Slater Has Perfect Day in the Ocean

World champion Kelly Slater took advantage of ideal conditions and scored the event’s first perfect wave score Friday in the third round of the U.S. Open of Surfing men’s main event.

From the opening minute of his heat, Slater appeared to be making up for last year, when he lost to Rob Machado in the championship final.

“I’ve been taking second in this contest two years in a row, so I would really like to win this,” said Slater, who beat Renato Wanderley of Brazil, 27.50 to 18.15.

Friday’s surf, which reached as high as eight feet, was the result of a south swell out of Antarctica last week. Larger waves are forecast for today and Sunday.

Taking off from the bottom of the three-foot overhead wave, Slater turned up the face and carved along the top before coming down, building momentum on the way. He then surfed onto the next section of the wave, a big hollow section that was closing out near the pier. Then Slater rode horizontally along the breaking lip and became airborne before riding to the shore break, performing two vertical moves to finish his ride. The judges gave him a 10.

“I think I’ve surfed five days the last three weeks,” Slater said. “But I’m taking it one heat at a time, and I hope I can hang in [for the victory].”

Machado, who has been recording a CD with Slater the last few weeks, won his heat Friday, beating two-time world champion Damien Hardman. He also said he hadn’t surfed much recently.

Machado said the U.S. Open is an important contest because it kicks off the second half of the surfing season.

“The recording has been a little distracting, but I still want to do well here,” Machado said. “Surfing is still my priority, but I would like the keep the doors open.”

Machado will face Matt Hoy of Australia in the men’s fourth round; Slater will face Flavio Padaratz of Brazil. The men begin surfing at 8:40 a.m. today.

In the Orange County matchup between Shane Beschen of San Clemente and Huntington Beach’s Jeff Deffenbaugh, Beschen won 24.15 to 19.65.

“I was confident before my heat, but Shane is on a roll and was in control the entire heat,” Deffenbaugh said. Jeff Booth of Laguna Beach was able to hold off Vetea David of Brazil in the last seconds of his heat and advance.

Kaipo Jaquias of Hawaii beat fellow Hawaiian Todd Holland in the last seconds of their heat.

With the swell rising in the late afternoon, the women’s quarterfinals provided some big surf and great rides.

Rochelle Ballard, eliminated early at the AirTouch Pro last week, took on the large sets to defeat Australian Pauline Menczer.

“These were good waves for Huntington,” Ballard said. “I like it when it’s big. I think a lot more skill comes into play.”

Ballard will surf against defending champion Neridah Falconer of Australia today in the semifinals, which begin at 12:50 p.m.

Patricia Rossi of Tahiti, who Thursday upset world champion Lisa Andersen in the second round, defeated Trudy Todd to advance to the semifinals.

Australian Layne Beachley, who won the AirTouch Pro last week, had little trouble against countrywoman Kylie Webb, winning, 18.50 to 1.50. Webb’s especially low score was because she caught only one wave.

In longboarding, 16-year-old Brendan White of San Clemente finished second to Joel Tudor of San Diego to advance to the quarterfinals.

Other San Clemente surfers who advanced included Josh Baxter, Colin McPhillips, Israel Paskowitz and Jeff Moysa. Josh Mohr of Huntington Beach also won his heat to advance.

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Surfing Results

U.S. Open at Huntington Beach

Men’s main event

Third round

(Winner advances)

HEAT 1--1. Luke Egan (Australia); 2. Shane Dorian (Hawaii). HEAT 2--1. Jake Spooner (Australia); 2. Shane Powell (Australia). HEAT 3--1. Taylor Knox (Carlsbad); 2. Pat O’Connell (Laguna Niguel). HEAT 4--1. Michael Rommelse (Australia); 2. Gary Elkerton (France). HEAT 5--1. Rob Machado (Cardiff); 2. Damien Hardman (Australia). HEAT 6--1. Matt Hoy (Australia); 2. Fabio Gouveia (Brazil). HEAT 7--1. Flavio Padaratz (Australia); 2. Conan Hayes (Hawaii). HEAT 8--1. Kelly Slater (Florida); 2. Renato Wanderley (Brazil). HEAT 9--1. Sunny Garcia (Hawaii); 2. Shea Lopez (Dana Point). HEAT 10--1. Michael Barry (Australia); 2. Nathan Webster (Australia). HEAT 11--1. Kaipo Jaquias (Hawaii); 2. Todd Holland (Florida). HEAT 12--1. Victor Ribas (Brazil); 2. Jojo Olivenca (Brazil). HEAT 13--1. Kalani Robb (Hawaii); 2. Richard Lovett (Australia). HEAT 14--1. Jeff Booth (Laguna Beach); 2. Vetea David (Tahiti). HEAT 15--1. Shane Beschen (San Clemente); 2. Jeff Deffenbaugh (Huntington Beach). HEAT 16--1. Derek Ho (Hawaii); 2. John Shimooka (Hawaii).

Women’s

Quarterfinals

Second round (heats 1-4)

(Winner advances)

HEAT 1--1. Layne Beachley (Australia); 2. Kylie Webb (Australia). HEAT 2--1. Patricia Rossi (Tahiti); 2. Trudy Todd (Australia). HEAT 3--1. Rochelle Ballard (Hawaii); Pauline Menczer (Australia). HEAT 4--1. Neridah Falconer (Australia); 2. Lynette MacKenzie (Australia).

Main event

Second round (heats 5-8)

(Winner advances)

Heat 5--1. Menczer; 2. Tita Tavares (Brazil). HEAT 6--1. Ballard; 2. Melanie Redman (Australia). HEAT 7--1. MacKenzie; 2. Pru Jeffries (Australia). HEAT 8--1. Falconer; 2. Wooldridge (Australia).

Longboarding

Main event

First round

(Top two advance)

HEAT 1--1. Joel Tudor (San Diego); 2. Brendan White (San Clemente); 3. Ken Fogarty; 4. Chris Schroeder. HEAT 2--1. Lance Hookano; 2. Josh Baxter (San Clemente); 3. Cody Simpkins; 4. Kevin Grondin. HEAT 3--1. Derek Erickson; 2. Jim Hogan; 3. Michael Gee (San Clemente); 4. Raul Gonzalves. HEAT 4--1. Josh Mohr (Huntington Beach); 2. Joey Valentin; 3. Mark Stewart; 4. Ben Stone. HEAT 5--1. Colin McPhillips (San Clemente); 2. Ryan Mata; 3. Brad Warrick; 4. Devon Howard. HEAT 6--1. David Boehne; 2. Matt Tanner; 3. Israel Paskowitz (San Clemente); 4. James Gamboa. HEAT 7--1. Ted Robinson; 2. Mike Emerson; 3. Cody Craig; 4. James Gamboa. HEAT 8--1. Geoff Moysa (San Clemente); 2. Erik Somer; 3. Brian McNulty; 4. Kevin Connelly.