SURFING Magazine

CLOUDBREAK EXPLODES INTO ACTION FOR THE GLOBE WCT FIJI
LIVE COVERAGE: visit www.GlobeFiji.comAs though catering to an ideal script, our forecast swell has rolled in from the South Pacific overnight, finally enabling the Globe WCT Fiji to swing into gear on day six of the event waiting period. The majority of the Foster’s Top 45 were four kilometres out off Tavaraua and Namotu surfing the world famous Cloudbreak reef before dawn, reporting that the swell is progressively rising. The Globe WCT Fiji trials will hit the water at around 9am, and round one of the main event is on standby.“I hadn’t realised how much it had jumped overnight, and only took a short board out. That was okay early, but I had to come back in for a longer board. Just as I was getting in the boat I saw Mick Fanning pulling into a solid six-footer. It’s going to be a great day,” smiled Globe’s Aussie style master Luke Hitchings.

This morning’s Globe WCT trials will be run on a unique pioneering format, Rather than the norm of first and second progressing to the next round, each of the 12 contestants will surf two rounds of three-man heats, with just their three best waves from the two rounds being cumulated to decide the best performers.With local trials winner Isei Tokovou having moved straight into the Globe WCT Fiji main-event draw, two spots remain in the 48-man event, today’s trials deciding who those two surfers will be.Local Aca Ravulo Lalabalavu finished second in the Fijian trials behind Tokovou, thereby earning the right to be drawn in the Globe WCT Fiji trials. He will be surfing amidst a very classy trials field, which includes Hawaiians Pancho Sullivan and Ian Walsh, American mainlanders Pat Gudauskas and Pete Mendia, as well as young Australian performers Yadin Nicol, Adam Robertson, Paul Fisher and Dion Agius.Globe’s former-WCT duo Nathan Webster (AUS) and Luke Hitchings (AUS) are also amongst the trials contenders, hoping to get the chance to take on their old Foster’s Men’s World Tour foes in the main event. Europe is also represented in the trials with Portugal’s Tiago Pires keen to take on the pack as well.

“We’re probably wrap up the trials by midday, so we’re keeping the first round of the main event on hold. Most of the Top 45 crew haven’t had much quality water time for a week or two, and so we’ll try and get a free-surfing buffer in there after the trials,” said Contest Director Steve Robertson.

“We’ve got a 3.00pm low tide, so Cloudbreak could be pumping this afternoon, and we’ll obviously make use of it, if it’s as good as it potentially looks, and be getting into the first round. We’re stoked to be swinging into action. Everyone is really excited,” smiled Robbo as he headed for a boat and the Globe tower on the reef.

The swell is expected to progressively build over the weekend and into Monday, before the energy generated by the ‘Perfect {{{Storm}}}’ currently ripping through the Great Southern Ocean below the Australian continent, bombards the Fijian islands with swell, providing the Globe WCT Fiji with sustained dream conditions. Another backup swell mid-next week, will keep the energy flowing.

We’re in for an exciting week that looks like providing the inaugural Globe WCT Fiji with conditions beyond all expectations.

UPCOMING ROUND 1 HEATS:Heat # 1
Cory Lopez, Peterson Rosa, Shea Lopez

Heat # 2
Tom Whitaker, Phillip MacDonald, Luke Stedman

Heat # 3
Nathan Hedge, Marcelo Nunes, Tim Reyes

Heat # 4
Mick Fanning, Kalani Robb, Kirk Flintoff

Heat # 5
Taj Burrow, Troy Brooks, Renan Rocha

Heat # 6
Trent Munro, Sunny Garcia, Bernardo Pigmeu**

Heat # 7
{{{CJ}}} Hobgood, Michael Lowe, Guilherme Herdy

Heat # 8
Andy Irons, Darren O’Rafferty, Isei Tokovou

Heat # 9
Kelly Slater, Richard Lovett, Wild Card (TBA)

Heat #10
Joel Parkinson, Bruce Irons, Wild Card (TBA)

Heat #11
Dean Morrison, Jake Paterson, Greg Emslie

Heat #12
Daniel Wills, Taylor Knox, Raoni Monteiro

Heat #13
Mark Occhilupo, Paulo Moura, Lee Winkler

Heat #14
Chris Ward, Neco Padaratz, Tim Curran

Heat #15
Luke Egan, Bede Durbidge, Travis Logie

Heat #16
Fred Patacchia, Victor Ribas, Shane Beschen** = Taking the place of injured Damien Hobgood