Jo Dur, pensive after advancing. Photo: Robert Capa

Things got interesting today. As well as the appearance of the some the big dogs, Sunset cleaned up after morning sickness to provide a wee bit of freedom of expression, particularly by the likes of AI (who ripped but didn’t advance), Davo, 18-year-old Nat Young and 36-year-old Pancho. 

At breakfast this morning Sunset still looked choppy from the night’s wind. 

The heat of the day was the Duru/Irons/Davidson/Patacchia clash, Heat 6 of the Round of 64. Vitally, Joan advanced (on exactly the same score as Davo), keeping his hopes alive. He opened up with a 7 for a couple of weighty backside hooks, and despite the odd bad choice, did enough to keep ahead of both Hawaiians. If he can get through three or four more heats he’ll rescue his WCT bid after an unfortunate autumnal wobble at the last chance cafe. Davidson, a human capable of being very bad and very good did a layback hit to belly out to stand up again, followed to a slow milking the inside whitewash (‘What’s eee doin?’ screeched the Aussie contingent.) Minutes later he took off deep and smashed three brutal turns to raptures. Although Irons didn’t advance, he threw down some crazy AI turns (‘It’s still there underneath all the other stuff’ remarked one noted observer). 

 
Also still interested for the Euro contingent is Glenn ‘Micro’ Hall, still in with a shout after advancing from his heat with Nat Young. At 22 on the WQS, Hall needs a similar run to Duru to qualify. With a heat total of 17.33, the teenage Santa Cruz goofy blazed once again, getting his already gangly frame under the hook at velocity.

In the last heat, Pancho, at 36 double Young’s age and still everybody’s favourite Sunset surfer advanced with Mick. The other remaining Euros still in the event are Miky and Aritz, both up in heat 15 of this round.