Three Days At Snapper

Day two dawned much like day one but with a last chance saloon full of names who don't feel comfortable propping up that particular bar. The winners were all Rd 3 stalwarts: Joel Parkinson, Taj Burrow (Dane's executioner), Julian Wilson, Jordy Smith, Kolohe Andino, Josh Kerr, Jeremy Flores, Matt Wilkinson, Bede Durbidge, Kieren Perrow, Travis Logie and surprise package Yadin Nicol. Yadin knocked out two-time 2011 winner Gabriel Medina. Nicol qualified for the elite ASP World Championship Tour during last year's mid-year rotation (as did Medina), but was forced to give up his spot due to an ankle injury. "It was a frustrating six months being injured and missing the events," Nicol said. "The last five minutes of that heat was nerve-racking, so to get the win, I'm over the moon. I'm stoked. I wasn't really nervous, but I was focused on winning that first heat on tour. I didn't want to be the guy who goes the whole year without a win, and now I don't have to worry about that now I'll see what I can do from here."

Day three, the third consecutive day at Snapper Rocks looked like a carbon copy of the first two days with a contestable but bumpy swell hugging the point. Julian Wilson found form against Adam Melling posting the highest heat total of the day. Miguel Pupo caused the biggest upset of the event thus far by eliminating perennial event favourite and local boy Mick Fanning. "I just tried to find good waves because it's pretty tough out there," Pupo said. "I had to win that one, to be on tour you have to beat the big boys. Mick surfs so good. He's got a couple of ASP World Titles and I knew that it would be a tough one. I tried my best." Biggest controversy was Owen Wright verses Matt Wilkinson. Wright won by a mere 0.40 and Matt was not a happy bunny having the robbery (in his opinion) confirmed by a post heat chat with the judges. Kelly Slater defending champ, once again put on a dominant performance. "Everyone always makes a big deal about weather I'm going to keep going on. When I'm going to quit I'll tell everybody, how about that?"