After waiting out lightning and high winds the Volcom Fiji Pro finally got to finish off the last two heats of Round 2 with Bede Durbidge edging Adam Melling and Kai Otton rolling past Raoni Monteiro in 10 – 12 foot Cloudbreak surf.
“Those were the biggest most perfect waves I’ve ever surfed,” Durbidge said. “It was pretty nerve-wracking being first up. We were on and then off and then on again. You have to be prepared to go. I think everyone on tour is more than capable of handling Cloudbreak as big as it gets, we just have to pick our window with the wind. Mello (Adam Melling) was charging out there too so tough luck to him but I’m pumped to get some bombs and get through to Round 3.”
Round 3 could begin today with Taj Burrow and Durbidge kicking things off. Follow the jump for the official word.CLOUDBREAK, Tavarua/Fiji (Friday, June 8, 2012) – The Volcom Fiji Pro completed the remaining two heats of Round 2 this morning in maxing 12-to-15 foot (4 – 5 metro) waves at Cloudbreak.
Event No. 4 of 10 on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, the Volcom Fiji Pro took advantage of a small window of ideal winds to complete the round before calling competition off for the day.
Bede Durbidge (AUS), 29, survived a hard-fought battle with compatriot Adam Melling (AUS), 27, in the opening heat of the day. Durbidge showcased an impressive command of the conditions, netting a 15.43 out of a possible 20 en route to his Round 2 win.
“Those were the biggest most perfect waves I’ve ever surfed,” Durbidge said. “It was pretty nerve-wracking being first up. We were on and then off and then on again. You have to be prepared to go. I think everyone on tour is more than capable of handling Cloudbreak as big as it gets, we just have to pick our window with the wind. Mello (Adam Melling) was charging out there too so tough luck to him but I’m pumped to get some bombs and get through to Round 3.”
Durbidge will take on Taj Burrow (AUS), 34, in the opening heat of Round 3 when competition recommences.
Kai Otton (AUS), 32, exhibited a sterling case of forehand bravado in the final heat of the day, rebounding from a late charge from Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 30, to claim their Round 2 heat.
“It is really really big out there,” Otton said. “Really big and really perfect. Raoni (Monteiro) gets the hero award today. He pulled into a monster and got crushed for it. If that wave didn’t come in for me at the end, that would have been it for me. Thankfully it did and I survive to surf another day.”
Monteiro pulled into an incredibly large barrel towards the end of his heat, earning huge cheers from the hundreds in the channel. Unfortunately, the Brazilian paid for his heroics with a hyper-extended ligament in his knee.
Otton will face Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, in Round 3 of the Volcom Fiji Pro.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start.
Highlights from the Volcom Fiji Pro will be available via www.volcom.com/fijipro
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
VOLCOM FIJI PRO REMAINING ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 15.43 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 14.23
Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.33 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 12.34
VOLCOM FIJI PRO ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 3: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Damien Hobgood (USA)
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 5: Alejo Muniz (BRA) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Mitch Coleborn (AUS)
Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 8: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 9: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 10: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Heat 12: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
