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The Fiji Pro is the fifth stop on the 2016 World Surf League tour. The women have just completed their event with France’s Johanne Defay defeating Hawaiian Carissa Moore to claim her second World Tour Event.
The women now move on the US Open where Defay will look to defend her 2015 crown.
On the men’s side, it’s been somewhat of a changing of the guard this year on tour, with a few surprises in the rankings. None more so than Copacabana’s Matt Wilkinson who leads the rankings after winning the first two events.
Wilkinson failed to fire in Brazil and will be looking to bounce back as he continues his best ever year on tour. It’ll be another test for the world number one who has faced fierce competition in Fiji in the past.
Wilkinson hasn’t placed better than 13th in his four visits to Cloudbreak, Fiji. He was perennial party boy of the tour, but 2016 has seen a much more focused Wilkinson who has surprised many to sit atop the rankings.
The event will be bolstered by the return of a few veterans who missed the previous event in Brazil. Kelly Slater will be back to surf perfect Cloudbreak, as well as Aussies Mick Fanning, Kai Otton and Taj Burrow who will surf his final event on the tour in Fiji after announcing his retirement.
Hawaiian John John Florence will look to carry his momentum into Cloudbreak after winning the Rio Pro. John John is one of pro surfing’s brightest lights and after winning the Rio Pro has shot up the rankings and now sits at number three in the world. He’ll be dangerous no matter what the forecast is like.
After a couple of events off, 2015’s World Championship Tour runner-up Fanning will return to competition and will be one of the favourites in Fiji. He’s been disappointing at Fiji the last couple of years, but he’ll be there come finals day.
Unfortunately, Aussie Joel Parkinson has had to withdraw from this year’s event after injuring his knee free-surfing in Fiji on Friday. Hawaiian Dusty Payne has been called in to replace Parkinson, Dusty is coming off a fifth place in Rio.
The event window will begin on June 4 and run through until June 17. The decision on whether the competition will run is made every morning at 4:30am (AEST).
Swell
The swell is looking pretty promising for the beginning of the event window with four to six-foot surf expected on the first two days. Long range surf forecasts also show a possibility of a big swell popping up at the end of the event window.
Predictions
I can never go passed the Aussies in most events, It’s Taj Burrows’ final event and I’m sure he’ll be wanting to go out with a bang. But I don’t see the forecast being too kind to most of our Aussies, who will dominate if the conditions get big, which is looking unlikely.
It could be an event really suited to some of our younger guys like Matt Banting, Jack Freestone and Ryan Callinan. All these guys will be able to surf the smaller stuff and will be able to charge if conditions do go big at the back end of the window.
Brazilian Gabriel Medina won the competition back in 2014, surprising everyone but himself and the whole of Brazil. What’s fascinating about Medina is that he’ll charge if the comp gets big but it’s his wave selection that’ll really helped him out last time.
In 2014, he wasn’t going on the biggest waves, he was going on the waves that he knew he’d get scored on. His medium-size wave game is very strong too.
The god of our sport, Slater, has been quite average this year and unfortunately for him the forecast isn’t looking promising either. I don’t see him ending his slump this event unless he can get through the first few days and then explode when the waves go bananas at the end of the event.
Sure thing No.1
Gabriel Medina has been surfing really well this year but is lacking that huge event. The win here in 2014 saw him really announce himself as a contender and he’ll be hard to stop.
Sure thing No.2
There is going to be one heck of a party when Taj Burrow surfs his final heat.
Sure thing No.3
Mick Fanning will rip even if the swell stays away. He’ll be there come finals day.
Roughies
North Narrabeen’s Davey Cathels could have a big event, the rookie Australian’s paying 126-1. He won’t win it but I’ll back him to win a heat or two.
Fast fact
The local wildcard at the event has never won a heat out at Cloudbreak, and I doubt that’ll change this year. But our reigning world champ Adriano De Souza hasn’t looked his best this year at times and US rookie Kanoa is a mixed bag so anything could happen with him.
2016 Men’s Fiji Pro Round 1
Heat 1: John John Florence (HAW), Davey Cathels (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Jack Freestone (AUS), Ryan Callinan (AUS)
Heat 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Stu Kennedy (AUS), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Josh Kerr (AUS), Keanu Asing (HAW)
Heat 5: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Alex Ribeiro (BRA)
Heat 6: Adriano De Souza (BRA), Kanoa Igarashi (USA), Tevita Gukilua (FIJ)
Heat 7: Julian Wilson (AUS), Connor Coffin (USA), Matt Banting (AUS)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 9: Nat Young (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 10: Jordy Smith (RSA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 11: Caio Ibelli (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 12: Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Kolohe Andino (USA), Kelly Slater (USA)
After a couple of underwhelming events, let’s hope we get a bit of swell and we see some perfect left-hand barrels.