Slater, Parkinson, Fanning and Bourez reach the semi-finals at Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast

The latest day proceedings at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, on Tuesday, March 12, 2013, revealed the final-four surfers who would be competing for the overall victory at the first stop on the 2013 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour, Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast.

Mother Nature seemed to be in good spirit, which is why clean three-to-four foot waves graced the primary event site.

The stage was all set for the in-form surfers to show-case their exquisite skills and determination as they looked to extend their life in the competition.

The action on the latest day of competition got underway with the Round 5 battles, which gave eight surfers who stumbled in Round 4 one final chance to secure a place in the quarter-finals. With eight surfers in contention while only four spots on offer, the heats were expected to deliver plenty of thrill.

French Polynesia’s Michel Bourez, Australia’s Joel Parkinson and his fellow countrymen Bede Durbidge and Matt Wilkinson managed to hold their own in their respective Round 5 battles, consequently stepping into the quarter-finals.

The intensity rose to new heights once the quarter-finals got underway.

In the very first quarter-final, Bourez caused the biggest upsets of the day by eliminating the defending event champion Taj Burrow.

Reigning ASP World Champion Parkinson took a comprehensive victory over fellow Australian Julian Wilson in the second quarter-final to make his way into the semi-finals.

11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater dominated Durbidge in the third quarter-final to secure his place in the next stage of the competition as well.

“That was a fun heat and it definitely improved for me towards the end,” Slater said. “I’m on a new board so I didn’t feel great during the start of that heat, but it felt better with each wave and was feeling really good by the end. The waves are fun and really improved following the hold. When it’s clean like it is this afternoon, after the hold anyway, Snapper is a really fun wave.”

Former two-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning downed Wilkinson in the final quarter-final to clinch the last remaining spot in the semi-finals.

The next day of competition is expected to see Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast to its climax.

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Posted by Muhammad Qasim Hassan on Mar 14 2013. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.