Yesterday was the first day of the Outerknown Fiji Pro, and it did not disappoint. After a pumping women’s final that ended with a very deserving Courtney Conlogue at the top of the podium, the men took to the water. It was pumping, and it continued to pump all day long. It wasn’t an easy day, however. With four different swells in the water, closeouts were the norm. Twos and tens, as they say.
A few odd things happened, though, but none odder than Kelly Slater’s dismal performance. Slater is usually one of the best at Cloudbreak, using his experience to figure out exactly where to be and when to be there. Round one was not his round. Slater looked lost, and by the time the horn sounded, he’d racked up a .50, a .93, a 2.20, a 3.00, and a 1.87. That left him in last place and viewers confused.
“I haven’t been out there yet–I was testing boards at Restaurants–but I think I know what’s happening out there,” he said in before his heat. “But then again, there’s been times when I thought I knew what was going on out there and it was actually nothing like it. That’s Cloudbreak.”
Other strange things of note: Michel Bourez’s back leg barrel stall. Video below:
