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Great waves and great vibes flow through Ribeira d'Ilhas, Ericeira, for the 2011 Quiksilver Pro Portugal, as competition reaches a climax. Round 4 is going to be surfed in the weekend.
Jeremy Flores is the only European surfer still battling for a continental win, but the Frenchman will have serious opponents until the last heat. "I was behind in the scores the whole heat so I was in second and I needed 6 points and in the last minute I got the wave. It was the only fun wave I got and I thought not to fall off and I got the score so I am happy to make it", says Flores.
Jay Quinn ignited with an explosive display of controlled power surfing with intense forehand snaps and carves to claim a massive combined two-wave heat total of 18.10 to oust Quiksilver Pro Portugal defending champion Hodei Collazo.
"I feel pretty good after that heat and just opened up with that 6 to get my feet on the board and then I just took it from there and it all fell into place. I was well positioned and Hodei (Collazo) was sitting a bit too wide so I ended up getting a couple of good ones", says the Kiwi surfer.
"I am on the same board I used in Scotland to get to the final so it is going good. There are a few more heats to go before I have to start thinking about finals. First I want to make the quarters and then take it from there", he adds.
Caio Ibelli destroyed a long right-hander with a mix of critical snaps and flowing rail turns in the opening minute of his heat to kick off with a 9.10 out of 10 one of the highest single scores of the day.
"I am so stoked that I found a really good wave in the first minute with a 9.10 ride. I tried to get a good one when the heat started and that happened for me. The waves are good and fun now and I want to keep going."
John John Florence pulled off a pair of savage hits in a relaxed display against Brandon Jackson (ZAF) to claim an 8.67 out of 10 and a combined two-wave heat total of 16.27 one of the highest of the day.
"I was super stoked and it was a good wave and I got lucky because you are sitting way up the point now and you can’t tell which ones are going to close out or which ones are going to run through with a bit of a wall. Then when you do get a good one you have to ride it all the way in and then paddle all the way back out again. It is a fun right point and these are the best waves I have had in competition for a while", says the wonder boy.
Pat Gudauskas relied on a series of forehand snaps and carves on his opening ride to take control of a slow heat to oust Travis Logie.
"I was trying to do the math based on what Travis (Logie) needed so I was a little stressed out. It is tricky as it is more north the swell and not so much from the west today so it is hard to pick the ones which are going to hit reef. Also the wind is a bit more onshore so it makes it all a little more challenging but still really good waves out there".
Upcoming Quiksilver Pro Portugal Round Four Matchups
Heat 1: Cory Lopez (USA), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Junior Faria (BRA)
Heat 2: Pat Gudauskas (USA), John John Florence (HAW), Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 3: Miguel Pupo (BRA), Caio Ibelli (BRA), Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 4: Jay Quinn (NZL), Dion Atkinson (AUS), Julian Wilson (AUS)
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