Watch the replay here!
One would be inclined to believe that no matter where Kelly Slater goes, he has a pretty good time. Two hours ago at the Tahiti Pro, Slater, who is 44 years old and rated 19th in the world, conjured two tens in a round five heat against the Hawaiian Keanu Asing.
“The first 10 of that heat was a more difficult ride definitely, but the second one was a bigger, more perfect, classic tube,” said Slater. “I just thought that the first one was a lot more difficult, so I was not sure if they would throw a 10 on the second one. Had I got the second one in any other heat I thought that they would probably give me a 10. I have been feeling good all week. My first heat was a little slow and I had to grind out that first win against Michel [Bourez]. That is just how close the Championship Tour is nowadays. Had Keanu [Asing] gotten that wave, I would have lost. That heat was really close. A perfect heat is not going to happen many times in your life so I am stoked.”
Watch here!
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does anyone else get this Dark Seas ad with some barn that pearled and broke the nose off his JS? one of their interns?
It’s subsidising the bg comments section, let it go
Great contest. They also finally found a good angle of Kalani!
I couldn’t find my screenshot buttons fast enough! You save day!
where do all the unsaid, critical thoughts go that Pete Mel refuses to articulate?
is that dark matter?
You win the internet today. By a long shot.
are those your own personal BG boardies in that pic?
Thank god for the mormons. This is getting kinda fun to watch.
overscoring him a bit here, but he’s still winning legit.
A bit – but on a tear no doubt
The scoring was all over the place throughout the comp but the heat outcomes seemed OK.
JJFs second scoring wave vs Medina was total payback for not giving the first one a 10, but like you said, they got the result right
2nd look I have my doubts. John’s 2nd scoring wave (9.73) was better than Medina’s overscored 1st scoring wave (9.23). But I think John’s 2nd wave was overscored & Medina’s last wave was underscored (being better than his 1st scoring wave). I think Medina’s 10.0 was much better than John’s 9.93 Its over now. Its a hard call but my guts enjoyed Medina’s waves more. Its the forehand vs backhand thing and the judges are still rewarding the backhand with the age old (obviously now proven false) assumption bankhand is more difficult. Obviously backhand is easier due to holding the rail. John was not that deep on the last wave & I think Medina’s foam ball was much heavier on this last wave than John’s.
i agree that they may be rewarding backsiders and there probably needs to be a discussion about whether taking off late is a score enhancer in and of itself. Medina probably had the right takeoff spot on his 10, got into it more or less “easily” where John (like Brucey) just loves getting under it. also, we have the benefit of channel view and the judges no nothing of the foamball negotaitions going on in there, just how far out that lip is throwing in front of the guys.
Agree. It was a great heat (although the waves could have been bigger). In the end, the contest ended with pretty good surf.