Super Fast Jellyfish

Words and photos: Jarrad Howse

Highlights from the O'Neill Cold Water Classic.

Six days in a row is stretch for even the most accomplished bloggers. Inspiration starts to wane, ideas vanish & concepts that seemed fun at the start of the waiting period are weighing my lids down.

What thrilled me today was the Cold Water Classic Series title race. At dawn we had five contenders that could pocket the $50k, Brent Dorrington, Adam Melling, Tom Whitaker, Miguel Pupo & Willian Cardoso. To cut a long one short, Dozza had it, Mello wanted to derail Tiago, Willy needed semis & Poops & Tommy were chasing the top rung of the podium to spoil the Dorrington Christmas.

Without fully unveiling the aftermath and spoiling the crescendo I can tell you lunches were cut, Christmas’s were ruined, babies will starve & the last thing I heard from Tommy Whit’s was that he was off to Vegas, Fear and Loathing style.

To be fair, the waves sucked today. The Lane was a lake so we were forced north to a Huntington Beach-esque Waddell Creek. I had my red marker out crossing potential winners off the list before the first heat started. Petite lefts with a north wind puffing into it, my money was on Poops.

With small waves on offer Miguel Pupo was looking like a good bet. Photo: Cory Hansen/O'Neill.

The kid from Sao Paulo was clinical, precise and inconsiderate to the final 12, butchering them as he went. Three heats & three poor souls needing a pair of 9’s to triumph. Not only did he abseil to the podiums perch he won the event, the series and $90,000 bones for his highflying trouble! 

The 2011 Cold Water Classic will be remembered as the year we crossed the ditch to NZ, Thurso’s pistons fired & Miguel Pupo was the Grinch that stole Christmas!

Until next year, Ciao!

For more information and full results head to the O'Neill Cold Water Classic Santa Cruz page.

And read what Jarrad has to say about sharks in the water here.

Jordy Smith catching some sun to warm up before his heat.

Miguel Pupo can find a way to warm himself up after walking away from Santa Cruz $90,000 richer.

Next stop, San Francisco for the Rip Curl Pro Search.

O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC FINAL RESULT
1 – Miguel Pupo (BRA) 18.93
2 – Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.20

SEMIFINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 15.33 def. Willian Cardoso (BRA) 8.80
SF 2: Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.33 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 10.43

QUARTERFINALS RESULTS:
QF 1: Willian Cardoso (BRA) 14.00 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 11.00
QF 2: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 19.14 def. Nat Young (USA) 13.16
QF 3: Tiago Pires (PRT) 9.56 def. Nic Muscroft (AUS) 7.93
QF 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.67 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.33

ROUND OF 12 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Dusty Payne (HAW) 10.43 def. Nathan Yeomans (USA) 10.00
Heat 2: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 15.00 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 6.17
Heat 3: Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.50 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 6.24
Heat 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.33 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 5.90