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South Africans march into final weekend at Mr Price Pro
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Antonio Bortoletto (Dbn) and Greg Emslie (El) emerged as the unequivocal standouts of the highly anticipated all South African match-up at the Mr Price Pro at Durban’s New Pier, today.
Pitted against World Qualifying Series No. 4 David Weare (Dbn) and Pro Surf Tour campaigner Devyn Mattheys (EL) in the same heat of the Men’s Round of 48, the four surfers pulled out all the stops, locking in a numerous great scoring rides in one of the most critical clashes of the event to date.
“No one was friendly out there at all,” Bortoletto said. “It was like a final and although we’re all friends out of the water, no one was doing anyone any favours. It was a hard heat, there wasn’t any major hassling but we were pushing each other hard.”
With five minutes remaining Bortoletto, who was already in the lead with an excellent 8.17 and a 6.50, cemented his first place with a 7.47 to take the win over Emslie, who finished in second. Weare suffered a devastating third place finish after Emslie, requiring a 7.00, took a last minute wave which held up well to allow him to score a 7.60.
“It was a really tough heat,” Emslie admitted. “Towards the end the guys were in first and second and they were all hassling, as you do, so I thought it was game over for me. Then as I stood up on my last wave I thought ’you’ve got a second chance here’ so I just went as hard as I could on that wave and I got rewarded for it."
Yesterday’s heat winners Travis Logie (Dbn), Royden Bryson (El) and Jordy Smith (Dbn) continued their superb form winning their respective heats to join Bortoletto and Emslie in the Round of 24.
Logie put on the type of performance we have come to expect from the World Tour campaigner, notching up a 7.10 and 8.33 scores for his critical backhand surfing to defeat highly regarded Australian Adam Melling, Rodrigo Dornelles (Bra) and Warwick Wright (Dbn).
Bryson and Smith followed suit. Tearing apart a number of choice right-handers, Bryson defeated Nathan Yeaomans (USA), Daniel Ross (Aus) and defending Mr Price Pro champion Jihad Khodr (Bra) while Smith disposed of Odirlei Coutinho (Bra), Simao Romao (Bra) and Hodei Collazo (Esp).
“I will take it heat by heat,” Bryson said. “You go into each event hoping to win but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. If I win here I will definitely have a big smile but we’ll just wait and see.”
Rosy Hodge (EL) added to the fantastic showing from the South African’s blowing her competition right out of the water with the highest two-wave heat total of the entire women’s division, an 18.07 (out of a possible 20.00).
Pitted against former ASP World Tour competitor Laurina McGrath (Aus) who posted an excellent 9.33, as well as former two-time Mr Price Pro champion Jacqueline Silva (Bra), Hodge’s years of experience on Durban’s Golden Mile paid off when she was able to pick off an excellent 8.50 followed by an even more impressive 9.57 for a convincing victory and a spot in the Quarterfinals.
“I was really nervous going into that heat because it was pretty stacked,” Hodge said. “When I got out there I realised that the waves were getting super fun so I waited there for a while and then got a smoker, and when I heard the score I thought ’I gotta get another one like that!’
ASP World Masters Champion Heather Clark (Port Shepstone) was the only other advancing South African in the Women’s division, placing second behind former ASP World No. 2 Silvana Lima (Bra).
Australian aerial specialist Josh Kerr was responsible for much excitement later in the day when he managed to jump from fourth into second in the dying seconds of his afternoon heat. Kerr scored a 9.77 for his series of lightening fast backhand turns advancing into the next round behind heat winner Chris Davidson (USA).
WQS No. 10 Brett Simpson (USA) posted his best result at the Mr Price Pro reaching the Round of 12, his relaxed yet radical top to bottom surfing earning 8.00 and 9.50 scores for the highest mens heat total of the day, a 17.50.
Tomorrow sees the women’s competition draw to completion with the Finals scheduled for 14h45 which will see the 2008 Mr Price Pro Women’s Champion crowded at approximately 15h30. The day’s action kicks off with the Men’s Round of 24 at 08h00 followed by the Women’s Quarterfinals at 11h20, Semifinals at 13h00 and Glodina Expression Session at 14h00.
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Q&A; with Australian teenage sensation Sally Fitzgibbons
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Australian phenom Sally Fitzgibbons’ exciting surfing scored her an 8.33 and a 9.10 in her opening heat in the Womens’ Round of 48. Craig Ritchie caught up with the latest addition to the ASP Women’s World Tour as she left the water with an excellent combined heat total of 17.43.
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