CT rookie Conner Coffin slayed two giants today. Photo: WSL
Just before the horn sounded the beginning of the most anticipated heat of the day, the webcast panned out to the most beautiful aerial shot. Lines stacked to the horizon and a light offshore wind perfectly groomed an eerily empty, oil glass lineup. It was utterly perfect. A single tear escaped from my eye.
Running down the iconic Bells stairs was Conner Coffin, Mick Fanning, and Jordy Smith. “It doesn’t get any better than this,” Ronnie Blakey uttered to the panel. I nodded my head and agreed.
The third heat of round four was underway. Mick, Conner, and Jordy would be alone for the next 30 minutes, trading off at a dreamy, machine-like wave, putting on a clinic on high performance surfing. Powerful and polished, they buried their rail again and again with power and precision. There wasn’t another trio of surfers on Tour I would’ve rather watched in those conditions. It was simply beautiful. Another tear escaped from my eye.
But as tried and true as Jordy and Mick’s Bells reputation, it was CT rookie and California native, Conner Coffin, who came out on top. Living up to his named as Tom Curren’s successor, Conner surfed fast and aggressive, reaffirming the fact that he does indeed belong surfing side by side with the world’s best. Conner moves on straight to the quarters while Mick and Jordy are relegated to round five.
Watch the full heat here:
