It's beginning to seem like groundhog day over in Ballito, except instead of waking up to Bill Murray every morning, its been a week straight of pumping barrels. This never-ending swell continues in South Africa. With light winds and well-overhead surf still wrapping into the sandbank at Surfer's Beach, the call was made to run the quarters through to the final.



After 4 quarterfinal heats packed with big tube rides and massive scoring exchanges, the swell and conditions began to hiccup as the semi-finals were preparing to paddle out.

Defending champion Jordy Smith fell victim to a wave starved semi-final 1 against Pat Gudauskas. In what has become typical, Jordy was able to nail one last hail-mary as the buzzer sounded: only needing a 6.48. Despite a couple of solid rail turns, the judges only gave him a 6.33, to the dismay of the large local crowd.

Next up Julian WIlson would fall victim to John John Florence's amazing tube-riding skills in semi number 2. Even during a slow heat with few open tubes, John John was able to secure the only high scoring ride of the heat with a 8.33 for a clean barrel ride and never looked back.

The 30 minute legend's heat was just enough time for the swirling wind crumble to settle itself, and the ocean seemed to glass off just in time for the final showdown. San Clemente's Pat Gudauskas against Hawaii's John John Florence. Pat Gudang would draw first blood with a giant swooping turn at the end of a racy wall for a 7.17.

Then, just as quickly as it had glassed off, the sea-breeze kicked up again, making the sections once again very difficult to make. The rest of the final would prove to be rather anti-climactic, with neither surfer getting any notable waves. And just like that, it was over. Congrats to Pat Gudauskas.

With his placing in this event, John John is now in position to join the World Tour.

Final
1) 11.84 Pat Gudauskas USA
2) 8.03 John John Florence