No joke as world champ Parkinson bundled out of titles

JOEL Parkinson’s world surfing title defence took another hit when Ireland’s Glenn Hall eliminated the Australian in Round 3 of the Billabong Rio Pro at Barra da Tijuca.

It was a second consecutive 13th-place finish for Parkinson, who last month was sent packing by Brazilian Raoni Monteiro in Round 3 at Bells Beach in Victoria.

While the loss to Hall is likely to make Parkinson the butt of some Irish jokes, his conqueror is about as Aussie as they come.

Hall, a 31-year-old world championship tour rookie, was born and raised on the NSW Central Coast but took his allegiance to Ireland, thanks to a dual passport courtesy of his grandfather, when struggling for sponsorships and opportunities.

But Hall’s moment of glory was short-lived as he lost to South African Jordy Smith in the fifth round.

Adrian Buchan joined fellow Australian Mick Fanning in the quarter-finals.

Buchan, 30, beat local teen Gabriel Medina and 11-time world champion Kelly Slater in the fourth round to book a direct spot in the last eight, forcing the pair into Round 5 heats from which they both also advanced, with Medina earning another match up against Buchan.

Aussie Taj Burrow became Slater’s fifth round victim.

Slater posted the day’s highest two-wave combined heat total in the barrelling twometre waves. He will face former Billabong Rio Pro champion de Souza.

Fanning wi l l battle Hawaiian Sebastian Zietz for a spot in the semi-finals while local rookie Filipe Toledo takes on Smith.