Rookie stuns Kelly to push for Fiji title
AUSTRALIAN rookie Connor O’Leary ousted surfing legend Kelly Slater on a day of carnage for the big guns at the Fiji Pro.
Ranked 15th in his debut World Surf League season, O’Leary triumphed over the 11-time world champion in a close third-round heat yesterday in small – 4-5 foot – waves at Cloudbreak.
Others to be eliminated as the third round was completed after several lay days were rankings leader John John Florence, second-placed Jordy Smith, third-placed Adriano De Souza and threetime world champion Mick Fanning from the Gold Coast.
O’Leary joined fellow Australians Matt Wilkinson, Julian Wilson, Joel Parkinson, Bede Durbidge and Stuart Kennedy in filling half the positions in Round 4.
With just 0.40 point separating them, O’Leary secured a 10.74 score while Slater waited but could not find the wave to improve on his 10.34 and exits Fiji early.
“It is always tough to win that low-scoring, but I am over the moon,” said O’Leary.
Slater described it as “tricky day”.
“You’ve seen other experienced guys that you’d expect to win out here losing. It’s been total decimation of the top seeds and it’s played into the hands of the underdogs,” the American said.
Another rookie, Leonardo Fioravanti of Italy, put a dent in Florence’s world title campaign, securing only his second heat win on tour this season as he produced some aggressive snaps for a 16.83 (out of 20) two-wave score.
“My mom always tells me that I surf better on my backhand so I was just thinking about what my mom always says and trying to hit the lip as hard as I could, and it paid off,” said Fioravanti.
Florence preferred to look ahead to the next event in South Africa after his worst result this year.
I’ve got my two throwaways (event scores) for the year so far. I really believe that things are going to get a lot better,” he said.
“I am learning a lot and I am excited and confident for J-Bay.”
Fanning was eliminated from the event by Tahiti’s inform Michel Bourez. The win came down to the last exchange, where Bourez landed a 6.53 ride to Fanning’s 5.53.
The rookie takedowns continued as South African Smith fell to Joan Duru of France, also copping his worst result this season.
In the last heat of the day, Australian Kennedy eliminated de Souza, the 2015 world champion, with a 14.83 combined-score as his opponent fell just 0.50 points short on his last attempt.