The Quick Silver Professional Surfing circuit comes annually to Snapper Rock at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast which commenced on 27 February, but was shut down a day later with a Tsunami alert from the Chilean earthquake. It concluded on the 7th March.
In the early stages of the women's competition champion surfer Stephanie Gilmore showed her class against the rest of the field.
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Then two days later local Coolangatta surfers Dean Morrison, Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning made their way through to the third round at their home break of Snapper Rocks.
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The following day defending champion Joel Parkinson, current world champion Mick Fanning and nine times world champion Kelly Slater were all eliminated from the opening ASP event of the year.
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On the final men's day, Friday 5 March, Australian surfer Taj Burrow won the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast, defeating South Africa's Jordy Smith in the final. Smith eliminated Kelly Slater in round four in his charge to the final, but snapped his board 10 minutes before the end, leaving Burrow to pick off the best wave of the decider and claim victory.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/fueltv/story/0,27703,26808588-5017627,00.html
On the final day, Saturday 6 March, Australia's Stephanie Gilmore has nailed her plans for a fourth consecutive world surfing title to the wall, with an emphatic win in the opening ASP event of the year at her home break of Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast. The reigning world No.1 and defending Roxy Pro champion was thrilled to be the first woman to claim back-to-back victories at Snapper Rocks, but less than pleased with her winning performance in the deteriorating conditions.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/fueltv/story/0,27703,26812617-5017627,00.html
Abe Andrews is the ASP Men's Surfing World Tour Chaplain (Association of Surfing Professionals) and was on the Gold Coast at Snapper Rock for these titles. Abe is part of the Christian Surfers movement. While on the Gold Coast he visited this writer and was interviewed for the Australian Missionary News IPTV.