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To the Nines: Heroics in Tahiti
WSL
Kelly Slater (USA) dropped the first 9.00 of Billabong Pro Tahiti competition in the day's opening heat.
Reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) followed suit, locking in a pair of nines in Round 1. His first of two was a 9.03.
Fanning's second near-perfect score came in at a 9.13.
Defending event champion Adrian Buchan (AUS) fell just shy of the coveted 10-point ride for this deep forehand keg that came in at a 9.97.
Former WCT surfer and 2014 Billabong Pro Tahiti wildcard Nathan Hedge (AUS) reveled in the flawless conditions with the first 9.00 of a heat that ended in fireworks.
Brazilian Jadson Andre clinched a massive Round 1 win over Australians Josh Kerr and Julian Wilson, compliments of this 9-pointer at Teahupo'o.
Kai Otton's come-from-behind Round 1 win over South African Jordy Smith and Hawaiian John John Florence was earned with this near-perfect monster of a tube.
Nat Young (USA) took the lead and the win in his Round 1 heat at the Billabong Pro Tahiti with this nine-point ride.
Aussie Joel Parkinson's 9.00 secured his spot in Round 3 after a close Round 1 loss to Buchan.
Josh Kerr (AUS) avoided elimination in Round 2 when he notched a 9.07.
Aritz Aranburu (ESP) notched a 9.23 in his Round 2 matchup against Freddy Patacchia, carrying through the elimination round unscathed.
Sebastian Zietz (HAW) caught the ride of the day, earning a near-perfect 9.97 in the late stages of Round 2.
Tiago Pires (PRT) waited for the swell to build at the start of Round 3 and when it arrived it delivered the goods. Pires backed up an eight-point ride with a 9.00.
Pires solidified his Round 3 upset over World No. 4 Taj Burrow (AUS) when he replaced his 8.00 with a 9.67.
After a near-perfect ride in Round 1, Adrian Buchan (AUS) re-entered the water and logged a 9.00 in his Round 3 campaign.
Kolohe Andino (USA) grabbed a 9.23 late in his Round 3 heat against rookie Mitch Crews (AUS), giving him the go-ahead into Round 4.
Gabriel Medina (BRA) came out firing, driving down the line in barrel after barrel. After opening his Round 3 heat with an excellent 8.67, he drove through another tube for a near-perfect 9.77.
Hot off his Perfect 10 in Round 1, Nathan Hedge (AUS) gave himself a triple claim after this 9.27 in Round 3.
Medina matched his early nine-point ride with a 9.03 for a massive 18.80 heat total.
Known for his prowess in the pipe, John John Florence (HAW) was bound to score some nines during the epic third round of competition. His first was a 9.67.
Florence bettered his standing with a near-perfect 9.93 on his next wave.
Sebastian Zietz (HAW) started to climb out of a combination situation against Florence when he notched a 9.37 in their Round 3 heat.
Zietz scored his second nine in the dying moments of the heat but couldn't top Florence's perfection.
Nat Young (USA) won the opening exchange against Kai Otton (AUS) in Round 3 and scored this 9.13 to back it up. Ultimately, however, the Aussie's perfect score was too much to top, and Young's run in Tahiti was over.
Kelly Slater (USA) wasted no time impressing the judges: He logged a 9.00 on his opening ride in Round 3.
...and it only got better from there. The 11-time World Champion score a 9.33 on the heels of his opening ride.
Slater swapped nines again when he bettered his bottom score to a 9.57 with a no-hand claim.
And one for good measure: Slater hit a 9.02 on his fourth wave. His scores were so high, however, that the garden-variety nine-pointer didn't up his two-wave total.
The Champ traded out nines yet again when he replaced his 9.33 with a stellar 9.87.
Owen Wright (AUS) hit a 9.43 on the final wave of his Round 3 heat against fellow Aussie Matt Wilkinson.
Rookie Dion Atkinson (AUS) notched a 9.50 in Heat 12. It was among the handful of scores that helped him oust reigning World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS).
John John Florence (HAW) entered Finals Day with a casual approach to the daunting waters. He scored a 9.43 on his opening ride.
Perhaps inspired by Florence's performance, Kelly Slater (USA) went to work, notching a 9.67 on his opener for Round 4.
With the floodgates open, Slater disappeared for an even bolder nine-point ride -- a 9.77 -- which would be his highest in the heat.
And just for fun, a 9.17 to put a stamp on the round.
Kolohe Andino (USA) picked up where Round 4 left off, notching a 9.63 on his opening ride in Round 5.
Dion Atkinson (AUS) kept his standout performance going when he registered a 9.43 in the third heat of Round 5.
Atkinson kept up his tear, belting a near-perfect 9.90 on his next takeoff to eliminate an in-form Kai Otton (AUS).
Owen Wright dropped into the booming tide with no reservation for a 9.40 in Round 5.
Stoked at the end of his Round 5 heat, Wright improved his bottom score to a 9.87.
Not deterred by a tremendous wipeout on his opening ride, Bede Durbidge (AUS) paddled into a monster for a 9.87.
Adrian Buchan (AUS) held the lead briefly in the first heat of the Quarterfinals after notching a 9.70 on his opening ride.
Buchan ended his Tahitian campaign with a 9.30, having been eliminated with two nine-point rides in the bank in the Quarterfinals.
In a heat that started all strategy, Gabriel Medina (BRA) suddenly burst into action, eventually notching a 9.57 in his Quarterfinal heat against Kolohe Andino (USA).
John John Florence (HAW) was back with a vengeance after skipping Round 5, etching out a 9.80 on his first wave in the Quarters.
Florence seemed unstoppable, powering through the next barrel for a 9.33.
The Hawaiian swapped nines on his final ride in the Quarterfinals, earning a near-perfect 9.87 to close out the heat.
Dion Atkinson (AUS) would be eliminated by Florence in the Quarterfinals, but he left his best finish in an exceptional way -- his final wave of the event was a 9.43.
Kelly Slater (USA), not to be outdone by the next generation, glided into a 9.00 to start off the last heat of the Quarterfinals.
With plenty of juice left in the tank, Slater maxed-out another glassy barrel for a 9.80.
Gabriel Medina (BRA) owned his Semifinals heat, logging a 9.67 on his opening ride.
Medina earned back-to-back nines when he logged yet another incredible score on his next completion.
Kelly Slater (USA) backed up an opening 10-point ride with a 9.77 to fend off his on-fire opponent, John John Florence.
John John Florence (HAW) opened his Semifinals campaign with a near-perfect 9.90.
Florence backed up his opener with a 9.10.
The Hawaiian's third wave earned a 9.40 but he was still hunting for a score to topple Slater's heroics at the start of the heat.
Florence scored a 9.87 on his final ride, tying the 11-time World Champion. With the tiebreak giving the nod to the highest single-wave holder, Florence was eliminated in spite of having notched four nine-point rides in the heat.
Kelly Slater (USA) dropped the first 9.00 of Billabong Pro Tahiti competition in the day's opening heat.