RELAXED PARKO HELPS CRUSH WILSON’S BID
AUSTRALIAN surfer Julian Wilson’s world title hopes have suffered a serious blow after being knocked out in the second round of the Tahiti Pro.
The event’s defending champion was upset by local wildcard Tikanui Smith 7.67 to 5.83 after failing to register a second-wave score in lacklustre surf at Teahupo’o.
Earlier, the Gold Coast’s retiring former world champ Joel Parkinson upstaged Wilson in their Round 1 heat, scoring 6.03 on his final wave to win 11.63 to 10.67.
“That’s the first time I’ve been barrelled in a while,” a relaxed Parkinson said, as he took advantage of the tuberiding conditions to outscore Wilson and Mateia Hiquily.
With four events remaining on the WSL calendar after Tahiti, Wilson is second in the world championship standings on 31,960 points – almost 4000 points adrift of Filipe Toledo.
The Brazilian can forge further ahead after comfortably progressing to the third round with the highest score of Round 1 (15.50).
“It feels good to finally get the rhythm over here,” Toledo said after his heat.
Wilson battled through a shoulder injury to win on the Gold Coast earlier this year and fuelled his world title credentials with finishes of third, second and fifth.
But the 29-year-old was walking a tightrope after 13th-place finishes at Bells Beach and Bali. He is only able to discard his two lowest results in the 11-round season and his 25th-place Tahiti result means at least one of those 13th-place finishes must be counted in the nine that make up his final tally at season’s end.
Wade Carmichael, Adrian Buchan and Connor O’Leary all progressed to the third round along with Parkinson.
Mikey and Owen Wright and Matt Wilkinson face Round 2 elimination heats.