{"id":44427,"date":"2013-12-11T15:17:54","date_gmt":"2013-12-11T23:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/?p=44427"},"modified":"2013-12-11T15:23:12","modified_gmt":"2013-12-11T23:23:12","slug":"slaters-world-title-hopes-not-dead-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/?p=44427","title":{"rendered":"Slater’s World Title Hopes Not Dead Yet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Slater<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s the current 2013 ASP World Title situation: After losing to John John Florence<\/strong> and Nat Young<\/strong> (thanks to a last second interference against Florence) Mick Fanning<\/strong> was bumped into round 5 where he will face barrel riding magician CJ Hobgood<\/strong>. If Mick loses to CJ AND Kelly Slater<\/strong> wins the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters<\/a><\/strong>, then Mr. Slater will win his 12th ASP world title. If Kelly wins and Mick gets third place or second, then Mick wins his third world title. If Kelly doesn’t win the Pipe Masters, Mick wins. See how crazy all this stuff is getting?<\/p>\n

While the deck appears to be stacked against Slater he stayed right on message all day, both in his round 3 heat against Mitch Crews<\/strong> and his round 4 heat against 2012 Vans Triple Crown winner Sebastian Zietz<\/strong> and Miguel Pupo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was worried this-morning about the conditions,\u201d Slater said. \u201cJohn John (Florence) and I were out trying to catch a couple of waves and I kind of thought \u2018maybe we shouldn\u2019t run, maybe we should wait and hour or two until it gets better.\u2019 It seemed like it turned on during my heat and some kind of energy came through for me. I knew I had to make that heat, you can\u2019t let those things escape your mind, that was the reality of the situation, but it\u2019s not going to change how you go out there and perform. I had to go out there focused.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Surfline is calling for a rising swell on Friday, December 13, 2013, and a pretty large swell on Saturday. It would appear that round 5 through the finals will go down on Saturday, December 14, 2013. And you just might want to tune in as it just may be the heaviest day in pro surfing history. Follow the jump for the official word from the ASP.PIPELINE, Oahu\/Hawaii (Tuesday, December 10, 2013) – The 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons resumed today in six foot (2 metro) barrels and there was no shortage of drama in the ASP World Title race between Mick Fanning (AUS), 32, and Kelly Slater (USA), 41. There was also a shift in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Rankings as well as qualification developments for the 2014 WCT.
\nThe Billabong Pipe Masters represents the pinnacle of the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour, deciding the ASP World Title, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, and final slots for 2014 ASP WCT qualification.<\/p>\n

Mick Fanning, two-time ASP World Champion and current No. 1, dominated his Round 3 clash with wildcard Kaimana Jaquias (HAW), 20, but unexpectedly erred in his three-man Round 4 heat against John John Florence (HAW), 21, and Nat Young (USA), 22. A last minute paddle battle with heat leader Florence in the closing seconds of the match took him from second to third and now pits him against one of the best Pipeline surfers in the world: C.J. Hobgood (USA), 34, in Round 5. Meanwhile, Slater skips Round 5 and heads straight to the Quarterfinals after his Round 4 win.<\/p>\n

Clearly disappointed with his misstep, Fanning couldn\u2019t leave the beach fast enough and wasn\u2019t prepared to talk about how this affects his approach to the final day of competition.<\/p>\n

Kelly Slater was electric in his bid for a historic 12th ASP World Title, earning the high heat-totals of both Round 3 and 4. Slater tore past Smith Crews (AUS), 23, with a 17.66 out of 20 heat total for incredible Pipeline and Backdoor barrels and backed up the performance with a 17.50 out of 20 in Round 4.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was worried this-morning about the conditions,\u201d Slater said. \u201cJohn John (Florence) and I were out trying to catch a couple of waves and I kind of thought \u2018maybe we shouldn\u2019t run, maybe we should wait and hour or two until it gets better.\u2019 It seemed like it turned on during my heat and some kind of energy came through for me. I knew I had to make that heat, you can\u2019t let those things escape your mind, that was the reality of the situation, but it\u2019s not going to change how you go out there and perform. I had to go out there focused.\u201d<\/p>\n

