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Breathing it in, and the yin and yang of Kelly and Davo. |
Take away the flag and the speaker and it’s like a 70s flashback. Pic Col B
Believe the mystical talk – Jeffery’s Bay is indeed sprinkled with gold dust. Walking onto the deck of my beachside digs, situated right a top the Supertubes section of this most famous of right hand point breaks, literally took my breath away. Like a sappy ‘Mills And Boon’ novel it was love at first sight. Despite being ground down by stories of South Africa’s jewel break over the years she didn’t disappoint. Sun shinning, five-to-six foot grinders hugging the point and only three guys out. Yes, the Billabong Pro had begun.
I’ve only spoken with two competitors since being at ground zero. Kelly Slater told me of the horror run he’d endured via the international airline system to get here. A story so painfully full of delays, re-routes and mechanical failures I dare not mutter any complaint about my average night in Durban. The other surfer I spoke with was top 15 fireball Chris Davidson who excitedly told me of a barrel he’d scored days earlier right out front, “That went from here to that plant in the dunes,” Davo points to dark orange plant a good 80 meters away. He’s not exaggerating – if what I’m witnessing is anything to go by. I ponder the different scenarios the two surfers have positioned themselves in. Kelly, jetlagged and tired, but laughing at his misfortune, and Davo surf pumped and already feeling the grove of this wondrous wave.
As I watch Dane Reynolds rip into three rail hungry wraps I laugh to myself, ‘Joel Parkinson is out injured, he’s leading the ratings and J Bay is firing.’ Kelly will be fine. In fact bet your house on it he wins ten in 2010.
Dane loving life inside the womb. Pic: ASP
But what about Davo? He’s sitting 13th on the tour and would love a top 10 birth – and I think the surfing community would like to see that too. Listening to Occy’s commentary reminding me that we all love a come back-story.
Note: Aussie Adam Melling won his first heat in 2010 world tour against Taylor Knox and Luke Munro. No doubt his time out Lennox Head holding him in good stead at JBay.
Also, Timmy Reyes (USA) comes in for the injured Joel Parkinson.
Billabong Pro Jeffrey’s Bay Round 1 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Taylor Knox (USA) 2nd, Luke Munro (AUS) 3rd, Adam Melling (AUS) 1st
Heat 2: Jadson Andre (BRA) 3rd, Andy Irons (HAW) 1st, Jay Thompson (AUS) 2nd
Heat 3: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 2nd, Luke Stedman (AUS) 3rd, Nate Yeomans (USA) 1st
Heat 4: Dane Reynolds (USA) 1st, Daniel Ross (AUS) 3rd, Marco Polo (BRA) 2nd
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) 1st, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 2nd, Blake Thornton (AUS)3rd
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Tiago Pires (PRT), Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 7: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Tom Whitaker (USA), Joan Duru (FRA)
Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA), Damien Hobgood (USA), Shaun Joubert (ZAF)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Dale Staples (ZAF)
Heat 10: Mick Fanning (AUS), Roy Powers (HAW), Sean Holmes (ZAF)
Heat 11: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 12: Fred Patacchia (HAW), Pat Gudauskas (USA), Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 13: Michel Bourez (PYF), Dean Morrison (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 14: Chris Davidson (AUS), Mick Campbell (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 15: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Ben Dunn (AUS), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 16: Owen Wright (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF), Drew Courtney (AUS)
Watch it live now – Billabongpro.com
My very first view of J-Bay, breath it in, it always goes down smooth. Pic: Col B
