Who Scored Two Perfect Tens In WCT Surfing So Far?
Two 10 point rides are the ultimate and highest possible scores that one surfer can get in a heat. There are three people that have accomplished this so far, since the modern two-wave WCT format is in place (judging used to be different and more than two waves got into the final score). Here they are:
2005 – Kelly Slater was the first to score two 10’s in the final at Teahupo’o against Damo Hobgood.
2008 – Joel Parkinson scored two 10-point waves in his Round 3 heat of the 2008 Billabong Pipe Masters.
2011 – Jeremy Flores got the perfect 20 at Teahupoo against Michel Bourez in 2011.
This Is How Kelly Hot His 20 Points
Teahupoo, Tahiti, 2005 – Six-times world champion Kelly Slater proved he was still the man to beat on the Foster’s Men’s World Tour, winning the final of Billabong Pro Tahiti. His ultimate scoreline showed 20 out of a possible 20 points. By scoring two perfect ten he broke his own record for the highest scoring heat which stood at 19.93 points attained in the third round of last year’s Billabong Pro Tahiti against local wildcard Alain Riou.
The only negative of what was an otherwise incredible day of surfing energy and spirit was the demise of Slater’s contender in the 35-minute final Damien Hobgood USA), who dislocated his shoulder half way through the concluding chapter of this epic of epic events. Hobgood’s injury duplicated an identical situation in the final of last year’s Billabong Pro Tahiti when Australia’s Nathan Hedge dislocated his shoulder seven minutes into last year’s final against Damien Hobgood’s brother CJ. Beyond today’s personal calamity for Hobgood, many assessed today’s action as one of the greatest days of competitive surfing ever witnessed. Adding another record to his cache of records, Slater also equalled reigning world champion Andy Irons record as three-time winner at the dredging left-hander of Teahupoo.
It was game on from the opening minute of the final with the pair of ‘Teahupoo Specialists’ putting it all on the line with late drops and super deep barrel rides to post nine point plus rides. Thirty-three year-old Slater then took it to another level with a classic performance, clocking up a perfect 10 and a 9.8 score just ten minutes into the 35-minute final. Hobgood tried to answer back to Slater’s early throwing down of the gauntlet with several twisting tube rides, but half way through the final he was clipped by the heaving west bowl on the inside reef, thereby dislocating his shoulder. While Hobgood was ferried to shore by the Tahitian water patrol for medical attention, Slater was left solo in the perfect line-up and rewrote the record books clocking another perfect ten point ride setting an unbeatable record.
Slater on his Teahupoo Win And Andy On Kelly
“”I’m just relieved it’s all over. I was riding this high, and sometimes you feel things lining up and you can’t explain it. Today was one of those days. In the final I can’t explain it. I wasn’t expecting to get two perfect tens, but I knew it was possible out there, and that someone could do it. The waves just came to me and it’s all about the waves coming to you, and you riding them right, and to their full potential,” said Slater.
“Even though I was leading by over 18 points at one stage, I was still freaking out, knowing that anything was possible with Kelly. He proved that right didn’t he!” said Irons.
A Collection Of 10 Point Rides From Teahupoo
