Into The Waves By TERRY “TAPPA” TEECE
Mitch Parkinson goes into the Chicko Alley Classic leading the Chicko QCC ratings, and the swell predictions are looking like good conditions for the event. Present forecasts have south-east winds and up to two metres of south-east swell, which are prime conditions for the classic right-hander that is Currumbin Alley.
Mitch Parkinson, at 17, will be looking to emulate the feat of his cousin, current ASAP World Champion Joel Parkinson, and win the coveted title. Joel won it at 16, in massive surf, snapping two boards in the final, and finishing win on a board borrowed from Cabarita surfer Robbie Johnson.
That was Joel Parkinson’s “I’m here” statement and it was from them that the World Junior Titles, and WCT and WQS wins followed shortly after. Mitch is in fine form, and being coached by the backhand master of the Alley, Mark Richardson, should put him in a good space to win.
With $6000 up for grabs in prize-money, last year’s defending champion Lincoln Taylor is hoping to make it two in a row, and his backhand vertical style will see him hard to beat no matter what conditions are on offer. The North Stradbroke Island surfer will be keen for a win. Former Central Coast, now Kingscliff surfer Wade Carmichael has been in fine form, and a host of other surfers will be in the hunt for the cash and ratings points.
Competition commences at 8am on Saturday, and once again the rock at the Alley will be loaded with spectators checking out the red hot surfing action. Well worth heading to Currumbin and checking out.
Stephanie Gilmore withdraws from Rio
Reigning five-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore, 25, has withdrawn from the upcoming Colgate Plax Girls Rio Pro. The current ASP Women’s WCT number five suffered a stable fracture of the calcaneus in her left foot during the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach, but rallied to finish the event and compete at the following stop in New Zealand. However, the fracture has yet to heal completely, preventing Gilmore from contesting the upcoming event in South America.
This all but puts an end to Gilmore claiming a sixth world title this year, with only two events remaining after Rio, and Kingscliff’s favourite surfer girl currently in equal fifth place.
We all wish Stephanie the best, and maybe 2014 will be the year for world title number six.
Rio under way – who will move into the lead?
After the completion of two events on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) and four events on the ASP Women’s WCT, the men’s and women’s races for surfing’s ultimate crowns, the ASP World Titles, have tightened up heading into a crucial stop at the Billabong Rio Pro, already underway, running from May 8 to 19.
Kelly Slater (USA), 41, 11-time ASP world champion and 2012 ASP world runner-up, reclaimed the current ASP WCT number one spot following a big win at the opening event on the Gold Coast. Slater now holds a slender 500-point lead over two-time ASP world champion (2007, 2009) Mick Fanning, and Western Australian Taj Burrow heading into Rio de Janeiro.
Joel Parkinson, 31, reigning ASP world champion, finished runner-up on the Gold Coast and had opportunity to overtake Slater following his early ousting at Bells Beach. However, despite a near-perfect 19.10 out of a possible 20 heat total in Round three, Parkinson would fall just one heat later to a rampaging Brazillian Raoni Monteiro, 30.
Parko and Mick have their small wave game down, which are often the conditions at Rio, another local bloke to watch will be former Tweed surfer now living in the US, Josh Kerr. Kerrsy is a freak in all conditions, but the beachbreaks of Rio will be putting the “Fly Boys” down as favourites, and Funky Cold Gabriel Medina will be flying high hoping to win his third world tour event.
Should be awesome to watch, check it all out on Fuel TV or live on the net at www.aspworldtour.com .
