The 2006 Body Glove Surfbout presented by Adio Footwear – Day Two

Waves: Knee-to-waist-high. Chest-to-shoulder-on the best sets.

Weather: Sunny with scattered clouds.

Action: Right from the start it was obvious things were turning around today. Light off-shores and a noticeable increase in the pulse greeted the boys on the beach for the opening of Day 2, and these factors kicked things off early.

The efforts of Geoff Brack and Nils Schweizer also helped the cause. In Heat 9 of the Round of 160, the first heat of the morning, Schweizer and Brack both punted a pair of rotators in the opening moments, which was a nice way to start the day after yesterday’s crawl. And while it was still extremely inconsistent early on, all the competitors of Heat 9 managed to put together a handful of rides on decent-sized faces. Brack, however, who was sitting in 2nd based solely on the merits of his frontside-loft, was bumped in the end by Schweitzer. In 1st was Sean Hayes who pushed into the top slot late in the heat.

For Heat 10 the swell was still spotty, but it was starting to trickle in, and Greg Cordeiro and Casey Landvougt advanced from that heat with impressive, slashing small wave attacks in 1st and 2nd respectively.

Heat 11 saw the start of a run of extremely tight, last-minutes exchanges as the swell finally clicked. Heats 11, 12, 13 and 14 were all barnburners. Floridian Adam Wickwire had a strangle hold on the top slot throughout in Heat 11, but the battle for the transfer slot was intense. Zander Mortan would advance past John Daniels by less than 1/10th of a point.

In the waning moments of Heat 12, Newport’s David Giddings, who was sitting in 2nd, nabbed a clean runner and posted an 8 to steal the top slot from Omar Etcheverry.

“I had passed up a wave before that one,” said Giddings, “and it’s really tough to be patient and just sit there and wait when there’s only a minute or two left. But I sat and waited and waited and finally that one came to me. And I was like, ‘It’s all or nothing,’ so I just let the tail fly and it worked out.”

In Heats 13 and 14 Zach Keenan and Sean Taylor grabbed 1st with solid scores late in the match-up.

“I waited for 13 minutes for that last wave,” said a relieved Keenan.

Aussie Andrew Mooney had Heat 15 on lock down with an 8.83 and an 8.17 under his belt, while Shey Yates claimed the transfer position behind him.

Magnum Martinez opened Round 3 with a bang in the opening moments of his heat, Heat 1, with an 8.33, but it was Hawaiian Casey Brown who took the win. Brown went to work with under 3-mintes left with a fluid and fast attack that earned him an 8.17 and a 6.67, a pair of scores that allowed him to edge Martinez by a half-point.

Australian Adam Melling and Brazilian William Cardoso took down their American opponents in Heat 2 with a pair of scores in the 7-point range, but it was Melling, with his crisp frontside snaps who got the better of the exchange with a 7.67 and a 7.90.

In Heats 5 and 6 locals Brandon Ragenovich and Greg Long dominated. Long’s heat, Heat 6, was slow wave-wise but he still managed to put together a 6.17 and an 8.83 for his 1st place advance into the next round.

In his win, Mitchell Coleborn posted the high score of the contest thus far with a 9.6 to take Heat 7, and in Heat 11, Floridians Aaron Cormican and Adam Wickwire advanced into the next round in 1st and 2nd respectively. Taking down Omar Etchevery and Dusty Payne, both Cormican and Wickwire looked comfortable and explosive in the small surf.

Heat 12 saw another bump in the swell. In the opening moments of the match-up , a trio of solid 2-to-4-foot sets rolled through and the resultant scores were so close that 1st and 3rd place would eventually be separated by less than a 1/10th of a point. In the end it was Zander Mortan and David Giddings who advanced into the next round by a hair.

Che Stang and Cheyne Magnusson both looked loose in Heat 15 and they advanced into the next round in 1st and 2nd, while Alek Parker took the win in Heat 16. At the close of that heat the event shut down again for the day.

“It was way better out there today,” commented Australian Adam Melling late this afternoon, “and I think it’s getting better. I really like this wave, so with the added push, tomorrow should be fun.”

Scheduled for tomorrow is the Round of 96 and half of the Round of 64. Log onto www.bodyglovesb06.asglive.com for photos, updates, live video and commentary from Day 3 at the Body Glove Surfbout presented by Adio at Lower Trestles.