Bells Gets Real

STEP forward the contenders, day three of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach narrowed down the field in decent to excellent surf. Left in the game: Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, Owen Wright, John John, Jeremy Flores, Josh Kerr, Adriano de Souza, Kai Otton, Brett Simpson, Jordy Smith, C.J. Hobgood and Mick Fanning. The strength and depth from top to bottom is something to behold and if the tour falls off the surf industry bankruptcy cliff, lack of talent isn't at fault. Look for the men to finish up in Friday's predicted solid surf. After one and a half events in 2012 there is one interesting fact nosing to the surface, none of the young guys bar perhaps John John or Own are challenging to take the overall world title, they lack consistency. Meaning it's a year Kelly can take 12, Fanning another or Parko/Taj slipping just the one. Or perhaps a more median aged Jordy or Adriano claiming their birthright? In other words it could be anyone and by default the event winner becomes a prime 2012 contender. © 2013 Rip Curl

Shock horror, the heat (not score) of the day went to Kelly Slater. For once support on the beach was leaning towards the other side, Nic had got this far and just perhaps he would pull off an audacious win? But no, Kelly took it in the final seconds with a full rotation. Shades of New York with less oomph and disappointment written all over the victims's face as he just bows his head at the ability of Kelly to pull it out of the bag when he needs it. "Just to finish that wave I was happy," Slater said. "That was one that was a full battle back and forth mentally. Nic got cleaned up by 20 waves and the sets stopped when he got out and then he broke his board and I didn't capitalize on those sets. I hadn't finished a good one midway through the heat and then he came back really well. I never had any great waves overall. "Luckily I got one with about 8 seconds left. I had the carve to start and it went a little dead until the end. The lip launched me perfectly in the air and had a good cushion to land on. I thought it'd be close either way. I would have been stoked for him, he's such a good guy and obviously everyone's pulling for him." © 2013 Rip Curl

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 3 RESULTS: Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.33 def. Yadin Nicol (AUS) 9.60 Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) 13.97 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 9.63 Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 13.77 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 7.17 Heat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.17 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 9.07 Heat 5: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.10 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.83 Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.00 def. Nic Muscroft (AUS) 16.30 Heat 7: Kai Otton (AUS) 11.83 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 6.54 Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.46 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 15.20 Heat 9: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 16.70 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.60 Heat 10: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.43 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 10.96 Heat 11: Brett Simpson (USA) 15.54 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 12.53 Heat 12: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 18.94 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 17.37 RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 4 RESULTS: Heat 1: Owen Wright (AUS) 15.87, John John Florence (HAW) 15.00, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.93 Heat 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 18.50, Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.10, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.64 Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.20, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 10.83, Kai Otton (AUS) 10.33 Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.27, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.60, Brett Simpson (USA) 7.00 RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 5 MATCH-UPS: Heat 1: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA) Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Adriano de Souza (BRA) Heat 3: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA) Heat 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. C.J. Hobgood (USA) RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS: QF 1: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. TBD QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. TBD QF 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. TBD QF 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. TBD © 2013 Rip Curl/Dan Warbrick