FINALLY the Billabong Pro Tahiti kicked-off this morning and threw down a few surprises. Taj Burrow out, Bede Durbidge out. Marco Polo even won a heat as did Nate Yeomans, both keeping the guillotine suspended by a fraction. The End of the Road awoke before dawn to the noise of a whip cracking across the lagoon. You know that means Teahupoo is barrelling down the line and sure enough the dawn's streaks shone upon an overhead swell which started to show last night and was now properly filling in. Not all time Teahupoo, far from it, but certainly contestable and better barrels than any waves seen on tour this year bar perhaps the first day of J-Bay.
Spectre-like hangs the career-suspending Sword of Damocles over Tahiti with the top 45 getting razored into the slimline 32 before the tour heads to Trestles. If you fail to perform here and end up on the wrong side of the line after the bell, that's it, you're gone.
Thus far Marco Polo and Nate Yeomans, both in severe danger of getting the shove have prolonged their survival. It's going to be interesting and painful to see what pressure does for all these guys on the cusp. Whatever happens the cut is coming and it's just a matter of who will be packing their bags for the final time this year. For some possibly forever.
UK & Europe Store
Memorabilia Store
Ed Magicseaweed
Jacques le Roux516 days ago
