Plans to create a £200 million surf lake and a ‘mini’ Eden Project near Junction 27 of the M5 at Tiverton go before a planning next month.
The major development at Junction 27 will be discussed at a two-day hearing on September 20 after the original date was delayed a year ago.
Eden Westwood a partnership backed by the Eden Project and Friends Life want to build a leisure development including an electric car hub to encourage sustainable tourism. If the planners vote favourably Eden Westwood would put in for outline planning in 2019, aiming begin work by 2020.
The major development at Junction 27 will be discussed at a two-day hearing on September 20 after the original date was delayed a year ago.
<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Michael February (ZAF)</em></p>
The Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o, event No. 7 on the 2018 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), blitzed through a full day of competition today, completing Rounds 3 and 4 and determining the remaining eight Quarterfinalists in variable three-to-five foot (1 - 1.5 metre) waves at Teahupo’o.
Filipe Toledo (BRA), current WSL Jeep Rankings Leader, continued his tear through this year’s event with a clutch Round 3 heat win over local wildcard Tikanui Smith (PYF).
Tika (Smith) is a great guy and dangerous out here at any size, I don’t take any heats lightly and every one is a step towards another result. Very happy to continue competing in this beautiful place.
Filipe Toledo
Toledo survived the Round 4 matchup and now faces rookie Michael February (ZAF) in the Quarterfinals when competition resumes.
February, who has failed to advance past Round 3 this season ahead of Tahiti, bested fellow countryman Jordy Smith (ZAF) this morning and found a last-minute barrel in this afternoon’s Round 4 to see himself into the Quarterfinals
Joining Toledo from the Brazilian Storm were 2014 WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) and lethal goofy-footer Italo Ferreira (BRA), currently No. 3 and 4 respectively on the WSL rankings.
So stoked to finally get through a few heats, it’s been a tough year, I feel like I’ve been surfing well but the heats haven’t been breaking my way. Feels great to get the opportunity to show what I can do and hopefully I can keep it rolling here throughout the rest of the event.
I love surfing Teahupo’o, no matter the size, the forecast this year isn’t great, but we can still go out and perfect. You’re seeing a different kind of surfing and I’m happy to be in the Quarterfinals. It’s an important event for this year’s Title Race and everyone is looking for a result.
Gabriel Medina
2012 WSL Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS) was eliminated by Owen Wright (AUS) in Round 3 Heat 4. In a slow heat, Wright’s sealed the win with an excellent 8.00 by threading a technical tube. It was a humbling win for Wright as he moved into Round 3 having eliminated one of the world’s best barrel riders during his retirement year.
I was stoked when the buzzer sounded, but the second it went off I looked over at Joel (Parkinson) and thought there’s one of the greatest ever, and he won’t be competing here again, we’re great mates so that was pretty special to share that heat with him. I feel like I’m coming into my prime and just getting everything sorted, but to see Joel stepping out it just makes you want to step in that much more.
Owen Wright
The conditions were a little bit of a letdown, but I was excited for the event, I definitely wanted to go further. There literally were three waves in that heat. I got one and Owen got the other two, but that is how it goes on those slower days out here. I probably waited the last eleven minutes for nothing. It is over out here for me. It has been an amazing journey, an amazing ride. I am going to miss holding priority in the last ten minutes of a heat, hoping for a score, but I’m glad I don’t have the pressure of it.
Joel Parkinson
Tahiti Pro Teahupo’o action will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the WSL’s Facebook page. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL's broadcast partners.
All photos courtesy World Surf League.
