Heat 11, Round of 96, Nike U.S. Open of Surfing, July 30th
2012
Stu Kennedy wins heat riding modern planing hull designed and shaped by Daniel Thomson.
Commentary:
Fuelie:
Welcome back to Huntington Beach and the Nike U.S. Open of
Surfing for 2012…heat 11 of the round of 96 and in red is Matt Wilkinson, Yadin
Nicol is in white, Hodei Collazo in black, and in blue is going to be Stuey
Kennedy of Australia. Joining me in commentary is 12 year veteran of the world
tour is super-coach and big wave charger Mike Parsons, and, one of our favorite
human beings in the world contest director and also world tour veteran Pat
O’Connell….now we saw there Stuey Kennedy who is riding some interesting
boards, we saw him at the Nike Lowers Pro as well…
Snips:
Yeah, interesting stuff, he’s got the sorta sawed off nose
effect. The rail line still holds true, but he loses like that last 5”, it’ll
be interesting to see how it goes for him…as we see Yadin Nicol, last year’s
finalist, throw an air-reverse there…but interesting choice of equipment there
for Stu Kennedy and fun to see these guys experimenting with something different…
Pat:
Yeah absolutely, and as the wind has come on now there’s a
little bump on it…it actually seems pretty smart, really, without all that nose
you’re not going to catch, you’re not gonna hit that bump…(Stu gets a wave and
does a floater…) I’m watching here as he (Stu) really got across that section
really, really, well…the board definitely did not hold him back. It looked
like, if anything, he got a little bit more squirt.
Snips:
Almost looks like theres a little bit of vee in the nose, or
its cupped to keep the nose free, and aw, like I said, fun to see these guys
experimenting with equipment and we’ll see how it goes for him.
Fuelie:
Scoreline right now- Stu Kennedy, with that unique
surfboard, looks more like a wakeboard, is out in front…
Snips:
There’s Stu Kennedy, wow, that was a quick, vertical blast
off the top on that very unconventional surfboard, it looks like Cheyne Horan’s
board from the 80s the way it moves…(Stu is skating across the big flat spot,
rail to rail, gaining speed)
Pat:
He’s really flying on it…
Snips:
He’s going on it, isn’t he? Wow, nice snap there, so
bringing some good energy to that wave, Stu Kennedy, I think that’s gonna be a
good score…
Pat:
I think that’s his best wave so far…
Fuelie:
Lets take a look at Stu Kennedy up and riding now…
Pat:
He’s getting a lot of speed-aww-does a real nice
air-reverse, that was great.
Snips:
That was fantastic.
Pat:
Considering the conditions…but he falls out the back..does
he make that?
Snips:
Oh absolutely. He rides out of it clean, he gets in front of
the white water, he has total control. That’s definitely deemed a completed
maneuver…and its gonna be a really good score. He’s gonna rocket himself into
an advancing spot based on the strength of that one move. That was the best
move of the heat so far.
Fuelie:
Lets take another look at Stu Kennedy’s wave…and Snips…so
much speed…
Snips:
Yeah, that was incredible. Full rotation, throws it towards
the beach…way up in the excellent score range. I mean, that was so technical for the conditions out
there…
Fuelie:
Super innovative maneuver there , an 8.17…one of the top
scores of the day….
Snips:
…he’s surfing pretty inspired and making a pretty good
statement I think. He obviously wants it, he’s bringing a lot of passion to the
heat, and he’s looking good…
Fuelie:
Do you think, Pat, that this is a board that any average
surfer could ride? Or do you think there’s something difficult in riding that
board?
Pat:
No, no, I absolutely think its something that the average
would like…a lot of these guys ride boards and they funnel their way down to
the average surfer. I mean, without the nose it looks a little strange, and
sometimes when I watch him I’m sort of looking for that nose…but if you really
watch it, it looks pretty functional. As Mike says, it looks like there’s a
channel through the front, and it looks like he’s getting a lot of squirt and
speed…
Snips
…I just think its fun that guys are riding different stuff
and experimenting during contests. Its great for us as fans and spectators to
check out, y’know.
Fuelie:
…so…right now, Stuey Kennedy, who is riding the most unique
surfboard of the contest, is out in front, Yadin Nicol is in 2nd,
but Matt Wilkinson is within striking distance with a minute to go…but the
battle now is definitely for second place…so, now Yadin Nicol moves through in
second place, and Stu Kennedy, with that massive frontside air, moves through
in first. He makes a strong statement.
Snips:
Yeah he really did. It was an amazing maneuver…
Post heat comments from Matt Wilkinson:
Jodi:
Stuart Kennedy was on a really strange board. Do you know
anything about those boards?
Wilkinson:
Not really…I’ve seen him ride it a little bit. I dunno. I
put his board under my arm this morning and it feels like nothing that I’ve
ever ridden, the rails are different, the tail is different, the nose is
different. Everything is just really weird on it. But he beat me. (laughs)
2 comments:
excellent- so excellent
classic perpetuation of useless myths keeping people from really getting it
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