Organisers of the Billabong Pro Rio are running out of time. Yesterday, continued small surf in the one-to-two-foot (0.5 metre) range saw the fifth consecutive lay day.
Stop No 3 of 10 on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Billabong Rio Pro has only completed Round 1 of competition on the opening day of the event window and hopes to resume as soon as tomorrow.
‘Small surf continues today and we have called competition off,’ says Rich Porta, ASP International head judge said. ‘The models are showing a swell arriving this evening and we anticipate more energy in the water for a possible recommencement tomorrow.’
Event organisers will reconvene tomorrow at 7am (8am AEST) to assess conditions for a possible 7.30am start. Organisers have placed Round 2 and the opening six heats of Round 3 on standby for a possible run tomorrow.
When competition resumes Taj Burrow (AUS), 34, will take on wildcard Gustavo Fernandes (BRA) in Heat 1 of Round 2.
The Billabong Rio Pro will be webcast LIVE via http://wctbrasil.com/rio13.
For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com.
BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) v Gustavo Fernandes (BRA);
Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) v Messias Felix (BRA);
Heat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) v Jack Freestone (AUS);
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) v Ricardo dos Santos (BRA);
Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) v Yadin Nicol (AUS);
Heat 6: CJ Hobgood (USA) v Dusty Payne (HAW);
Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) v Raoni Monteiro (BRA);
Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) v Adam Melling (AUS);
Heat 9: Damien Hobgood (USA) v Brett Simpson (USA);
Heat 10: Travis Logie (ZAF) v Kieren Perrow (AUS);
Heat 11: Alejo Muniz (BRA) v Miguel Pupo (BRA);
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) v Filipe Toledo (BRA)