Billabong Pro Tahiti Heat1and2

ASP Frontrunner Smith Eliminated as 12 Surfers Fall Off Tour at Billabong Pro Tahiti
he Billabong Pro Tahiti recommenced today in clean three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves for the completion of Round 2 and the first 12 heats of Round 3.

Event No. 5 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Tahiti played host to an incredible day of action, with major shifts in the hunt for the ASP World Title as well as surfers falling off the Dream Tour, the result of the midyear cut-off from the ASP Top 45 to the Top 34 (Top 32 finishers plus two surfer wildcards).

Manoa Drollet (PYF), 29, local Tahitian wildcard, caused the upset of the event today, eliminating current ASP World No. 1, Jordy Smith (ZAF), 22, from Billabong Pro Tahiti competition in Round 3. The quiet Tahitian utilized his intimate knowledge of the break and picked off the better set waves to control the heat and come away from with the win.

“He (Smith) was sitting on priority and he only needed a small wave at one point,” Drollet said. “He waited forever and he didn’t catch anything. I have a good knowledge here. I’ve been doing water patrol so I’ve been watching the event and analyzing the guys’ strategies a lot. I managed to get scores and get back in the lead there towards the end. I was expecting Jordy (Smith) to come back with a 9 at anytime.”

Despite the loss, Smith remained gracious in defeat and positive as he transitions to the next event in California.

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