| The 2010 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach enters Round 2 heats |
| Monday, 05 April 2010 09:09 |
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The second of 10 stops of the 2010 ASP Dream Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Snickers, has completed Round 1 despite challenging conditions and has seen nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL), 38, and ASP World Tour Rookie Patrick Gudauskas (San Clemente, CA), 24, lead their fellow American ASP Dream Tour contingent through to Round 3 with solid Round 1 victories. With the 45 man field currently representing the ASP World Tour roster being cut to 32 after event No. 5 of the season, a keeper result at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach will play a crucial role in surfer’s chances of requalification for their chance at this year’s ASP World Title. Slater, who has confirmed his intentions of an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title this year, has clinched the coveted Bells trophy on several occasions and marched through his Round 1 heat with a solid performance to relegate Australian veteran Mick Campbell (AUS), 35, and Brazilian Rookie Marco Polo (BRA), 27, to Round 2. "Obviously didn't get the result I was looking for on the Gold Coast but it's a long year ahead,” Slater said. "I'm taking it event by event, but the title is always the goal. We'll see how it pans out." Gudauskas, who was the only other mainland American surfer aside from Slater to clinch a Round 1 heat win, pushed current ASP World No. 2 Jordy Smith (ZAF), 22, and Jay Thompson (AUS), 27, into Round 2 while navigating through the tough conditions on offer at Bells to move directly through to Round 3 with a last-minute effort to take out the heat win by combining progressive aerials and critical turns. "That wave was deeper on the peak and it had a really good wedge on it," Gudauskas said. "I was just trying to go big and not hold back. The beauty of the first round is you can just throw it out there and see what happens. Jordy (Smith) is really talented in conditions like this, and in every condition, and Jay Thompson is phenomenal himself so I was just hoping to get something started. I actually had a pretty slow start in that heat." The remaining American surfers will all keep their hopes alive for this year’s Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Title when they hit the water in Round 2. To watch the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach LIVE log on to www.live.ripcurl.com For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org REMAINING RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
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