TEAHUPOO, TAHITI — Reigning world champions Andy Irons and Keala Kennelly will both enter the Billabong Pro Teahupoo event this weekend in Tahiti as defending champions and also, the No. 1 rated surfers on the 2003 Association of Surfing Professionals
TEAHUPOO, TAHITI — Reigning world champions Andy Irons and Keala Kennelly will both enter the Billabong Pro Teahupoo event this weekend in Tahiti as defending champions and also, the No. 1 rated surfers on the 2003 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour (WCT).
The pair are regarded as the surfers to beat at Teahupoo (pronounced Chow-poo) with their well earned reputations at the dredging left-hand reef break which is located “at the end of the road” about an hours drive south of Tahiti’s capital Papeete and situated 400 meters off-shore.
Kennelly, who shares the ASP women’s ratings lead with reigning five-time world champion Layne Beachley (Aus) will, like Irons be out for back-to-back WCT victories heading into what is regarded as perhaps the world’s most radical wave ever surfed.
It’s a repeat scenario for Irons, who in his world title-winning year also entered the 3rd event of the season at the head of the point’s table closely followed by former event champion Mark Occhilupo (Aus) and fellow Gold Coaster Joel Parkinson (Aus), both now positioned in equal 2nd.
Irons, who also won the 2000 Trials in spectacular 3-meter waves, is not underestimating the break stating, “Teahupoo is the heaviest wave in the world and even though it scares me, I look forward to competing there. To win last year was incredible. It’s the “new Pipe” of surfing only a lot heavier.
“I can’t wait, the pressure’s on. Everyone’s going to be psyching. I just hope things work out the way they’ve been going. It’s been an unreal start and I hope it continues throughout the year.”
Occy also is a proven Teahupoo performer winning the tournament in his 1999 world title year and featuring in the semi-finals in both 2000 and 2001. Fellow goofy-footer Luke Egan (Aus), who finished runner-up to Irons last year will be out to overcome a slow start to the 2003 season in what is regarded as one of his performance stops on tour.
“I’d love to go one better than I did last year,” said Egan. “It’s important for me to get a good result there. It’s one of the most intense waves to ride in the world. It’s more than experience; you have to have a “go-for-it” attitude. People who perform on adrenaline go well in Tahiti.
“It’s a unique set-up, a small village out in the middle of the ocean with the water safety patrol, the surfers and the media. It’s a small town hovering over the reef.”
Sydney surfer Beachley is regarded as Kennelly’s greatest foe in the Billabong Pro Tahiti Women’s event, with the pair dominating the tournament for the past few years. Beachley, who won the 2002 tournament, finished runner-up to the powerful goofy-footer last year. Kennelly’s 2002 victory saw her claim her 3rd Teahupoo title by adding to her 2000 WCT win and the 1998 World Qualifying Series (WQS) win.
“Competing at Teahupoo always requires a different mindset to any other location in the world. At first it is nerve racking but after surfing a few heats I tend to find a level of comfort out there. I think everyone’s biggest fear is hitting the reef,” said Beachley.
“Keala exudes enormous confidence at Teahupoo, more than any other wave in the world. She doesn’t surf any other competition wave as strategically or as determined as she does at Teahupoo. Keala is always the one to beat.”
Having won the recent WCT women’s tournament in Fiji – a similarly heavy left-hand reef break – Kennelly holds added confidence in her campaign.
Reigning world grommet champion Rebecca Woods (Copacabana, AUS) has been granted a wildcard into the women’s WCT event and is entering fresh from two back-to-back wins on the ASP Australasian junior circuit.
The 18-year-old suffered a radical wipeout in her first surfing session at Teahupoo.
With a building 3-meter swell hitting the reef, Woods was sucked back over the falls while duck diving through a set wave but managed to survive physically unscathed.
Fellow NSW Central Coast surfers Adrian Buchan and Glen Hall were relieved when Woods emerged after being held down for a solid 20 seconds, both declaring their readiness to rescue her.
“I was trying to relax and go with it. If you panic out here you are going to get smashed,” said Woods.
“I knew that Adrian (Buchan) and Glen (Hall) were out there in the line-up and if worst came to worst that they would come in and get me.”
Sixteen international Teahupoo surfing specialists will take on 32 local Tahitians in the Air Tahiti Nui VZ Trials at the world’s premier break for three days of competition.
Three wildcards will be awarded to the top two placed Tahitians and the next highest placed surfer into the Billabong Pro Teahupoo Tahiti WCT event.
The three-story wooden tower structure that is built specifically for the judges and officials has been rebuilt after being smashed by last weeks massive 4-meter swell.
The “tower” is situated 70-meter inside the impact zone on the reef and anchored by concrete blocks on the sand bed and supported by rope and steel cables to the coral heads
Internet users will be able to watch all the surfing action live from round one of the Billabong Pro Teahupoo Tahiti.
Both the men and women’s WCT tournaments will be filmed from the all-important boat angle situated in the channel looking directly into the barrel. A stabilizing camera lens and a microwave system will create a spectacular webcasting experience from one of the world’s most remote surfing locations. Simply log onto www.BillabongPro.com and enjoy the show.
