No swell, no surfing at day three at the Billabong Pro Tahiti

amplify image

Teahupoo. Photo: EiTB

As expected, the Billabong Pro Tahiti is off again today. Event officials are not expecting to run Round 1 until Monday or Tuesday, but monitor the conditions each morning nonetheless. Should conditions be contestable, they would not hesitate to lengthen heat times and commence competition.

Brazil’s Leonardo Neves is among the surfers seeded in early heats who must be prepared for potential competition each morning.

“We drive here every morning thinking, ‘It looks flat, it probably won’t be on,’” Neves said. “But at the same time, you never know so you are always filled with expectation. I have been only surfing rights for many months, no lefthand waves, so I want to practice, but where are the waves?”

Neves, who finished 22nd on the ratings last year, will face against Kai Otton (AUS) and Ricky Basnett (ZAF) in Heat 2.

Another call on competition will be made tomorrow morning at 7am.

Back into competition

Aritz Aranburu will be back into competition when swell arrives after the Basque surfer, 2008 ASP World Tour rookie and defending ASP European Pro Surf Tour champion, Aranburu twisted his knee during the MSF expression session at the Quilsilver Pro Gold Coast and pulled from the Rip Curl Pro Bell's Beach.

At 22, Aranburu has been on the rise for the past two years and is now a member of the Elite Top 45 surfers of the 2008 ASP World Tour.

He will face against Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Damien Hobgood (USA) in heat 6.