The 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour’s second stop, The Drug Aware Margaret River Pro, was called on for the Men’s and Women’s Round 1. In four-to-six foot waves, there were a few standouts: Julian Wilson, Gabriel Medina, and Courtney Conlogue, to name a few of the most obvious.
Although conditions in the beginning weren’t great – the second heat needed a restart due to the first ten minutes pulling in no scoring waves – Jordy Smith managed to nail down an 8.33 in his heat against Seabass and Raoni Monteiro. This came after a Round 2 stumble on the Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks.
“I’d like to better my result at Snapper (Rocks),” said Jordy Smith in a press release. “It’s a long year ahead and I’m sure that many of the tops guys will have bad results at some point. Hopefully my result at the Gold Coast was my bad one out of the way and I can look forward to a good year ahead.”
In what has become an increasingly typical situation, Kelly Slater fell to a wildcard in his heat. Yadin Nichol turned it on at Main Break’s righthanders and coming out on top over Slater and Bede Durbidge.
“It felt great to beat Kelly Slater,” said Yadin Nicol to the ASP. “I wish I could have done that last year or the year before. I felt comfortable out there. I usually don’t start out that well so I’m happy to have one under my belt. There wasn’t much going on in that Heat so Slater and Durbidge didn’t have much of a chance to fight back, so I was lucky in that sense.”
When the women took to the water, it was Courtney Conlogue that shone first. Her first wave was a 7.33 in a heat against Coco Ho and Alana Blanchard pushed her into Round 3 and put her competitors in Round 2.
“There are some tough conditions out there, it’s really windy,” said Courtney Conlogue. “I’m so happy to skip Round 2 because it’s sudden death and it’s tricky here at Margaret River right now. I think all the training I’ve done has really helped. I’m just thinking about winning events and winning Heats at the moment. Everyone wants a World Title but it’s a matter of applying yourself in those high-stress situations and trying to make things happen. It’s a marathon this year.”
In heat 2, five-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current World Champion Stephanie Gilmore paddled out against Paige Hareb and Pauline Ado. In deteriorating conditions, Gilmore fought back against an in form Hareb, who managed to pull into an early lead. Gilmore took the heat win and moved to Round 3.
“It wasn’t the most exciting Heat but it’s a win so I’ll take it,” said Stephanie Gilmore. “I haven’t surfed Margaret River that much when the swell direction is coming from the South and the right isn’t opening up as much as I’d like. It’s really quite a complicated wave but every Heat you learn something and take that on to your next Heat. Hopefully I can utilize that in my game plan come out with another win.”
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 12.23, Nat Young (USA) 8.77, Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 8.23
Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.33, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 10.70, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 6.26
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.77, Brett Simpson (USA) 9.50, Fred Patacchia (HAW) 7.60
Heat 4: Adam Melling (AUS) 13.17, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 10.83, Mitch Coleborn (AUS) 9.30
Heat 5: Yadin Nicol (AUS) 15.23, Kelly Slater (USA) 11.87, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.37
Heat 6: Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.17, Nathan Hedge (AUS) 9.43, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 7.57
Heat 7: Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.00, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.53, Dion Atkinson (AUS) 9.17
Heat 8: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.57, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.06, Travis Logie (ZAF) 8.90
Heat 9: Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.50, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 4.83, Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 10: Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.50, Owen Wright (AUS) 11.26, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 9.86
Heat 11: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.40, Mitch Crews (AUS) 12.83, Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.10
Heat 12: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.40, John John Florence (HAW) 14.67, Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.96
Drug Aware Margaret River Women’s Pro Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 13.83, Coco Ho (HAW) 7.16, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 5.13
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.16, Paige Hareb (NZL) 6.77, Pauline Ado (FRA) 3.46
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (AUS) 11.43, Laura Macaulay (AUS) 11.04, Alessa Quizon (HAW) 6.13
Heat 4: Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.50, Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.76, Dimity Stoyle (AUS) 7.86
Heat 5: Malia Manuel (HAW) 12.50, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 9.17, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 7.57
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Round 2 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA) v. Nathan Hedge (AUS)
Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) v. Mitch Coleborn (AUS)
Heat 3: Nat Young (USA) v. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA) v. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 5: Adriano De Souza (BRA) v. Aritz Aranburu (ESP)
Heat 6: John John Florence (HAW) v. Dion Atkinson (AUS)
Heat 7: Michel Bourez (PYF) v. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 8: Owen Wright (AUS) v. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 9: Adrian Buchan (AUS) v. Mitch Crews (AUS)
Heat 10: Jeremy Flores (FRA) v. Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 11: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) v. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 12: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) v. Bebe Durbidge (AUS)
Drug Aware Margaret River Women’s Pro Round 2 Match-ups:
Heat 1: Dimity Stoyle (AUS) v. Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 2: Pauline Ado (FRA) v. Paige Hareb (NZL)
Heat 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) v. Laura Macaulay (AUS)
Heat 4: Lakey Peterson (USA) v. Johanne Defay (FRA)
Heat 5: Coco Ho (HAW) v. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
Heat 6: Alessa Quizon (HAW) v. Laura Enever (AUS)
