GoldCoast, Queensland/Australia –The Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Land Rover is just a few short days away from commencing and the opening event of the season will be headlined by none other than reigning 10-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 39.
The iconic natural-footer utilized the off-season to recharge in his adopted homes of Hawaii and California, working on equipment and taking advantage of the winter swell season. Slater (Florida, USA) revealed today he was still not sure if he would complete the entire 2011 ASP World Tour Season but confirmed he was both committed and excited to be competing at the season opener, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast which gets underway on Saturday February 26, 2011.
Slater spoke at the official press conference held at the contest events site at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast today. Also in attendance were Joel Parkinson (AUS), 2 X World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), 4X ASP World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (Aus) and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS).
Gilmore (Tweed Heads, NSW) was seated alongside her new team mate fellow Quiksilver rider and 10X ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) during the Roxy and Quiksilver Pro Press Conference at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast of Australia on Thursday February 24, 2011. Gilmore , who was attacked in an unprovoked incident earlier in the year injuring her right wrist, confirmed she was well enough to compete and was excited to take on the World's Best Female surfers during the upcoming Roxy Pro that gets underway on Saturday Febraury 24, 2011.
The Quiksilver and Roxy Pro's Gold Coast presented by Land Rover, which will take place from February 26 through March 9, 2011 at the world-renowned breaks of southern Queensland. Utilizing the high-performance point-break of Snapper Rocks as the primary venue, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast has the ability to go mobile to several nearby world-class waves, offering the ideal forum for the ASP Top 34 Men and Top 17 Women to open up their respective 2011 ASP World Title campaigns.
QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1:
Heat 1:Adrian Buchan (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA), Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Gabe Kling (USA)
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS), Bobby Martinez (USA), Cory Lopez (USA)
Heat 4: Taj Burrow (AUS), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 5: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Patrick Gudauskas (USA), TBA
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA), Kai Otton (AUS), TBA
Heat 7: Owen Wright (AUS), Taylor Knox (USA), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 8: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Brett Simpson (USA), Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 9: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 10: Michel Bourez (PYF), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 11: Chris Davidson (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 12: Jadson Andre (BRA), Damien Hobgood (USA), Tiago Pires (PRT)
ROXY PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 1:
Heat 1:Sofia Mulanovich (PER), Paige Hareb (NZL), Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 2: Silvana Lima (BRA), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Pauline Ado (FRA)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Tyler Wright (AUS), TBA
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Laura Enever (AUS), Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Heat 5: Carissa Moore (HAW), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 6: Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Coco Ho (HAW), Courtney Conlogue (USA)
