First light at Lower Trestles this morning revealed a relatively mediocre day of swell for the fabled peak in San Clemente. Luckily, an average day at Trestles with one guy out is pretty terrific by anyone's standards. While there is more favorable swell on the horizon later this week, Pat O'Connell decided to get round 2 done and dusted just in case those swells don't materialize.

The day was plagued with long lulls and soft, section-y peaks, making it difficult to grab the judges attention. Some very close heats today, with 7 of the 12 heats being decided by less than a point. Besides a couple minor upsets, the top seeds survived the round for the most part, setting up some amazing round 3 matchups.

Trials winner Conner Coffin got absolutely robbed in heat 2 up against Ace Buchan. The 2 traded mid range scores to start the heat, with Ace eventually connecting a long right with about 7 backside snaps, for an 8.67. Good wave, but surfed rather conservatively and without any variation. This leaves the youngwisetail out the back needing an 8 with a minute left. He snags a set wave, a righthand peak, just before the hooter, does a massive down carve, straight into a swooping snap to tailslide, comboed straight into a grab-rail blowtail reverse on the closeout. The crowd loves it. The judges... give him a 7.93. Conner loses by 0.07. To his credit he put on a smile and still did an interview, seemingly genuinely stoked to be there. I would have been throwing a tantrum like a 4 year old.

John John Florence and Jadson Andre turned in the highest heat totals of the day, both breaking 17 points out of 20 for their 2 scoring rides. While Jadson is very new to the tour, in his sophomore season on the WCT, John John is a super-rookie at this event. This was his first year doing the WQS, not exactly expecting to qualify. A final finish in giant barrels in Ballito, South Africa, a Prime rated event, vaulted him into the top 40 and made the qualifying dream seem shockingly real. With several strong finishes, including a 9th at the very next prime, the US Open put him just outside the bubble last month. He still doesn't expect to qualify at this point. he goes on a surf trip with Kai Neville to film for a new project. On this trip with John John is fellow Lost Atlas star Yadin Nicol, who has just clawed his way onto the tour after 3 years and 3 heartbreaking attempts. Yadin breaks his leg 2 weeks before Trestles. John John gets the call. He is now on the WCT as the 32nd seed for the remainder of the season. The young heir to the pipeline has gone from freesurfer to elite world tour competitor in record time. This is not just John John's rookie season, he just went from playing streetball to dunking on Kobe at Staples center. His heat win over Alejo Muniz exuded a confidence that most kids in his position would find impossible. Insert cheesy "new kid in town" analogy here.

The matchups for round 3 are looking phenomenal. Heat 5 will be an all out aerial assault as Josh Kerr takes on Gabriel Medina. After his huge heat win today, John John will face world number 2 Owen Wright tomorrow. Another aerial dogfight in heat 11 with aussies Julian WIlson and Matt Wilko getting it on. And finally, heat 12 sees Taylor Knox against Mick Fanning in a battle of vicious forehand carves.

With building swell, look for the contest to be back underway tomorrow here.

HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES ROUND 2 RESULTS:

Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.27 def. Rob Machado (USA) 10.40
Heat 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.50 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 15.43
Heat 3: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 11.44 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 7.83
Heat 4: Damien Hobgood (USA) 14.57 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 14.14
Heat 5: John Florence (HAW) 17.53 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 11.16
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.10 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 10.63
Heat 7: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.46 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.53
Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) 11.10 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 10.60
Heat 9: Jadson Andre (BRA) 17.80 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 13.10
Heat 10: Heitor Alves (BRA) 14.87 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 14.80
Heat 11: Chris Davidson (AUS) 10.70 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 10.50
Heat 12: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 14.13 def. Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 12.90

UPCOMING HURLEY PRO AT TRESTLES ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 4: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 5: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Tom Whitaker (AUS)
Heat 7: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. John Florence (HAW)
Heat 8: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 9: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)
Heat 10: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (AUS)
Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 12: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)