July 11, 2011

Flawless South African surf lets new crew make their mark

“This is crazy! I’m so psyched right now,” Gudauskas said. “This is definitely the best event I’ve ever competed in and maybe the best one I’ve ever watched. It has been flawless for a whole week and we’re all psyched to be in Ballito.”

It’s fair to say this is NOT a quote you’d expect to hear from a Qualifying Series event. But with the World Tour focused on city beachbreaks (link to Manly and NY stories), the much-maligned “prime” events are now looking more enticing, and through the last week, South Africa has lit up for this particular contest. Check out the clips – how psyched would you be to surf a heat in waves like this?

Check John John Florence’s barrel at 1.14 of this clip. How the HELL does he make it a) under the lip of the first section, and b) through the collapsing second section? Or the snap under the lip to lip on the head at 2.20 … or Pat Gudang’s noncholant, bolt-upright tube steez at 2.57 … suffice it to say, this is the craziest contest clip we’ve seen in a while.

Hawaii’s John John Florence, star of the upcoming Lost Atlas, was the surfer to beat all event, but Pat Gudauskas ended up pipping him in the final for a feelgood win. Gudauskas’s brother Tanner won the same event in 2009. This achievement marks one for the record books, as the Gudauskas brothers have become the second pair of bros to win Mr Price Pro after the Irons Brothers, late 3X ASP World Champion Andy and Bruce, did so in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

Highlighting the quickly-changing guard at the top of pro surfing, Julian Wilson and Jordy Smith finished equal third to John-John and Pat Gudang.

Jordy is the defending champion at the event, and was gracious in defeat – as he should be. The South semifinal place moves him from World No. 5 to World No. 2 on the ASP World Rankings.

“It was a bunch of fun but it’s just a pity there weren’t any waves in that heat,” Smith said. “You win some and you lose some and it’s still a great result that I will be looking to take into the next event in Jeffreys Bay.”

by POP Magazine