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There’s no flying cars, or hover craft skateboards, but is the future finally here? Dane Reynolds and Jordy Smith’s surfng today points to the affirmitive. |
Aerial opps don’t come often at Snapper, Jordy Smith relying on his bang game. Pic: ASP/Tostee
Dane Reynolds and Jordy Smith hijacking of the ASP top 5 has been a long time coming – but the wait appears to be over. Both asserted themselves as legitimate title contenders in a groundbreaking day of surfing at the Quiksilver Pro. They weren’t the only stars throwing down on the long Snapper walls but they were arguable two of the most exciting – along with Taj Burrow that is.
Things got moving early when the evergreen Taj lit up Chris Davidson in round four. Posting a scintillating16.53. A solid display from the 2009 Pipeline Master. Shaking the remnants of a cold TB, let the front-siders coming up in on a little secret – how to score big at the Superbank.
Sure we’re excited about Dane and Jordy, but we’re still excited about Taj Burrow too. Pic: ASP/Tostee
And still are. Following that Bobby Martinez and Kai Otton did the same in their respective heats for the goofys. Kai’s win especially poignant against world champ and white-hot favourite Michael Fanning. Joel Parkinson followed the script a little more closely and surfed passed Fred Patachia.
Bobby Martinez sorting out the suds. Pic: ASP/Tostee
Then it was Dane. He spoke of struggling with boards and rust but showed flashes of unbridled brilliance to dispose of Dan Ross who valiantly topped the world qualifying series last year to earn his spot back where he belongs. While the heat was on Kelly spoke about Dane’s bag of tricks. “You’re not going to win against Dane with two fives. Dane can take a crappy wave do two turns and get a ten. He did it last year with those two airs.” He didn’t score a ten, but Dane was through to the quarters for a match up against Parko. And in an ominous hint of confidence answered a question about not yet having that magic heat? “I can feel it coming.” Ooooh.
Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Minotauro Nogueira catches up with his hero, Kelly Slater. Pic: Col B
Bede Durbidge got barrelled and Kieren Perrow bumbled in the next heat. Then it was the showdown of the old and the new. Kelly – the second oldest surfer on tour at 38 -– against the 22-year-old assassin in the wings, Jordy Smith. Mental video parts filled with flashy airs are one thing but Jordy is yet to make a wt final. Having never surfed against Kelly before he had a chance to gauge his market value against the best. Commenting that he was just stoked to be in the water with Kelly was a nice gesture but Jordy showed no such curtesy in the water and was on the offence from the get go. In a pre-heat interview with the webcast crew Kelly had said, “When he [Jordy] puts it together he’s devastating.” Well – devastating he was. Kelly coping the big South African’s sleeping potential come to life.
From there it was time to re-group. The women were unleashed on the line up and three surfers stood out. Sally Fitzgibbon, Tyler Wright and of course Steph Gilmore. Steph in particular setting new heights with a powerful and varied attack on the golden green walls that stopped small talk in the crowd and the VIP deck. But men rain supreme in contest director Rod Brooks schedule planning mind and as the tide retreated quarter finalists Taj Burrow and Adriano De Souza were out there. TB is the new cool. His bubbly mojo on land excelling his surfing in the water. A happy and relaxed TB is a dangerous apponent. And despite a re-start of the heat seemingly going ahead despite Adriano taking a wave before the required ten minute mark (9.45) Taj was a worthy winner and needed no help. Surfing electric in the white singlet Taj posted a huge 9.27 and an 8.43 to dust the resilient Brazilian.
An elated Taj and a pensive Jordy. Opposite ends of the heat process. Pics: Col B
The lovable rough Kai Otton’s run then came to an end. Admitting to tracksmag.com that, “the wheels fell off.” Losing Kai from the draw was like losing your left nut. You can keep swinging but it just won’t be as much fun. Bobby Martinez a typically modest and humble winner when I asked him if he could be only the second goofy to win the event, “Oh, no, I can’t even think about that.”
And then it happened. Dane v Parko and Jordy v Bede. I was torn between blind patriotic passion and the love of the underdog. Parko certainly was the favourite but Dane was in touch with the gods. Dialling in waves that bowled like liquid quarter pipes and smashing the living daylights out of them. First wave was a 9.27. A score reflecting the judges (and crowds) love of top to bottom surfing that was uninterrupted by check turns of any kind. Parko was not letting himself or his fans down at all when he posted an 8.50 he was simply aiming up to what is waves offered. Having to cut back and foam tap a few sections cruelling his hopes for a nine or better. Before he could make it back into the line-up Dane was belting another wave into submission for an 8.10. Parko had a few misses before locking in a come back 8.97. Again before team Joel could contemplate his next move – Dane went one step further. Continuing his love affair with his new board that we’ve dubbed the Virgin, Dane finished another lessen in glitch free transitional surfing with a triple back-door barrel that he had no right to make.
Dane scored a 9.27, 8.10, 7.70 and a 9.93 in his quarter. One hell of a hand for any era of pro surfing. Pic: ASP/Tostee
And that was that. A 9.27 and a 9.93 the type of score even Parko must conceded too eventually. When Joel passed me on the surfer’s deck afterwards I could feel his pain. Choosing not to console him a wise move I’m sure. But worrying about Parko doing well this year is like worrying about the reserve bank raising interest rates – futile. He will be world champion or come very, very close.
Dane and a sweet tender moment as he spots his lovely girl Courtney through the thick media scrum. Pic: Col B
With Dane through to the semi finals Jordy was in the hot seat. To keep up his end of the media made bargain beating Bede was a must. No easy task. Bede has been on a ruckus roll that looked unstoppable. Tube rides at high tide, big tail-blasts and impeccable wave selection. Jordy was having nothing of it. He didn’t flip out and try turn the judges on with trickery, he pivoted on his heels on the kind of tight arcs Pythagoras would be proud. The angles and mathematics’, perfect. Was he as outrageous and dangerous as Dane? No. But he will have his moment when the two face up in the semi. If the future is here and these two kick on into the year with equal vergence the top five is looking like a crowded sweaty bus – someone’s gotta get off.
By Col B
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.86 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.50
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.53 def. Chris Davidson (AUS) 10.60
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA) 16.06 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 12.43
Heat 4: Kai Otton (AUS) 15.76 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.57
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.44 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 14.23
Heat 6: Dane Reynolds (USA) 12.63 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 10.33
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.97 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 9.17
Heat 8: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.10 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 13.17
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 17.70 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.40
QF 2: Bobby Martinez (USA) 16.66 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 10.64
QF 3: Dane Reynolds (USA) 19.20 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.47
QF 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.10 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.77
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS:
SF 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Bobby Martinez (USA)
SF 2: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)
