Taylor Knox and Kai Otton off to a perfect start at O?Neill Coldwater Classic
America?s Taylor Knox and Australia?s Kai Otton clinched an ideal result in the opening heats of the O?Neill Coldwater Classic, the ninth of ten stops on the 2012 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, which kicked-off at Santa Cruz in California, America, on Thursday, November 1.
Knox got a win over Australia?s Julian Wilson and Brazil?s Alejo Muniz to secure his place in Round 3, while sending both his rivals into the second round to surf again for a place in third round.
The second heat saw Otton walk away with the win after getting the better of Brazil?s Adriano de Souza and Jadson Andre, consequently relegating them into the second round whole advancing straight to Round 3 himself.
The shifting two-to-three foot waves gracing the iconic point-break of Steamer Lane served as a perfect canvas for the elite ASP surfers to resume their campaign for the most coveted honours in the spot, ASP World Title.
Knox, who had been struggling to make a significant impact in any of the events during the year, found himself taking on the winner of the recently concluded elite tour event in Portugal Wilson, while Muniz was also sharing the waves with them.
As the battle got underway, the American surfer collected a 6.67 off his first business-wave in the opening minutes of the heat and later backed it up with a 6.13 to finish with a heat-total of 12.80 points. The score held up until the end to see him through to victory.
Wilson did not finish too far behind Knox, registering a heat-total of 11.40 points after scoring a 6.00 and 5.40 off his best-two waves, but it just was not enough to carry him into the third round.
Muniz scored a 4.07 and 6.53 off his two business-waves, thus having to settle for a heat-total of 10.60 points. The effort placed him third and resulted in his relegation to the second round as well.
The second heat featured a bit of an upset as De Souza, current No.5 on the ASP World Championship rankings, was expected to take the win.
However, it turned out to be Otton who eventually emerged triumphant through a heat-total of 13.00 points, which included a couple of scores in the six-point range.
De Souza had to settle for second place after earning a 4.43 and 5.43 off his two business-waves for a heat-total of 9.86 points, whereas his compatriot Andre finished third following a two-wave total of 8.60 points.
Both the surfers would be surfing again during Round 2 to try earning their place in Round 3 when the competition resumes.
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