Tahiti Pro Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Michael February (ZAF) 9.66 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 4.83
Heat 2: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 12.50 def. Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 5.07
Heat 3: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 9.50 def. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 9.40
Heat 4: Owen Wright (AUS) 14.27 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 10.83
Heat 5: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 11.40 def. Adriano De Souza (BRA) 11.17
Heat 6: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.66 def. Tikanui Smith (PYF) 6.90
Heat 7: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.73 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 13.67
Heat 8: Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.27 def. Frederico Morais (PRT) 12.36
Heat 9: Yago Dora (BRA) 12.90 def. Mikey Wright (AUS) 8.24
Heat 10: Connor O’Leary (AUS) 16.53 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.34
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.14 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 9.93
Heat 12: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.14 def. Ian Gouveia (BRA) 10.34
Tahiti Pro Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Michael February (ZAF) 14.10, Wade Carmichael (AUS) 12.07, Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 10.97
Heat 2: Owen Wright (AUS) 12.69, Filipe Toledo (BRA), Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 8.26
Heat 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.67, Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.43, Yago Dora (BRA) 9.50
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.24, Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.10, Connor O’Leary (AUS) 11.34
Tahiti Pro Quarterfinal Matchups:
QF 1: Michael February (ZAF) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA)
QF 2: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Wade Carmichael (AUS)
QF 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Italo Ferreira (BRA)
QF 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)
22 million views and counting, 379,000 shares, 182,000 likes, 58,000 comments. So we like the thought of celeb and surfer Steve O posting surf vids, and it seems so does the public.
However this is @sebastiansurfs at Nazare, Jan 18th 2018, runner up in the big wave awards and not Rodrigo Koxa.
If you know Steve O let him know Sebastian is not very happy
Josh Kerr has taken out the 2018 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy in a thrilling Final Day of action in pumping surf at Sultans. Kerr won two of the three divisions to set up a Grand Finale matchup with Alejo Muniz.
Day 3 of competition saw the best conditions of the event so far, with perfect clean 4-to-6 foot waves at Sultans, giving surfers opportunities for airs, turns and long draining barrels. It was fitting that the Final was the heat of the event with both Kerr and Muniz trading off perfect waves, both finding epic barrels on the inside section.
Kerr got off to a blistering start in the Final, posting two excellent scores early to put Muniz in a combination situation (needing two scores). Muniz did his best to come back posting some massive rides himself, but the door was firmly closed in the last minute when Kerr scored a perfect 10 point ride to guarantee the win. For his efforts, Kerr will be asked to return to the event and defend his title in 2019.
“This was such an incredible event to be a part of,” Kerr said. “The waves just got better every day up until now where they are totally pumping – I never thought I’d get so barreled here in the Maldives. I got to surf a heat with every competitor these last few days, which was really cool. Everyone was in great spirits and brought something different to the event. It was so cool to surf with Alejo today, the surfing he was doing was amazing. The concept of this event is really cool, I like surfing different boards these days so I guess this is the perfect event for me – I’m stoked to be coming back next year but probably not as much as my family, they love it here.”
Spending the majority of his year competing on the WSL Qualifying Series (QS) Alejo Muniz hasn’t had too much experience on traditional style board such as a twin-fin and single-fin. Muniz admits that after this week in the Maldives he will be utilising that sort of equipment more often. It is safe to say, however, that where the former CT competitor truly shone was in the thruster division on Finals Day. Muniz will use this week’s experience to build on his bid to re-qualify for the CT in 2019, as he currently sits on 7th on the QS rankings.
“This has been one of the best days of my life,” Muniz said. “Although I got second three times in this event, I couldn’t be happier to have been in those Finals with some of my idols. It’s going to be tough competing on the QS after this experience – the luxury of the Resort and the pumping surf has made this the trip of a lifetime. Josh has always been one of my favourite surfers so it was cool to have a Final with him – we were both just trading barrels – it was unreal. I’m really pumped up to head back to the QS, but like I said, it will be tough after this.”
Just before the event Grand Finale kicked off, the thruster division wrapped up with former CT competitor Freddy Patacchia Jnr (HAW) taking the win with an incredible display of backhand tube riding. The Hawaiian goofy-footer was searching for a solid result in the Maldives and just came short of the Grand Finale. He rated his thruster Final against Alejo Muniz as one of the ‘most fun’ in his career.
“It’s really funny because when I arrived here I thought I wouldn’t be taking it too seriously but as soon as you put on the contest jersey, the fire is lit,” Patacchia said. “We are all so competitive, so after a couple of average results I was so stoked to win one of the disciplines – I knew I had to bring it. My thruster definitely felt like my best board so I put some more time into focusing today. This has been an amazing experience at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa and such a cool event. It’s definitely the most fun I have had in a WSL jersey.”
