Ozzie wasnβt having any luck finding the longer more shapely rides, but remember Sebastian had been been out there since the morning. Having already ridden six 18 minute heats, heβd seen all states of tide and seemingly knew when to chance a run to the inside and when not to.
7 waves each with 7 minutes to go.
Ozzie, frontside, bailed on two waves in a row that just didnβt steepen up, he popped over the back and looked left to see Sebastian absolutely steaming in on a bomb, maximum pace – but would the peak throw over? No, he had to straight line it as it closed out behind him.
Yet again he found a good one, floated beautifully along a large stretch of white water, took a big drop and immediately banked hard, effortlessly smooth, leaving him to glide almost mechanically around yet another top turn two metres above the shallow reef.
He may only have got two big turns, but itβs his approach, speed control and timing that were making these waves perhaps look more useful than they are.
Friday the 13th, riding lucky heat number 7 of the day – all the headlines are his. Ribeiro raced along one more wave near the end of the heat and pulled in beneath a lip that started pitching. For a second we thought heβd somehow exit the white water like a hero again. But no.
Ozzie had a real good go on a couple at the end, but pushing super hard dropped down off a brutal lip smack and couldnβt stay on the board.
Like a warrior, Sebastian put the day’s final beast to bed, finding the cleanest face of the entire heat and cruised through a few lazy turns. He knew heβd done it and his legs were shot.
Looking over to the rapidly dropping golden sun, his thighs must have been burning hot. From round three onwards, he’d just ridden four consecutive 18 minute back-to-back heats with just a heat’s duration break in between each. He’s gonna need help to walk tonight and once back on the beach said in a complete daze that he’d had to massage his leg while going back upwind because it had stopped working during his last barrel attempt!
Ribeiro wins – 13.74 to 7.37 and will face James Carew next in the semi final.
SEBASTIAN’S SCALPS
Round 8, heat #33: Oswald Smith
Round 7, heat #32: Jan Marcos Riveras
Round 6, heat #31: Pedro Matos
Round 5, heat #30B: Willow-River Tonkin-Shakes
Round 4, heat #29B: Jeremy Chan
Round 3, heat #27B: Charlie Wise
Round 2, heat #25A: Alessandro D’Ambrosio
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