https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjat_q4OikU

Neither Kelly Slater nor Dane Reynolds will win this year’s Fiji Pro, much to our great annoyance. Giant, perfect barrels were skewered and a 20-point heat total was posted, but not by either of the event’s hitherto standout surfers, both of whom floundered yesterday in the unwieldy Fijian seas.

Slater’s magic Cloudbreak touch seemed to have deserted him, and when waves did come his way he was unable to identify the hollow and profitable ones from among the many imposters. In Round 4 he was routed by Julian Wilson, who by contrast could do no wrong, and in Round 5 — and for the second time this year — by rookie Italo Ferreira. Reynolds encountered similar difficulties and similarly obstinate opponents, among them Taj Burrow, who pounced with a 9 in their Round 5 heat following a priority error on Dane’s part.

Watch the 10’s from Owen Wright’s perfect heat here, and Parko’s perfect 10 (just the one) here.

But first watch this 9.93 from Jeremy Flores, who looks in fine fettle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhd5BrXuysk

And now watch Julian Wilson win the Fijian lottery, which was also worth 9.93 points:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3geh7LJnDSI

And now bugger off.