Bede's Blog: One Down, Nine to Go
GOLD COAST, Queensland/Australia (Thursday, March 25, 2010) – Another year, another circuit. But already in 2010, I’ve got a feeling this year’s ASP World Tour is going to set the performance bar at a whole new level.
The marker has been laid down in the opening event earlier this month on the Gold Coast.
There’s always a lot of hype around the first event and this year it definitely lived up to expectations. I’m convinced the level of surfing has definitely lifted again, setting the stage for the rest of the year.
Taj and Jordy have thrown down the gauntlet for 2010. Both have definitely stepped up their game and Taj in particular is on a major roll.
With him winning Pipe and then at Burleigh and then at Snapper, followed by his second in the Drug Aware Pro WQS contest in West Oz last week, he is making a huge early season statement with his really fast, powerful and precise surfing.
I was pretty happy with my campaign at the Quiky Pro even if I obviously wanted to finish higher than Equal 5th.
I felt like I surfed well in the event so I am not going to get hung up over losing a tight Quarterfinal to Jordy. It’s a solid start for me and a “keeper” result. If you look at previous ASP World Title winners, most didn’t have results too much worse than 5ths along the way so I’m happy to bank that one.
The other bonus from the contest was that we got some really good waves too. There hadn’t been much lead-up swell and I thought we were looking at a likely small-wave showdown. So I was pleasantly surprised when a good-sized swell cooperated.
In the third round, we got some really nice waves and it was that heat I enjoyed most. The 19.27 score I racked up was the second highest scoring heat of my tour career. I drew my good mate Luke Munro from Currumbin and it was just one of those heats where everything went right for me. I had a perfect rhythm throughout and every time a good set came through I had priority. The conditions were very similar to my highest heat score I’ve had which was when I beat Kelly in the same contest in 2007.
The highlight was obviously the 9.97 ride I scored. I knew it was going to be a good one as soon as I saw it coming. I took off kind of late and free fell, but it was on the perfect angle and that let me drive straight into it. It was just so hollow through the first section, but then it ran off after that and I honestly thought I was gone and it was going to shut me down. But it just shot me through and out the end of one of the sickest Superbank barrels I’ve had in a while.
When I came out I was so happy and I did “claim it” with the old fist in the air. But just as I did, I thought ‘hang on, this wave isn’t over yet.’ I got two more turns in but fell on my last move. In hindsight, I should have tried a bit harder to make the last move as it could have secured a 10.
But, heck, emotion just took over after the barrel. Ha!
I’m just back from Margaret River where Taj got me in the Semis of the WA contest. It was fun to get back to Margarets for the first time in about five years. Third place and a fistful of nice overhead rights and lefts made the trip worth while.
It was a hell Final between Josh Kerr and Taj too – one of the best I’ve ever seen. The 10-pointer Josh pulled off late to set up his win was just insane. It was more like a 15 then a 10!
And let’s face it, that’s what it took to stop Taj’s winning streak.
So it’s off to Bells now. I’ve been going there since I was 15 and I never tire of the place. I didn’t do as well there as I wanted last year so I’m on a mission this time.
Fingers crossed because I’m looking for a big one.
Talk soon,
Bede
For more on BEDE DURBIDGE, check out his ASP WORLD TOUR PROFILE
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