Jamie O’Brien, 24, looked right at home over the coral reef

www.waxheads.com news update 29 4 08

Hawaiian’s Fire – Aussie Young Guns Step Up – Monster 5m Waves

Teahupoo, Tahiti (Saturday 26th April 2008): THE world’s top 45 surfers have been issued a severe warning about what to expect for the 2008 Billabong Pro Tahiti with the world’s heaviest wave, Teahupoo, roaring to life on the opening day of the Air Tahiti Nui - Von Zipper Trials.

The Trials event awards two wildcards into the Billabong Pro main event and pits 40 respected international big wave surfers against 40 Tahitian locals.

Run over a four day waiting period, the precursor to the most watched surfing event on the planet allows the winner and runner up a position in the main event beginning May 8th.

The 2008 Trials event has attracted the cream of progressive big wave surfing talent with the likes of Jamie Sterling (Haw), Kalani Chapman (Haw), Jamie O’Brien (Haw), Cory Lopez (USA), Dylan Longbottom (AUS), Clay Marzo (Haw), Laurie Towner (AUS), Brian Conley (USA), and Anthony Walsh (AUS) making the field the strongest in its nine year history.

A powerful WSW swell confronted contestants on day one, with a light offshore breeze fanning perfect 10-12ft (3-4m) sets with the occasional 15ft sneaker keeping contestants in round one and two on their toes.

Hipwood

Late in the day, the swell jacked to 15-18ft (5m+) prompting competition officials to postpone heats at the start of round three due to dangerous conditions. The waves were too large and too powerful to paddle into.

With the majority of local surfers starting their campaign in round three, it was the international surfers who stepped up to the plate on the opening day, throwing themselves into monster tube rides and life threatening situations.

2004 Pipeline Master Jamie O’Brien, 24, looked right at home over the coral reef, threading through numerous backside tubes to win through two rounds. Casually falling into the biggest set waves, O’Brien defeated Mark Visser (AUS), Carlos Burle (BRA) and Morgan Faulkner (USA) in round one before stepping it up with the highest heat score of the day in round two.

Emerging from two unbelievable tube rides, the natural footer posted a combined total of 17.70 out of 20.00 to defeat Australian Dean Bowen and Tahitian pair Nicolas Leetham and Jody Grosmaire.

During his opening heat, O’Brien was caught inside on a huge set wave and alongside opponent Burle, went over the falls while trying to duck dive through the thick wall. He was smashed in the face by his board, splitting his lip and eye.

Davies

O’Brien made a last minute decision to compete in the trials after sizing up the promising swell forecast. He had been recovering from a perforated eardrum at home in Hawaii and originally planned not to attend.

“It has been a great day, I’ve got a fat lip, a sore eye and I’m still getting barrelled,” said O’Brien. “They wanted to take me to hospital, but I was like no way, I spent $5000 on this trip and I don’t get paid in Euro’s.”

2001 Billabong Pro Tahiti champion Cory Lopez (USA), 31, was a rare name in the Air Tahiti Nui – Von Zipper Trials round one having failed to requalify for the elite men’s world tour in 2008. The goofy footer is regarded as one of Teahupoo’s most prolific chargers and proved it in no

special thanks billabong.com