Joel Parkinson has won the first two stops of the ASP World Tour after defeating event wildcard, Adam Robertson, in the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Snickers. The waves were six feet and pumping, the sun was out, and the crowd was on the beach. A classic final day went down yesterday in Victoria, Australia.

Trials winner and local-boy, Robertson, surfed great all event taking out the likes of: Bede Durbidge, Freddy P and Tom Whitaker, but in the end Parkinson was just too much, ending the fairy tale. Thus giving Parko a commanding lead in the overall standings of the ASP World Tour.


Adam Robertson looking like a regular-footed Occy on this early round wave. Photo: ASP

One wave in particular during the final put it out of reach for Robertson. Parkinson surfed the wave perfectly, pushing each turn to the most critical of points, and recovering with that signature Parko style. Then to cap it off he did a perfect carving reverse on the tricky inside section, that Mick Fanning says, "Can make the best surfers in the world look like kooks."

The judges gave the wave a 9.57, and Robertson was in the dreaded combo land. The celebration in the Parkinson camp began, not that Robertson has nothing to celebrate. The kid is a sponsor-less wilcard who won 9 heats in a row beginning in the trials and ending in the Final of the main event, he better of had a couple coldies after that performance. I know we're in a recession and everything, but would someone sponsor this guy.


Parko being Parko. Photo: ASP

Another surfer who really impressed me in this contest was Jordy Smith. He surfed great all event and was just edged out by Parko in the Semifinals. He is really making it clear that all the hype is deserved, and that he is going to be a force on tour for years to come. I mean come on, he took out Mick Fanning, a World Champ, in the Quarterfinals, in Australia, in front of a packed beach of drunk, super patriotic Aussies. That's composure. Oh, just in case you've been in a coma for a decade, Fanning is Australian.

Another stop on the Dream Tour, another win for Parkinson. He's starting to run away with it, but the title is not out of reach for a single surfer on tour, everyone gets two throw-away contests. Next stop Teahupoo in Tahiti, I place Parkinson is not really thought of in terms of who on tour surfs the wave the best. When I think of that wave, I think of: Slater, The Hobgoods, Wardo and whoever the wildcard is: Jamie O'Brien, Monoa Drollet and if we're lucky, maybe Andy Irons himself. We'll see.

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH FINAL RESULTS:
1. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.40
2. Adam Robertson (AUS) 13.37

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH SEMIFINAL RESULTS:

SF 1. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.33 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.24
SF 2. Adam Robertson (AUS) 13.87 def. Fred Patacchia (HAW) 12.73

RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:

QF 1. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.17 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 8.66
QF 2. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.50 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.16
QF 3. Adam Robertson (AUS) 14.26 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 12.33
QF 4. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 14.13 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 12.17