
Luke Munro – Day 1
The ASP 2008 Quicksilver Pro contest got off at Duranbah Beach, Australia, today in fun and peaky 2-3′ surf.
Local boy Luke Munro scored the highest wave (9.50 out of 10.00) and heat total (17.50 out of 20.00) during Day 1 of the LG sponsored event. ASP World Tour rookie Dane Reynolds (USA) and Damien Hobgood (USA), were unlucky enough to be in the same heat as Munro so they were sent to Round 2 of the event at the Snapper Rocks back-up venue.
Eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), who won the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast in 2006, won his Round 1 heat over Brazilian Rodrigo Dornelles and Tahitian wildcard Michel Bourez in the dying seconds of his heat.
In a surprise upset, Frenchman Miky Picon, one of a record four Europeans on the 2008 ASP World Tour, beat 3-time ASP Champion Andy Irons and sent him to Round 2.
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA) 12.93, Royden Bryson (ZAF) 10.67, Jihad Khodr (BRA) 10.33
Heat 2: Dean Morrison (AUS) 15.17, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.00, Daniel Wills (AUS) 9.10
Heat 3: Bruce Irons (HAW) 14.00, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.84, Roy Powers (HAW) 7.63
Heat 4: Heitor Alves (BRA) 15.84, Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 13.40, Ricky Basnett (ZAF) 9.60
Heat 5: Mikael Picon (FRA) 12.50, Andy Irons (HAW) 11.50, Frederick Patacchia (HAW) N/A
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.83, Leonardo Neves (BRA) 14.56, Daniel Ross (AUS) 10.03
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.10, Neco Padaratz (BRA) 14.00, Nic Muscroft (AUS) 12.80
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.24, Michael Campbell (AUS) 10.83, Tamaroa McComb (PYF) 9.40
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.50, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.10, Julian Wilson (AUS) 10.50
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.17, Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 13.60, Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.47
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.67, Ben Bourgeois (USA) 8.83, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.76
Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.83, Travis Logie (ZAF) 12.84, Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 9.63
Heat 13: Dayyan Neve (AUS) 16.17, Tom Whitaker (AUS) 12.07, Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.83
Heat 14: Taylor Knox (USA) 15.33, Ben Dunn (AUS) 13.56, Jay Thompson (AUS) 13.17
Heat 15: Luke Munro (AUS) 17.50, Dane Reynolds (USA) 16.20, Damien Hobgood (USA) 8.83
Heat 16: Luke Stedman (AUS) 14.66, Tim Reyes (USA) 13.16, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.17
I know we don’t have to remind you BUT, as you can see all the competitors are wearing their rash guards to protect them in that intense Australian sun!