Coming into the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy for his second year in a row, 2001 WSL Champion C.J. Hobgood (USA) was the most experienced competitor in the field. Hobgood came into the Final Day with a shot to the top spot but came short in the thruster division being eliminated in the first round. The Floridian charger was just stoked he got asked to replace 2017 event winner Taj Burrow who pulled out of the event due to a knee injury.
“I definitely have to thank Mr Taj for missing out this year,” Hobgood said. “It was definitely an honour to return to such an incredible event – It’s such a special place and we get so well looked after. I was a bit down that I didn’t do better because the waves are so pumping right now, but at the end of the day, surfing is just part of this contest but the best part is being in paradise with friends and family.”
Local wildcard Abdulla ‘Fuku’ Areef (MDV) was another competitor who hadn’t had much experience on the different boards and surely had his best performance on the thruster. The Maldivian surfing legend was impressive amongst the world’s best and puts this week’s experience as one of the best of his life.
“This has been such an incredible time for me,” Areef said. “All of the pros have been so welcoming and friendly to me which was awesome – I felt very welcome surfing with them. We got so lucky with the waves as well and the best was definitely today on Finals Day, Sultans was pumping.”
Australia’s Josh Kerr has made it two for two at Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy winning the second round twin-fin division in pumping 4-to-5 foot surf at Sultans. Kerr is now sitting pretty for a Finals Day berth at the world’s most luxurious surfing event.
In the twin-fin final, Kerr faced off with an in-form Alejo Muniz (BRA) who had dominated his way through to the final. It was a match-up of the two standouts all day, but Kerr saved his best until last, scoring an epic heat total of 17.26, including a near perfect 9.63 (the highest of the event so far). The judges rewarded the former Championship Tour (CT) competitor for his impressive combination of tube riding, power turns and smooth, flowing style.
“I’ve been surfing on a twin-fin so much recently that I was almost more nervous surfing today because it was expected that I’d do well,” Kerr said. “Fortunately, from my first heat today I fell into a good rhythm. Everything felt good, the waves, my board, my surfing, the setting – it all felt right. I was so pumped to get out there when we rocked up today, the surf was amazing, just clean and perfect. Coming up against Alejo was always going to be a tough battle. He is still living and breathing competitive surfing on the QS so he is probably the most prepared competitor here plus he is ripping so hard. I just seemed to have a lot going my way. I’m stoked and now I’m about to go and share a few more waves with my daughter – we’re living the dream.”
The youngest competitor in the field, Muniz is currently sitting in 7th place on the Qualifying Series (QS) with the major goal of re-qualifying for the elite Championship Tour (CT). With this being his current mindset, his competitive tenacity is evident and his performances have been impressive all through the event. Although he was a standout in the twin-fin division, he was unable to stop Kerr in the final but was still over the moon to surf against one of his heroes in perfect waves.
“Josh has always been one of my favourite surfers so sharing a twin-fin final with him was so cool,” Muniz said. “I have barely surfed on a single-fin or a twin-fin my whole life so it has been so cool surfing on these boards since being over here – I think I’ll be surfing them a lot more now. They are so different and fun. I didn’t expect all of these guys to be that competitive and thought I might have the upper hand as I still compete, but when they paddle out, they have the fire in their eyes which is really cool to see. I’m just having an amazing time here with my family, it’s pretty much a honeymoon for my wife and I as we got married two weeks ago. Except this honeymoon has perfect waves with no one else out, which is amazing.”
Local wildcard Abdulla ‘Fuku’ Areef (MDV) had the tough task of taking on eventual winner Josh Kerr in the second twin-fin semi-final. The Maldivian surfing legend came short of taking down Kerr but was stoked to have the experience at one of his favourite home breaks.
“I grew up watching these guys on surfing movies so it is so cool competing against them and surfing with them all week,” Areef said. “They are all so cool and down to earth which is nice to see. I am just really soaking it all up and not worrying about the results. I love the wave at Sultans so it’s cool to get the line all to ourselves. It’s an incredible opportunity for me and I’m so grateful to Four Seasons Kuda Huraa and Tropicsurf for this.”
The opening heat of the day was totally stacked with 2001 WSL Champion C.J. Hobgood (USA) coming up against Alejo Muniz and fellow former CT competitor Fred Patacchia (HAW). All three surfers had to surf out of their skin to make the heat and, in the end, it was Patacchia who was eliminated in 5th place. Freddy will be back when competition resumes with the thruster division. Floridian goofy-foot Hobgood eventually went down to Muniz in the semi-finals finishing the twin-fin division in equal 3rd.
