SURFING Magazine

C.J. Hobgood on Day 1 of competition. You can bet he is glad to see this stop back on the WT.

Josh Kerr smiling before his Round 1 heat where he suffered a grade-2 ankle tear.

Waterworld, Fiji.

Jordy Smith in the first heat at Cloudbreak since 2008. Starting it off with a banger 9-point ride.

The dangerous Shishkabob section and the luxurious judges tower; yin and yang.

Owen Wright took down Tiago and Yadin with forehand tube stalls such as this.

Julian Wilson could only muster a 6.70 heat score on Day 1, not without a proper tube vision though.

Julian, focused as ever.

Damien Hobgood has won out at Cloudbreak twice before with world class tube positioning. He faces an injured Josh Kerr in round three.

Mitch Coleborn amidst the 9-plus ride that took out Slater in round 1.

Jeremy Flores netted the highest score (9.87) of Day 1 for this bomb that ran across most of the Cloudbreak reef.

Kieren Perrow, deep.

Joel Parkinson welcomes Fiji’s dream tour stop with open arms.

It takes a real competitor to battle injury and come out on top. Josh Kerr, core score up.

Kelly Slater took out wildcard Isei Tokovu with calculated early morning barrel riding at high tide Cloudbreak.

Slater looks on point at what people are calling his “home break.”

Another heavy one marches through the lineup untouched.

Gabriel Medina weaved through an impossible barrel out at Cloudbreak for the contests only perfect 10, and then he put it on rail for good measure.

Yadin Nicol, all smiles in paradise.

Julian Wilson, eyeing the exit for the first of his pair of nines in round 2.

Round 2’s all goofyfoot matchup did not disappoint with Miguel Pupo edging out Wilko 16.96 to 15.76.

Cloudbreak making its case for best left on the planet. Get ready for more perfection later in the week.