John John Florence, took an incredible come-from-behind victory in Round 3 against an on-fire Brazilian Gabriel Medina (BRA), 19. In need of an excellent ride in the dying minutes of the heat, he drove through an unbelievable Backdoor barrel, earning a near-perfect 9.83 for the ride to advance to Round 4.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was nervous when I found out Gabriel (Medina) was in my heat,\u201d Florence said. \u201cI watched his heat yesterday and he was getting 8s on every wave and doing huge airs, so I was kind of freaked out. Days like this, you can\u2019t be picky and I think I caught about 10 waves before I made one. I hit the bottom and was rattled until the end. That last backdoor wave was really perfect and once I came through the section it was just perfect and easy from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Florence used his momentum in Round 4 for another win and now takes the lead on the Vans Triple Crown Rankings.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year I had a lot of pressure on me and I feel a lot more relieved this year,\u201d Florence said. \u201cThat heat came up against Gabe and I started feeling that pressure again, but now I\u2019m just happy to have a little jump-start going. I\u2019m just going to go out there and try and surf and get waves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yadin Nicol (AUS), 28, claimed two heat victories today, topping fellow Western Australian Taj Burrow (AUS), 35, in a close heat in Round 3 and would earn the second perfect 10 of Billabong Pipe Masters in Round 4. Nicol took off deep on a Pipe set wave and survived a critical drop followed by a perfect tube-ride to earn the flawless score and move on to the Quarterfinals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you surf Pipe with only a few people you expect to get a lot of waves and sometimes it doesn\u2019t happen,\u201d Nicol said. \u201cWhen you see those perfect ones come in you\u2019re half excited and half thinking \u2018don\u2019t blow it.\u2019 I took off on that one and got a little excited and put my hands up when I came out. I was just excited to get through that heat and that was a great wave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 32, reigning ASP World Champion and defending Billabong Pipe Masters champion, moved one step closer to a repeat victory today with a slow Round 3 heat win. Parkinson\u2019s victory was bitter-sweet, however, as his victory dashed close friend Dusty Payne\u2019s chances of requalification for the 2014 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT).<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a couple waves out there that we didn\u2019t make, but to be put in a position where you have to surf against a friend that you want on tour, and I want dusty on tour more than anything, it\u2019s horrible,\u201d Parkinson said. \u201cI really wanted him on tour, he\u2019s such a good talent and a good guy and a good friend. I told Dusty I wasn\u2019t going to hassle him on any wave that I didn\u2019t have priority for and I was even looking for waves for him when I didn\u2019t have priority, thinking \u2018maybe this one.\u2019 I wasn\u2019t going to just roll over though, you don\u2019t really get many chances to win a Pipe Masters and you\u2019ve got to have a go while you\u2019re there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miguel Pupo (BRA), 22, earned a crucial Round 3 heat victory today, eliminating Australian charger Josh Kerr (AUS), 28, by way of an impressive 9-point Pipeline barrel. Pupo\u2019s advancement to Round 4 officially confirms his position on the 2014 ASP WCT.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that was going to be a hard heat against Josh (Kerr) and knew I\u2019d need some big scores,\u201d Pupo said. \u201cThat was a big heat for me to get through and I was so relieved when I got that 9. I just saw that 9 coming in and made the drop and knew I just had to come out. Hopefully I can keep going and make a few more heats.\u201d<\/p>\n

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am local time for a possible 8am start to Billabong Pipe Masters competition.<\/p>\n

The Billabong Pipe Masters holds a waiting period from December 8-20, 2013 and is webcast LIVE via vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com<\/p>\n

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com.<\/p>\n

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS ROUND 3 RESULTS:
\nHeat 1: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 12.66 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.66
\nHeat 2: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.33 def. Fred Patacchia (HAW) 7.13
\nHeat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.97 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 8.33
\nHeat 4: Nat Young (USA) 14.97 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.40
\nHeat 5: John John Florence (HAW) 16.23 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.00
\nHeat 6: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.63 def. Kaimana Jaquias (HAW) 6.27
\nHeat 7: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 14.67 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 9.76
\nHeat 8: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 13.77 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 9.17
\nHeat 9: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.66 def. Mitch Crews (AUS) 3.30
\nHeat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.33 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 10.96
\nHeat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 17.10 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.67
\nHeat 12: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.56 def. Dusty Payne (AUS) 7.33<\/p>\n

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS ROUND 4 RESULTS:
\nHeat 1: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 14.83, Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.96, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.84
\nHeat 2:John John Florence (HAW) 16.37, Nat Young (USA) 14.00, Mick Fanning (AUS) 11.51
\nHeat 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.56, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 14.50, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 11.17
\nHeat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.77, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12.57, Kai Otton (AUS) 7.60<\/p>\n

BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS ROUND 5 MATCH UPS:
\nHeat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Mick Fanning (AUS)
\nHeat 2: Nat Young (USA) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
\nHeat 3: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
\nHeat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)<\/p>\n

Current Vans Triple Crown Top 5:
\n1 \u2013 John John Florence (HAW) 10,600 points
\n2 \u2013 Jeremy Flores (FRA) 10,400 points
\n3 – Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 10,100 points
\n4 – Yadin Nicol (AUS) 9,300 points
\n5 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 8,400 points<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here’s the current 2013 ASP World Title situation: After losing to John John Florence and Nat Young (thanks to a last second interference against Florence) Mick Fanning was bumped into round 5 where he will face barrel riding magician CJ Hobgood. If Mick loses to CJ AND Kelly Slater wins the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44427"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44427"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44431,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44427\/revisions\/44431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}