Stay tuned as Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy moves into the Finals Day with competitors going hi-fi in the thruster division.
Twin Fin Division Results
1. Josh Kerr (AUS)
2. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
3. C.J. Hobgood (USA) equal with Abdulla Fuku Areef (MDV)
5. Freddy Patacchia Jnr (HAW)
2018 FS Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy Leaderboard
The 2018 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy has kicked off in stunning conditions with Australian Josh Kerr taking out the opening round single-fin division. Sultans turned it on for the opening day of the world’s most luxurious surfing event with clean 4-to-6 foot waves rifling down the reef.
In the single-fin final, Kerr took on C.J. Hobgood (USA) with the two former WSL Championship Tour (CT) competitors trading waves, both gliding and jiving on their retro boards to each post solid heat totals. 2001 WSL Champion Hobgood led the heat with a minute left until Kerr took off on a medium-sized set and ripped into it, even landing a technical air-reverse to take the lead and the division’s win.
“That wasn’t the best air but it did the job so I’ll take it,” Kerr said. “I’ve always thought about getting the call-up to this event, so to be here now is amazing and to win the single-fin is too good. I was most nervous about the single-fin because the waves were way bigger than what I thought my board could deal with but it turned on in the conditions perfectly. This has been such a blast from the past hanging out with all of these guys; we haven’t seen much of each other over the last few years so this has been such a fun catch-up. And we’re doing it here at literally the most luxurious surfing event in the world with our families – I feel so spoiled.”
Hobgood is the veteran of the event having competed here last year, where he also finished runner-up in the single-fin division. The Floridian goofy-foot was destined for the final with some epic performances throughout the day particularly in his semifinal match-up with Alejo Muniz (BRA) which came right down to the wire. Hobgood continued this form into the final but was overcome by a rampaging Kerr in the dying seconds of the day.
“The waves are pumping today – it’s the best it’s been all week,” Hobgood said. “It’s so good to be back here and I definitely felt like the guy who knew what I was in for but still couldn’t hold in my excitement. I rode that same board last year and rode it a few times recently so was feeling really good on it. It was always going to be tough in that final coming up against Josh (Kerr), I feel like he will be the guy to beat here this week.”
On his way to the single-fin final, Kerr dismantled former CT competitor Freddy Patacchia Jnr (HAW) in semi-final 2. Patacchia was on borrowed equipment after missing the memo and forgetting to pack his own single-fin. The Hawaiian powerhouse was unfazed, making the most of an empty line-up in pumping surf at Sultans.
“I think I must have missed an email or something because I totally forgot to bring my single-fin,” Patacchia said. “Luckily there was one here that I could borrow and it worked all right. I was just having a blast out there today. My career was spent surfing to criteria on a particular board so today I surfed to what I think the criteria on a single-fin should be and although I didn’t win I had so much fun. These are the best waves I’ve surfed in ages so I’m so stoked.”
The opening heat of the event saw a great showing from local wildcard Abdulla ‘Fuku’ Areef. Although he was unable to progress into the single-fin semi-finals, he put on an epic show at one of his local breaks, surfing a single-fin for one of the first times.
Currently sitting within reach of re-qualifying for the Elite CT, Alejo Muniz (BRA) is definitely the most in-tune competitor at this year’s event. Having just hopped on a single-fin for the first time two days ago, Muniz looked in excellent shape, narrowly getting edged out by eventual division runner-up C.J. Hobgood.
Due to a missed flight, Hawaiian surfing icon Bruce Irons (HAW), unfortunately, had to withdraw from the single-fin division but is hopeful to arrive before the twin-fin division gets underway in the coming days.
Stay tuned as we head towards the 80s and our competitors get loose in the twin-fin division, which will most likely kick off tomorrow.
Single Fin Division Results
1. Josh Kerr (AUS)
2. C.J. Hobgood (USA)
3. Alejo Muniz (BRA) equal with Freddy Patacchia Jnr (HAW)
4. Abdulla Fuku Areef (MDV) equal with Bruce Irons (HAW)
2018 FS Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy Leaderboard
