QUEENSLAND, Australia — Andy Irons posted a near-perfect ride and the second-highest heat score of the day, Tuesday, in 3-foot surf at Snapper Rocks, Australia, in round two of the Quiksilver Pro. Three Hawai‘i surfers remain in the running following the
QUEENSLAND, Australia — Andy Irons posted a near-perfect ride and the second-highest heat score of the day, Tuesday, in 3-foot surf at Snapper Rocks, Australia, in round two of the Quiksilver Pro. Three Hawai‘i surfers remain in the running following the elimination of Pancho Sullivan by Australian rookie Julian Wilson, and Fred Patacchia’s withdrawal due to injury. Irons will now join younger brother Bruce and fellow Kaua‘i surfer Roy Powers in Round 3 of the tourney.
Irons unleashed a fast and furious lesson to wildcard rookie Tamaroa McComb, posting the two highest scores of the heat on his first two rides that were ridden in the first 10 minutes of the 25-minute exchange. Irons’ total of 16.37 points out of 20 was second only to highly charged Aussie Adrian Buchan, who posted 17.17 points, yet Irons’ top individual wave score of 9.7 stood as the top ride of the day.
“Finally, it’s been like three contests and I’ve only made one heat so it feels really good to get a win under my belt,” Irons told the media, speaking of his poor competitive run that has spanned the past three months.
On his near-perfect 9.7 point ride: “It was just a really good wave that walled up really well. My first turn was a snap then a floater, a few more carves and a little wheelie at the end; but I haven’t got a nine in about six months so it felt unreal.
“For me, any contest is a good contest if you do well. As long as I do better than last year then it’s a great contest and I’ve already done that here. It’s just been a long time, I haven’t made heats in a while and I guess I just haven’t been into it. In the off season I really had to think about that; so I’m getting really psyched, I want to be here and I want to do well; I like to win heats and it feels good, it’s my new buzz.
“I’ve been surfing against the five top guys for the past six years and I have done well against all of them, so I know I can be in that group. Being sixth last year, even though it’s an OK result, it’s not good enough for me.”
Joining Andy with a Round 2 win was Roy Powers, who re-qualified for the ASP World Championship Tour in November during the 2007 Vans Triple Crown on the North Shore of O‘ahu. Powers looked focused and driven as he dismantled the dreams of Florida’s Damien Hobgood with a total of 13.74 points to Hobgood’s 9.6.
Pancho Sullivan was eliminated by Julian Wilson, and Fred Patacchia withdrew due to an injury sustained two weeks ago at Backdoor Pipe, giving Jay Thompson a bye into Round 3. Patacchia opted for extra injury rehabilitation time for his injured thigh and hopes to rejoin the tour at the next Australian stop in Bell’s Beach, in three weeks time.
“This is the first time I’ve ever missed a contest, so it’s kind of difficult to just sit on the sidelines and watch,” Patacchia said from the event commentary booth. “But it’s getting me excited and I’m looking forward to getting into the water at the next stop.”
