ASP World Tour

TEAHUPOO, Tahiti – The Billabong Pro Tahiti presented challenging conditions on day 5, with eight heats completed in varying swell and wind conditions.

Stop number 3 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Tahiti saw the final two heats of Round 1 completed, followed by the first six heats of Round 2 despite the fact that the competition was put on hold at various points throughout the day.

Billabong Pro contest director, Luke Egan had some difficult decisions to make amidst the changing weather patterns "The winds and swell were shifting quite a bit this morning which was frustrating, but the afternoons have been providing the best windows for running the contest so thankfully we were able to pick off a few heats at the end of the day."

In spite of the setbacks faced, the world's best surfers managed some excellent performances.

Taj Burrow (AUS), 30, current ASP World number 7, scored the day's highest heat total with 15.33 out of a possible 20, putting his opponent Marlon Lipke (DEU), 25, in a combo situation. Burrow had this to say after his win "I've had an up and down start to this season. Went well on the Gold Coast and was unlucky at Bells and now we're here at Teahupoo. I haven't got a result out here in a few years, but I'm staying up the road at Papara with the Teriinatoofa family and I've been putting some time into this event so hopefully it pays off."

Burrow will face his compatriot Kieren Perrow (AUS), 32, in the third round of the event.

Josh Kerr (AUS), 25, caused the upset of the day by eliminating current ASP World number 3, Fred Patacchia (HAW), 27, towards the end of their Round 2 heat. Kerr came away with the win via a backhand double barrel, achieving the highest single-wave score of the day (8.83 out of a possible 10).

CJ Hobgood (USA), 29, 2001's ASP World Champion and a previous winner of the Billabong Pro Tahiti (2004), dominated proceedings in the opening heat of Round 2, with 14.50 out of a possible 20, eliminating Phillip MacDonald (AUS), 30. Hobgood is currently rated number 5 on the World Tour.

Jay Thompson (AUS), 25, the first replacement surfer on the ASP World Tour currently number 14 in the ratings, continued his good run this season by eliminating Jeremy Flores (FRA), 21. Thompson equalled the highest single-wave score of the day with 8.83 out of a possible 10, in the dying minutes of his Round 2 clash. He will face CJ Hobgood in Round 3.

REMAINING BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 15: Heitor Alves (BRA) 15.00 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.00
Heat 16: Mick Campbell (AUS) 15.84 def. Roy Powers (AUS) 5.87

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 14.50 def. Phillip MacDonald (AUS) 0.77
Heat 2: Jay Thompson (AUS) 13.83 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.37
Heat 3: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.50 def. Tim Reyes (USA) 11.50
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.33 def. Marlon Lipke (DEU) 6.67
Heat 5: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.16 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 14.50
Heat 6: Michael Campbell (AUS) 13.66 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 10.84

REMAINING BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 7: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Heiarii Williams (PYF)
Heat 9: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Andy Irons (HAW)
Heat 10: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Dayyan Neve (AUS)
Heat 11: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Dustin Barca (HAW)
Heat 12: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 13: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)
Heat 14: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Dean Morrison (AUS)
Heat 15: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 16: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Tim Boal (FRA)