Arica Chile

[Donweather]

Looks like the boys are gonna see some solid swell for the next ASP event in Chile, particularly this weekend.

Hey Ben can you tell us how long they take to run the trials (and I'm assuming they start Wed 20th Chile time). ie will the trials be completed prior to the weekend so the ASP guys get the peak of the solid swell arriving this weekend.

[Llama]

Don the trials have started already and are set to finish tomorrow

[Donweather]

Cheers Lama. So I take it then that the ASP event kicks off on Wed 20 then.....but perhaps they may delay a day or so to capture the peak swell, not that Wed/Thurs will be crap by any standards.

[camlarn]

Do a You Tube search for Arica - some awesome vids on there of it at insane size!!! Hope they get swell like I saw in some vids! FARK!

[Donweather]

You may wish to stay up late on Saturday night then and watch the live webcast as looks as though they're in for some very nice solid SSW groundswell peaking Saturday their time. Could see inconsistent 6-8ft+ me thinks.

[muggo]

What's the time difference? Does it start tonight?

[streetdaddy]

http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_CL.aspx

[muggo]

Sweet, thanks dad

[muggo]

Events on now, looks shallow! http://www.aspworldtour.com/2007/ripcurlpro/

[Donweather]

And is only gonna get bigger and better from here on in!!!

[Cazza]

is the swell supposed to rise?!

[Donweather]

Yes siree. Should be smokin around the 6-8ft class on Saturday and Sunday. Apparently just heard that the break has claimed 13 snapped surfboards already, just in the trials and free surfs......that's not a bad effort considering the swell hasn't been huge yet!!!

[Cazza]

yeh it just got buchans board too. lol unlucky.

[Donweather]

Swell is an inconsistent 6-8ft this morning (thursday Chile time) so if that's the case then the weekend may see surf that is rather challenging to paddle into. We could see 8-10ft freak sets on Saturday, me thinks. Hope you boys have picked your big wave riders in Fantasy Surfer!!!

[Donweather]

Just heard on the live webcast that they're looking at relocating the event to the left reef/bombie out the back on Saturday where they're expecting 12ft sets!!!

Not sure how the live webcast will go with the reef that far out the back.

[streetdaddy]

good to see some carnage! makes for some extra entertainment between waves...

[benny d]

Don, last night on the webcast they panned to the bommie left and apparently Bobby Martinez was out there...the wave is a bit far away but it's still not bad, you could see him ripping big turns quite easily. and they could also have boats go out and video i guess, and beam the footage back to the IT centre on land if thats possible.

btw, does anyone else have problems playing the videos they have put up?? it tries saving/opening them as an .asf file, which doesn't work. whats a solution?

[Donweather]

She's 8-10ft this morning and light winds however the contest is on hold?? Go figure??

[Donweather]

Rd 4 match-ups look the goods. Slater up against Deano and a few other good match-ups against the remaining Aussies. Could be a few upsets tonight me thinks. Should be a good spectacle.

[Donweather]

Well done Deano pulling off a 10 point ride to beat Slater. Shame Parko got nailed in the Qtr 1 though. Fanning's still going well for now.

[Paul]

Apparently slater reckons he is gonna retire after being whipped by Deano, but it wouldn't be the first time he has said that.

[Donweather]

Retire after this year on the ASP, or retire now (after this event)? Was he serious? Would be a shame to see him not finish the year out.

[casabonitas]

He's getting old and starting to feel it....

He likes to perform and is not as tough as occy...

[Donweather]

Hey Casa, he's younger than me mate and I'm not OLD!!!

[Llama]

I don't think he'll retire. He's got unfinished business with not having the most tour victories. (Shares it with Curren at the moment) Wouldn't be surprised if he didn't surf in a few or more of the remaining events though.

[Paul]

Apparently after his heat in the competitors area he was telling everyone that he is gonna retire straight away. Bit of a drama queen.

[streetdaddy]

what a friggen cry baby... as if being beaten by dean morrison is anything to be surprised about...

[casabonitas]

sorry donza, you are as tough as occy however!

[Donweather]

Just wish I could surf like either Occy or Slats, Casa.

[george]

Just wish I could surf like either Occy or Slats or Casa.

Fixed... for truth....

[Donweather]

I can't believe Fanning just won against Bobby, after Bobby pulls out a perfect 10 on his very 1st wave. Fanning up against Irons in the semis.....Fanning better pull his finger out.

[Paul]

Yeah, looks like the inconsistent conditions are gonna play a big part in this. Reminiscent of Chopes and Bells too. Hopefully Mick can score the best waves in his next heat.