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| Quiksilver Pro, Gold Coast |
The Lounge Feature |
Words by: Dave Emge
Cameraman Dave Emge earned his crust traipsing around the globe as “Director of Cinematography” for movie-maestro Taylor Steele for the better part of the last decade, so as the man behind the lens for some of surfing’s biggest movies he’s no stranger to contests and the competitive beasts that lurk around them. Here he gives us his take on the recent Quiky Pro on the Gold Coast – an event that may just go down in history as the win that kick-started Kelly Slater’s campaign for an eighth world title, or the year that the super bank got decimated by the cyclone that was supposed to bring the event epic waves…
A variety of waves and rookie upsets characterized this year’s Quiksilver Pro. On the first day of the waiting period, event directors and competitors were optimistic as perfect lines marched down the “super bank”. The first round went down in classic style as the worlds best demonstrated how proper surfing can be on a perfect right point. But from here on in, the contest was anything but predictable. Once the cyclone that had been hanging up north giving everyone hopes for epic conditions intensified and moved in, the swell came up fast turning Snapper into a complete wash. The contest directors wisely moved down the point to Greenmount for the start of round 2.
On a muggy, rainy day, California rookie, Bobby Martinez started his winning spree by easily eliminating the oldest surfer on tour, Mark Occhilupo. That night the storm and swell increased causing a break in competition. Even the partying the Gold Coast event is renowned for seemed to come to a standstill as everyone bunkered down in their rental apartments. When the clouds cleared four days later, the damage was evident. The super bank was washed away, leaving nearby Duranbah as the best alternative for the contest. Round 3 and 4 were run in 3-4 foot ripeable, sometimes hollow conditions. Slater was the man to watch as usual, with Joel Parkinson, Bobby Martinez, Taj Burrow, Bruce and Andy Irons entertaining the crowds the most. By this point, local favorites and past event winners Dean Morrison, Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson were eliminated. Parkinson, who was predicted to win the event by many, lost in shifty conditions to Martinez in round 4.
In the quarters, Martinez continued his winning spree in a close heat against Damien Hobgood, Taj easily took out Andy Irons in the biggest crowd pleaser of the day, and Brazilian rookie Adriano De Souza beat Taylor Knox, who with the heats highest score couldn’t find a second good wave.
The semis were run the following day with perfect weather and a huge crowd on the beach, but the swell had dropped to a meager 2-3 foot. Slater easily put a stop to Martinez, while Taj ended the other rookie’s hope of a place in the final. De Souza punted several decent airs, but was still no match for Taj’s speed and critical turns. Yet in the final Taj finally lost his spark as Slater continued his perfect form to win the event. On his way to world title number eight? If his current form holds out there seems little stopping him.
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Tags: The Lounge, Sport
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