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Hodge, Guy and Jones lead the South African charge
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Former South African Champions Quinton Jones (CT) and Roseanne Hodge (EL) proved undeterred by the shifting conditions on offer at Durban’s New Pier today, as an East South East swell and onshore breeze drove an uncharacteristic left over the sand bank at the Mr Price Pro.
Twelve of the 18-strong South African contingent was eliminated yet Jones and Hodge remained standouts with solid victories in their respective Round of 144 and Round of 24 heats.
“It’s kinda weird, I’ve been surfing at New Pier for about 20 years and I’ve never surfed an event where I’ve gone left,” Jones said. “A lot of the guys were sticking to the rights but the swell direction was pushing it down the beach, so it’s kind of running away from you the whole time while on the lefts, it’s coming towards you so you have more of a lip to actually come off the bottom and off the top.”
A top level national junior coach, Jones set a fine example for his numerous prodigies, tearing apart the lefts to become the only South African surfer to win his heat in the Men’s division.
“I think we had one decent set and I got a 7.3 and I was pretty stoked with that,” Jones said. “I’ve always been competitive but there’s no pressure on me anymore. To compete in an event like this is special but my life no longer depends on contest results, it depends on how the kids are doing and making sure that they’re getting results.”
World No. 11 Rosy Hodge (EL) dominated the shifting line-up with a sensational 9.43 ride (out of a possible 10.00) after an almost devastating interference call against Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) at the start of the heat.
The experienced international campaigner, who currently holds down the runner-up position on the WQS tour, went to town on a reeling right-hander, slicing its wall with a series of critical off the tops and power carves to seal the win over Pauline Ado (FRA), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) and Leilani Grye (HAW).
“I was mad at myself for even going on that wave,” Hodge admitted. “That interference was kind of nuts but I just thought to myself ‘the heat’s not over’ and then a really good one came through and I took off and I was kind of angry so I just put my all into it and it worked out.”
Former Western Province Champion Stacey Guy (CT) followed Hodges lead, taking her second straight victory off an excellent 8.33 ride.
Guy defeated former 2X Mr Price Pro Champion Jacqueline Silova (BRA) with a 15.00 heat total, to advance ahead of the Brazilian whilst eliminating Kirsty Delport (DBN) and Myriam Imaz (ESP) from the event.
Other South Africans to advance today included ASP Africa Pro Junior ratings leader Klee Strachan (DBN) who placed second to Brazilian standout Raoni Monteiro in the Men’s division, while Bianca Buitendag (VBAY) took first place over Heather Clark (PSHEP) in the Women’s division.
Overall, it was the Brazilian surfers who proved toughest to beat with Raoni Monteiro and Andre Silva looking flawless at New Pier.
Monteiro lead the charge with the highest individual wave score of the event so far, a 9.57 while Silva threw his weight around with a massive two-wave heat total of 17.33 (out of 20.00).
Riding a smaller board and no leash, Monteiro held nothing back going for a big opening turn followed by an incredible layback slide, contorting his body and regaining control to ride all the way to the inside for a near perfect score.
“First of all I am sick, I came from Brazil with a fever, and my head feels like it weighs 20 kilo’s,” Monteiro said. “But I like the waves here, it looks like home with the sandbars. It’s just great, I feel comfortable and I’m staying in the hotel in front of the beach so we watch the heats from our window.”
Posting his first 8 point ride on a right-hander, Andre Silva tucked into another of the day’s rewarding ‘lefts’, performing a massive off the top, a clean powerful carve and a stylish tail slide on the closeout to earn his second excellent scoring ride.
“I caught the left just after I paddled back out from my good 8.50, and I went over to where the lefts were breaking,” Silva said. “Abdel [El Harim] and Jay [Quinn] stayed over to the rights, and I saw this perfect clean wave coming. I caught it and it was just perfect, and I’m so happy that I managed to get good waves on both the lefts and the rights.”
Gilmar Silva was the third of the day’s Brazilian standouts, scoring an 8.17 after tearing apart a mediocre left, and then a 7.17 for a good cleaner right hander to win with an impressive total of 15.87.
Hawaii’s Dustin Barca put on an impressive performance on a borrowed board after his didn’t arrive in time for his heat, earning a 15.44 to win his match-up. German surfer Marlon Lipke (now of Portugal) blew the back off a right hander, with radical off the bottom off the top combinations that were rewarded with a 9.17 and a comfortable heat win of his own.
Four heats of the Men’s Round of 96 were completed later in the afternoon, top seed Jeremy Flores (FRA), Glenn Hall (Aus), Sunny Garcia (Haw) and Corey Zeims (AUS) all advancing in first place.
Tomorrow sees the remainder of the Round of 96 completed.
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Q&A; with surfing icon Shaun Tomson
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World renowned South African surfing icon Shaun Tomson has arrived in Durban as an honorary guest at the ninth annual 6-Star ASP World Qualifying Series Mr Price Pro. The six times winner of the Gunston 500 (predecessor to the Mr Price Pro), will use the opportunity to promote the South African premiere of his surf documentary film ’Bustin Down the Door’, which opens in Nu Metro Cinema’s in July.
read more
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