3: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.67 def. Txaber Trojaola (EUK) 11.50
Heat 4: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.83 def. Hodei Collazo (EUK) 7.83
Heat 5: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.17 def. Mark Occhilupo (AUS) 3.30
Heat 6: Kai Otton (AUS) 9.97 def. Manoa Drollet (PYF) 5.97
Heat 7: Luke Stedman (AUS) 8.84 def. Ricky Basnett (ZAF) 6.63
Heat 8: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 13.50 def. Chris Ward (USA) 12.36
Heat 9: Leonardo Neves (BRA) 11.50 def. Dayyan Neve (AUS) 10.17
Heat 10: Dane Reynolds (USA) 13.60 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 9.26
Heat 11: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 16.83 def. Ben Bourgeois (USA) 9.74
Heat 12: Taylor Knox (USA) 12.93 def. Luke Munro (AUS) 7.16
Heat 13: Royden Bryson (ZAF) 19.37 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 17.26
Heat 14: Tim Reyes (USA) 13.00 def. Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 11.53
Heat 15: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.90 def. Jay Thompson (AUS) 9.33
Heat 16: Ben Dunn (Aus) 15.50 def Pancho Sullivan (Haw) 13.60

ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.00 def. Jihad Kohdr (BRA) 11.33
Heat 2: Mick Campbell (AUS) 13.17 def. Dane Reynolds (USA) 12.03
Heat 3: Freddy Patacchia (HAW) 13.60 def. Roy Powers (HAW) 6.44
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.17 def. Dan Ross (AUS) 9.60