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Tracks Across America: Best Day Of Aerial Surfing In Pro-history
By Luke Kennedy | 09 September 2011 |
 Josh Kerr officially became the Tony Hawk of pro surfing today – the bar has been lifted. Pic: ASP/Rowland It was a blue-ribbon day for progressive surfing. Maybe it was the fact we were in New York, a city that insists you put on a show, or perhaps it had something to do with the $300 000 first prize on offer, or it might simply have been the fact that around mid-morning the wind went light cross-shore and converted the three-foot peaks into an aquatic skate-park for the aerial specialists. Josh Kerr began the day hovering around the rooftops of the Long Beach condos, which line the beach. He swivelled high through an alley-oop in his round three heat against Raoni Monteiro and landed with a 7.5 in his quota. The judges sending a message they were in a mood to deliver high scores for single, big turns. At that point the lineup was still made up of dreamy offshore peaks. Kerrsy would prove twice as lethal once the wind went sideways.
Spreading stoke in unchartered professional surfing territories, Josh Kerr. Pic: ASP/Rowland Next up Heitor “ helicopter” Alvez chopped down Ace Buchan with a massive backside air reverse. Significantly Heitor’s rotation was fully complete when he landed, and he made no use of his mittens in the move. The judges rewarded him handsomely with a 9.43. To take down Kai Otton, Parko slotted himself in a chocolate barrel that made moving to Long Beach seem like a viable alternative. But Parko would need to find the take off gear if he wanted to claim this ‘smash and grab’ gig. When I quizzed Joel about whether or not the money was playing on his mind, he grinned and stated,“I'm trying not to think about it.” Obviously he was.
It was the "Helicopter" and moves like this that helped Hietor Alvez take down Ace Buchan. Pic/ASP/Kirstin By the time Julian Wilson flew like the green hornet in his jade, Nike wetsuit and Owen Wright flung his rubber-band frame into a couple of massive airs something significant had transpired. The Quiksilver Pro New York was beginning to resemble an event in the defunct aerial tour. And damn it was good to watch. Julian agreed that the judges were looking for surfers with pilot training but had his own ideas on what was required. “ They’re scoring pretty big but I think you need a couple of turns before you take to the sky to get the nines.” As the day unfolded those preliminary turns in fact proved to be unnecessary. Commenting on the cash incentive, Julian was far more adamant than Parko. “ I’m not even thinking about it, the points are more important to me now.”
Jadson Andre's fly boy front-side aerial attack captured from the water. Pic: Matt Clark Taj had different ideas. After he toasted Adriano and Jeremy in their no-lose, round four heat, I pinned him on the dollar question. “Is it going to make you nervous or go for it?” “Oh, go for it definitely. You don’t want to be nervous, that won’t do you any good.” The best was yet to come though. Kelly looked to have control of the heat with Kerrsy and Jadson Andre after nailing a massive 9.37 alley-oop. The bald eagle had his talons in deep but it took Josh Kerr just two minutes to clip his wings. After falling on several early waves Kerrsy grabbed an unassuming looking left peak and proceeded to launch high on his backside and land goofy. The “varial” which involved spinning the board beneath his feet mid-air, so he landed switch-foot, was one of the most technically complex airs I’ve ever seen completed in world tour competition. The judges delivered a 9.50.
He lives and breaths this type of show-up, blow-up, style of surfing. Taj Burrow going big in New York. Pic: ASP/Kirstin One of the big challenges they were being faced with as a result of so much aerial hi-jinx, was determining which moves have the highest degree of difficulty and therefore warrant the biggest scores. Moments after the varial, Kerrsy landed a silky alley-oop, locked in a 9.7 and grabbed an unassailable lead. Kelly rallied, even burning Kerrsy and incurring an interference on his last wave; a demonstration of how badly he still wants it. Everyone on the beach felt they’d just been treated to something special. Jadson had also soared and perhaps Alejo Muniz summed it up best in another post-heat interview. “ That heat would have been a part in any video.” Kerrsy was adopting the Taj approach when it came to the cash. When I asked if it was going to make him go for it more, he smiled diamonds and stated, “Of course.” When the wind swung full onshore the acrobatics were a little stifled but those with the ability to boost at will still thrived. It’s little surprise three Brazilians, Alejo Muniz, Jadson Andre and Heitor Alvez will paddle out in the quarters. Each one knows that this event is probably their best chance at a world tour win. It just so happens it’s the one worth $300 000 for first.
Tracks takes you there – Josh Kerr's aerial antics from the water. Pic: Matt Clark Equipped with his five-fin board, Kelly will face Josh Kerr in a rematch likely to rival an Ali V Frazier clash. Kelly likes the five-fin because it has the properties of a quad but the little stabiliser gives him a tad more bite through the turns instead of that floaty feeling. With Mick and Parko out, Owen Wright and Julian Wilson will meet in the final quarter. These two are heralded as the future of Australian surfing and it’s a huge opportunity for each of them, particularly Julian to fulfill the expectations that have been bestowed upon them. Taj has more experience but has a history of choking at crucial stages. Maybe this event will prove different. Either way someone will walk away with $300 000 bucks. It’s not quite the eight million that will go to the winner of the US open, which is being played up the road but it’s still the best pay day surfing has ever seen.
Looking down on the event from one of the surrounding apartment blocks, Brett Simpson, punt. Pic: Matt Clark Qualification Updates: Post New York Cut-Off Ten years after winning the world title in 2001 C.J Hobgood fell off the tour today. Contrary to what was suggested yesterday Taylor Knox retains his position on tour as does Kai Otton. Fred Patacchia and Travis Logie will retain their spots after being awarded the two available asp wild-cards. Yadin Nicol also qualifies, however because of his injury Jon Flroence [Formerly Jon-Jon] will step onto the tour as the injury alternative. Yadin will have the opportunity to apply for the wild-card at the end of the year if he chooses not to surf in any events for the remainder of 2011 and it is almost certain that he will still get his chance to be on tour. Dave Stanfield quote of the day. [Dave is the big man in the US beach commentary team.] “I think he’s listening to the Macarena” Dave, suggesting what he thought was playing on Jadson Andre’s headphones, before he went out. UPCOMING QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK QUARTERFINALS MATCH-UPS: QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 5 RESULTS: QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 4 RESULTS: QUIKSILVER PRO NEW YORK ROUND 3 RESULTS: |
