Bobby Martinez (Santa Barbara, California, USA) (pictured) reached the quarterfinals of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast today defeating Kai Otton (AUS) to advance into the next round.
© ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz

Three out of four surfers in the semi-finals of the Snapper Rocks Quiksilver Pro contest in Australia this week were getting barreled and demolishing innocent wave lips at the Queen of the Coast for much of the month of February. The first stop on the 10-event Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour, the Snapper Rocks Contest on the Gold Coast of Australia saw Santa Barbara native Bobby Martinez, Ventura’s Dane Reynolds, and South Africa’s Jordy Smith among the final four standing in the $400,000 and 48 competitor-strong wave riding rodeo — all three of them preparing for the event by frequenting our fabled Rincon Point just days before the tour kicked off down under.

Bobby Martinez (Santa Barbara, California, USA) (pictured) finished equal 3rd at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast today, reaching the semifinals where he was defeated by eventual winner Taj Burrow (AUS).
© ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz

Though he didn’t fare quite as well as the aforementioned trio, part-time Santa Barbara dweller and greatest competitive waverider to ever paddle out, Robert Kelly Slater also warmed up for the Snapper event by hanging out off Bates Road in Carpinteria for extended periods of time in this great El Niño, surf-stuffed winter of 2010.

Dane Reynolds (Ventura, California, USA) (pictured) advanced into the Quarter Finals of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast after narrowly defeating Dan Ross (Australia) today. By defeating Dan Ross, Reynolds sets a Quarter Final matchup against defending event champion Joel Parkinson (Aus).
© ASP/ Kelly Cestari

The Snapper contest, which is held at a reeling right-hand point break sufficiently similar to the bounty provided at Rincon, concluded yesterday with Australia’s Taj Burrow besting Smith in the finals and taking home the first place trophy. Martinez, the lone goofy-foot in the semi-final bunch, and Reynolds went home with equal third-place finishes. For the 24-year-old Reynolds, the finish was the best to date in his three years on the pro tour.

Next up for the boys is the annual pilgrimage to the bottom of Australia and early April’s Bells Beach Contest.

Bobby Martinez (Santa Barbara, California, USA) (pictured) won his round 4 heat during the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast today to advance into the Quarterfinals.
© ASP/ Kirstin Scholtz

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