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Boardfolio.com >> ASP World Tour News >> Slater Leads Quarterfinal Charge

Kelly Slater, who posted the highest overall scores of the tournament yesterday with a perfect 10 in his tally, picked up where he left off by again earning the best scores today. Slater will now face Shea Lopez in the quarterfinals. The Quiksilver Pro & Roxy Pro France (Sept 30-Oct 11) Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) www.aspworldtour.com World Championship Tour (WCT) Press Release Slater Leads Quarterfinal Charge October 10, 2003 (Hossegor, France) Six-time world champ Kelly Slater (FL, USA) continued his domination of the Quiksilver Pro France today by storming into the quarterfinals. Round four of the US$250,000 World Championship Tournament (WCT) was completed this afternoon, as well as the Evian Girls Expression Session and the men's Foster's Expression Session. Great 4ft (1.3m) waves were on offer, with glass-like conditions and hollow barrels running along the shallow sandbank at La Graviere. Slater, who posted the highest overall scores of the tournament yesterday with a perfect 10 in his tally, picked up where he left off by again earning the best scores today. Against Brazilian Peterson Rosa, the 31-year-old picked off three good scores prior to his opponent even standing up, and then emerged from a ridiculously long tube for a near-perfect 9.8. He then performed some amazing turns, though his massive heat advantage was not bettered. Slater will now face fellow Floridian Shea Lopez in tomorrow's fourth quarterfinal. "I was in sync early on in the heat and already had my scores before Peterson even stood up," recalled Slater. "For him it was a tough position to be in, that early in a heat. The one wave of mine was pretty lucky, as it opened up all the way across and I got a big score. "This board is working really good," he continued. "Before I went out, my friend and I were talking about how the waves look like Jeffreys Bay (SAfr) - the way it's peeling across. I just came off a win at Jeffreys, and this is the board I rode.... Whoever's going to win the world title this year probably needs to place better than third in the remaining events. That's what I'm expecting of myself, to get that far in each event cause, it's going to be a tight one at the end." Reigning world champ Andy Irons (Kauai, Haw) went straight to work in his match against Mick Campbell (Port Macquarie, Aus), posting a 9.0 first ride with a great aerial maneuver at the end. He then emerged from two good barrels on his next ride for an 8.5 and commanding lead. Campbell executed some trademark backhand vertical re-entries, but ultimately required a combination of waves worth 17.51-points to advance. Irons is now pitted against Californian Taylor Knox, after he eliminated Mick Lowe (Windang, Aus) this morning. "I'm really happy with the way that went," began Irons. "I started with a nine, and did a good air at the end of the wave. It's always good to get a great score right off the bat, as it takes the pressure off. Then I backed it up with an 8.5 with two barrels. Stoked to get past the 9th (place) round. Seems I either make the final or get 9th, so hopefully it means I'll make the final and get another victory. There's lot of heats to go, but I'm psyching and can't wait." Trent Munro (Aus) ended local French wildcard Patrick Beven's giant killing run. The Australian began strongly with an 8.0, but his opponent then collected a 9.0 and appeared destined for further glory in the Quiksilver Pro France. Munro kept at it however, securing another 7.67 ride for the lead. Beven caught another great set wave with priority, but unfortunately fell and there lost his best chance. "I started off with that eight and thought it was all right, but then he got a nine and I was on the ropes a little bit," explained Munro. "I was lucky enough to get the lead with a 7.67, but it was never won for me, that's for sure. He fell on that set, and that's the way it worked out." Danny Wills (Byron Bay) took out fellow Australian Mick Fanning (Gold Coast) in the day's first match. The 28-year-old found a couple of clean tube rides for the win and will now face West Australian Taj Burrow in the first quarterfinal, after he eliminated Brazilian Guilherme Herdy in round four. "That felt good," said Wills. "I knew the tide was getting lower, so I just tried to pick some early ones and find a couple barrels through the inside. That's been the goods all week. It turned out all right, and I'm just taking it as it comes." The Foster's Expression Session was an hour-long display of the most futuristic surfing happening. Quiksilver Pro France wildcard Troy Brooks (Aus) took out the best maneuver with one of his trademark 'Superman' Aerials for US$2,000 while Toby Martin (Dee Why, Aus) earned US$1,000 for the best wave. "It's great Foster's sponsor these Expression Sessions as you get a bit extra out of these contests," said Brooks. "It gives the surfers a chance to go out there and do something different then they usually do in heats too. As for the 'Superman's', I think Timmy Curran made it up, but I've been doing a few on the Airshow Series back at home, so I'm trying to steal it from him a bit (laughs)." An Evian Girls Expression Session trials heat also took place, whereby 12 of the world's best women free-surfed for an hour before the strong beach crowd. Plenty of barrel rides and big maneuvers highlighted their current performance level. The final day of the Quiksilver Pro France is scheduled to resume tomorrow morning at 8:30am (local time), with quarterfinals kicking off the action. The grand final should hit the water around 2:30pm, if conditions allow a smooth progression.

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