QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA — Kaua‘i’s Andy Irons, 31, a three-time ASP World Champion, posted his first ASP World Tour heat win on Tuesday afternoon at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, since returning from a sabbatical from full-time
QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA — Kaua‘i’s Andy Irons, 31, a three-time ASP World Champion, posted his first ASP World Tour heat win on Tuesday afternoon at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, since returning from a sabbatical from full-time competition in 2009.
Showing shades of old in his Round 2 victory over fellow Kaua‘i surfer Roy Powers, 29, Irons was topped in Round 3 by eigth-ranked Bobby Martinez.
Irons maintains he needs to make improvements if he’s to challenge for the Top 5 again.
“I’m stoked to be back,” Irons said Tuesday after his victory over Powers, in a release from ASP. “Everyone’s really nice and cool and really supportive. So yes (it’s great to be back), and with all the fans, you know it means the world to me. It just makes me really want to come back and do well, and not just come back just to be here. It’s definitely nerve-racking though to be around all the media. It’s not normal, at all. But I used to do it a lot, so I should be able to get a hang of it pretty quick, but it hasn’t happened yet. So hopefully in a couple more days, I’m still in the contest and I get used to it, and hope that the waves get bigger.”
Despite posting an impressive 7.90 out of a possible 10 for a deep forehand barrel followed a series of critical forehand re-entries, the powerful Hawaiian is working through his equipment to find a formula that works for him.
“I’m just trying to feel it out,” Irons said. “It’s the first time I’ve gotten to surf Snapper without a thousand people. It’s still pretty new to me. I’m just trying to figure out boards. Boards are so important out there, and it’s really hard to find the right one.
“I have to improve a lot more,” he continued. “I have to find the right board. The waves are just really slow and mushy today so I rode a longer board. I usually ride a 5’11” and I rode a 6’1” in that heat. Snapper is a perfect wave, but it really hard to perform here — I don’t know why.”
The opening event of the 2010 ASP World Tour, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast has assembled one of the greatest gatherings of surfing talent in the sport’s history, and the action so far has included mixed results with thoroughbreds and new bloods lacerating the rippable conditions.
Dean Morrison, 29, former event winner (2003) and current ASP World No. 16, posted the highest-scoring heat total of Tuesday’s round, but also fell in Round 3 to fellow Aussie, Kai Otton, 30.
Kelly Slater easily bested fellow American Patrick Gudauskas to move into Round 4.
The Roxy Pro Gold Coast saw its first eliminations of the event with the two Round 2 heats completed in clean morning conditions at Snapper Rocks.
Former ASP World Champions Sofia Mulanovich, 26, and Chelsea Hedges, 26, survived, though South Africa’s Nikita Robb and Australia’s Claire Bevilacqua did not make it to Round 3, which will have head-to-head heats with the 16 remaining surfers.
“Winning here in 2010 would be an awesome start,” Hedges said. “I had a year off and then last year I kind of had an OK year, but I’m starting to get back into it, now I’m feeling pretty comfortable. I’m pretty amped there are a lot of good events on tour this year.”
Hawaiian Coco Ho was scheduled to be in the first heat of Round 3, taking on Australian Amee Donohoe, while Hawai‘i’s Melanie Bartels was to face Aussie Jessi Miley-Dyer in the seventh heat.
Highlights from the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover are available via www.quiksilverpro.com.au.
For more information, gp to www.aspworldtour.com.
