Gold Coast, Australia (Sunday 6th March, 2011): WORLD No.5 Bede Durbidge (Aus) was the first big scalp bundled out of the Quiksilver Pro today, falling in a shock upset against unheralded teenage wildcard Matt Banting (Aus). Considered one of the favourites heading into the opening ASP World Title event of the year, Currumbin surfer Durbidge struggled in the 1.5m waves and was completely upstaged by 16-year-old Port Macquarie prodigy Banting.
Durbidge has been a consistent finalist at the event finishing in the quarters or better for the past five years but today the 28 year-old could only manage a combined two-wave total of 4 out of a possible 20 in the tricky high-tide conditions. Banting used smart surfing strategy and stylish manoeuvres to advance into round three with a combined 9.43.
The young gun will need to remain at the top his game against ten-time world champion KELLY SLATER (USA) in the scheduled final heat 6 of today's round three. The match-up is
World No.7 Adrian Buchan, from the NSW Central Coast, stemmed the flow of upsets with a victory over Quiksilver Trials wildcard winner Mitch Crews. Buchan controlled the round two heat en route to a combined two-wave score of 14.17, putting himself in good enough position to fend of a late charge from Australasian Pro Junior champion Crews (Currumbin, Qld), who finished with 13.10. Buchan
Buchan who earlier in the day had twittered 'Tiger Blood and Winning' said the Charlie Sheen banter has become apart of the surfers
Brazilian big gun Adriano de Souza also progressed to Round 3, clocking a combined two-wave score of 10.83 to eliminate young French young gun Marc Lacomare with 8.66. de Souza used his experience to pick off the better scoring rides and dominate from start to finish. Twenty year-old Lacomare was gracious in defeat though frustrated his inability to find any waves of high scoring potential.
In an all-Californian duel, Brett Simpson, 26, (USA) eliminated fellow American rookie Pat Gudauskas, 25, (USA) with the day's most impressive performance to storm through to Rd 3.
In low-tide conditions, Simpson found his rhythm midway through the heat to lock in the day's highest wave score of a 8.40 (out of a possible 10) before quickly backing up with an 8.33 for a heat high of 16.73 (out of a possible 20). Gudauskas posted a heat total of 9.90 to finish equal 25th overall.
Competition was halted at the end of round two. Former two-time Quiksilver Pro champion Mick Fanning (Aus) will take on Hawaii's Dusty Payne when competition recommences in the ASP men's world title event.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.
When competition resumes, up first will be former two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), 29, up against progressive islander Dusty Payne (HAW), 22, in the opening heat of Round 3.
Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast will be available via http://www.quiksilverpro.com.au
The event will also be broadcast LIVE free-to-air on One HD.
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1:Matt Banting (AUS) 9.43 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 4.00
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.17 def. Mitch Crews (AUS) 13.10
Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 10.83 def. Marc Lacomare (FRA) 8.66
Heat 4: Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.40 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 4.80
Heat 5: Cory Lopez (USA) 7.83 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 4.77
Heat 6: Jadson Andre (BRA) 10.17 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 9.00
Heat 7: Dusty Payne (HAW) 12.33 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 10.83
Heat 8: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 12.60 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.27
Heat 9: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.73 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 7.06
Heat 10: Brett Simpson (USA) 16.73 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 9.90
Heat 11: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.50 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 10.50
Heat 12: Heitor Alves (BRA) 14.50 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 12.83
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 2: Jadson Andre (BRA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 4: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 5: Heitor Alves (BRA) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Matt Banting (AUS)
Heat 7: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 8: Brett Simpson (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 9: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 10: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 11: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 12: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Pauline Ado (FRA) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
Heat 2: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
Heat 3: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
