Been Busy...

So I've been home for about 2 weeks now since my Tahiti trip. Obviously wasn't too stoked on my last result there, 33rd is never a result you want to get in a World Tour event but it happened and I've got my homework cut out for my next attempt at Chopes...

So in the last two weeks, I first followed a swell down to Jbay, and got some really good Jbay walls, around the 4-5 ft mark, maybe a few bigger sets but just really rippable and fun sized Jeffries. Was great to be back there, actually now that I think of it, was the first time I'd surfed it in 2 years, crazy to think cause I only live about and an hour's flight away. That wave really is amazing, easily one of the best right handers in the world...

Hopefully there are a few more swells in the next month there so I can make another trip or two down there. 

After that , was home for a few days then jetted down to Greg Emslie's hometown of East London for a Zigzag trip with Emmo, Frankie Oberholzer, Royden Bryson and Devyn Mattheys.

Soul mission was to score that ledge the boys down there have been hitting for the past year.

I was only able to make it there for 3 days of surfing, but we really did score some pretty damn fine waves. We got the ledge, scored some great right point and a  fun beachie. We did about 17 hrs of surfing in the 3 days, was pretty fun to do that much surfing again, felt like I was 14 year old surf rat again.

Back home now, New Pier has been firing for the past 2 days, looking like a few more waves the next few days, should be fun. The WPS have a vote up and running for the WPS / Hurley showdown on during the US Open of surfing in USA. It's open to the public to vote who they want in , so go to www.worldprosurfers.com and cast your vote, for me of course...

Catch up again in the next week or so... Adios

Davey

Chopes Sequence by Sean Rowland

Sean Rowland from Surfline sent me through this sequence from my round 1 heat at Teahupoo. 

Just got clipped as I was coming out of this one, probably would have changed the heat result had I have stayed on my board. That's the problem with the new format ASP and certain event sponsors have come up with, no more second chances. Not too many surfers are happy with this new format, either all the 45 should start from the same round, no preferential seeding for the top 16 but have the straight knock out from rnd 1 or go back to the old format, 3 man first round heat but use the kelly format with it. There are ways around it.... My opinion, this new format is not the way to go, it's been tried and tested and it sucked so hopefully companies see this and listen to the surfers and make some better changes....

Boards here... Finally!!!!

Yip, they finally made it to the French Polynesian island of Tahiti but it did take a solid 6 day trip for them to arrive. Well, at least they're here and they seem ding free so far which is great. When they're stuck in transit like that you never know what can happen to your luggage. 

We had a few waves out at Chopes today, fun barrels around the 4 ft mark, just good to get a feel of the wave and try figure it out a bit. We got a full house now at Papa Teva's spot. The hobgood's, dane, nathaniel, emmo, ben dunn, kieran, bobby, some photogs and filmers and a few others are holding down the fort here, some pretty funny moments and stories have gone down already and the event hasn't even started yet, should be a classic next few days ahead of us...

Thought I'd post a few pics.... Classic sunsets here, really amazing.

Cheers

Davey

No boards... AGAIN!!!!!

So I made it to Tahiti safely, was a marathon of a trip though, got to love layovers but arrived safe and sound. But once again, No Boards. Apparently they never even left Johannesburg when I flew out. I reckon it means nothing if your bags have platinum frequent flyer cards on them or even those priority stickers they put with your boarding tags on. It just gets a bit irritating when you go to an event earlier to put in some time there and you don't have your boards to surf.... awesome!!!!!! Thanks SAA!!! Thankfully, Ben Dun has hooked me up with one of his 6'4 so at least I can get in the water. The other thing is my boards are only getting here Friday, and I arrived in Tahiti last Sunday!!!

Anyways, we here now at Papa Teva's spot, you rent yourself a bed in there house and they feed you three meals a day, kinda like a boarding house on the water. A great family, but they battle to speak the best English so it can be pretty damn funny at times trying to ask them questions or explains things to them. The Trials for the Billabong Pro started today, surf is in like the 6ft range, so I've been told, have not made it out to Chopes this morning as we've been trying to get the boat started that we use for our runs to the lineup. But the wind is up already so I'd say be a pretty difficult time out at the famous Teahupoo right now.

They say there could be waves for the start of the waiting period but we'll just have to wait and see, they predicting 6-8 ft but the wind could be an issue.

If anything interesting happens, will bog it so until my next post....

Davey

Some more photo's from Bell's

Almost there.....

So I'm on my way to Tahiti, just done a 9 hr flight from Johannesburg to Perth, just busy sitting in the lounge right now, got a 7 hr lay over here, then jumping on a flight to Auckland, 8 1/2 layover in New Zealand then my final flight to Papeete , Tahiti. What's so crazy is that I left on the 2nd, will leave Auckland on the the 4th May at around 2pm and get to Tahiti around 9pm on the 3rd. Time travel!!!!!! Just hope my lift will be there when I arrive in Papeete, don't have any address details of where I'm staying...

Luckily got away with out any excess luggage charges this time, it's just crazy how these airlines are starting to nail their customers even if you're only like 3 kgs over the allocated weight. 

Will check back in on my next layover if I get internet access there...

Davey