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Boardfolio.com >> ASP World Tour News >> Burrow Raises The Bar

Taj Burrow raises the bar of performance in round 3 with the highest overall heat total of the Quiksilver Pro France thus far. The Quiksilver Pro & Roxy Pro France (Sept 30-Oct 11) Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) www.aspworldtour.com World Championship Tour (WCT) Press Release Burrow Raises The Bar October 6, 2003 (Hossegor, France) West Australian Taj Burrow today raised the bar in the Quiksilver Pro France with the highest scores so far. Round two of the US$250,000 World Championship Tournament (WCT) was completed at La Graviere, with the first four heats of the third also decided. Good 4-5 ft (1.5m) waves were on offer at the main contest site, with great barrels to be found throughout the day. Burrow - the current ratings #3 - emerged from a super long tube to post the best single score of the event for a near-perfect 9.93 against fellow countryman Luke Stedman. He then added another 9.33 to his tally with trademark turns, securing the highest overall total of the event with 19.26-points and an easy entry into round four. "Pretty stoked," began Burrow afterward. "That barrel felt good, and to get a 9.93... I've never had a perfect 10 in a WCT, so I would have liked one then (laughs). Then to get another 9 was great. I hope the waves stay similar, as I'm feeling really comfortable out there." Reigning world champ Andy Irons (Kauai, Haw) regained his form in the Quiksilver Pro France this morning. Against Quiksilver Pro Trials winner Tiago Pires (Port) in the days opening clash, he led from the outset and upped the ante with a great inside tube and committed aerial maneuver. He then bettered his position with a near-perfect 9.67-barrel ride at the end to amass 18.5-points and left Pires searching for even more. "Stoked that's over with and I got my two good waves," began Irons. "Tiago is a really good surfer and he can pull out all the stops. I wasn't counting him out at any point. I'm just taking it heat by heat and don't want to get ahead of myself. I'm my own worst enemy, so if I can deal with myself, I'll deal with the other guys next." Trent Munro continued his domination of European events this year - he won both major World Qualifying Series (WQS) tournaments in France this past August - by eliminating defending Quiksilver Pro France champ Neco Padaratz (Brz). Both appeared fired up for the match and executed extremely critical maneuvers, but Munro was able to find the superior rides and worked them over from start to shoreline. "I knew Neco would be trying to get his waves quickly, so I waited and it paid off," explained Munro. "Considering the waves we had here a couple of months ago, it's great now and really high performance. Just to win one event was a bonus, but to get both was such a great feeling. Hopefully I can do well here too." Padaratz's older brother Flavio was more fortunate today, overcoming an equally in form Damien Hobgood in round two. Current #5 Mick Fanning (Gold Coast, Aus) was in devastating form, overcoming local French wildcard Miky Picon, as well as fellow Australian Toby Martin (Dee Why) from round three. Fanning posted a 9.1-barrel ride this morning, and then clocked up a couple of eights this afternoon to move one step closer. "I've been training a lot at home, trying to get really fit," explained Fanning afterward. "I'm pretty psyched and want to be in the (title) race at the end. We'll see what happens, but this leg we have now is really important and where the world title will probably be decided. I'm just trying to keep it all together and hopefully make a final here." Guilherme Herdy (Brz) stopped Richie Lovett's (Aus) great run of late, knocking him out of the Quiksilver Pro France. The Australian won the WCT in California last month, and this morning eliminated fellow Australian Lee Winkler, but he wasn't able to continue past Herdy in round three. The Brazilian was also a standout at Trestles, and put his backhand attack to similar use today. "I saw Richie's heat earlier today and he was surfing so well," said Herdy. "I just tried to do my best, and am so happy I got it. He's been in great form, so I knew if he got a wave at the end he could beat me, so I kept priority until the end." Californian Taylor Knox progressed past Australian Darren O'Rafferty. The current #10 posted a strong 8.17 score with his trademark forehand carves, and even landed a good aerial maneuver at the end of the heat. "It was a fun heat for Darren and I," said Knox. "He's a really good surfer and I didn't take it lightly. Hopefully I can build some momentum now. There's a lot of opportunities for everyone to do well here in France, and I'm hoping to move further up (on the ratings) and have some fun." Brazilian Fabio Gouveia created an upset by eliminating current ratings #7 Dean Morrison (Gold Coast, Aus). Gouveia opened with an awesome first tube to post an 8.5 and set the pace (he would have scored more had he not fallen during a roundhouse cutback). While Morrison took the lead after some tubes and committed turns, his opponent locked in another couple of scores toward the end and progressed. "The waves were perfect," said Gouveia. "My first tube was really good, but I pushed it a little too hard on the cutback. Then I waited a long time for my second score, but I finally got it at the end. So happy." Danny Wills controlled his third round heat against fellow Australian Shane Powell this afternoon. The former world #3 collected a 9.0 and 8.17 for one of the best totals of the day, highlighted by another long barrel ride. Another decision will be made tomorrow morning by 8:30am (local time).

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