Get ready for your big wave fix — Teahupo’o is coming to you LIVE tomorrow, August 16th. If the conditions are right, Hawaiian big wave charger, John John Florence, will open the first round of the Billabong Pro Tahiti 2012, matched up against Brazilian surfista, Miguel Pupo, and California native, Patrick Gudauskus.

The opening heat of the Billabong Pro will set the standard for the competition, with Patrick Gudaukas (USA), 26,  John John Florence (HAW), 19, and Miguel Pupo (BRA). Photo: ASP

The Billabong Pro Tahiti, Stop No. 5 of 10 on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, is set to commence this week with the world’s best surfers battling one another at the infamous Teahupo’o from August 16 – 27, 2012.

Can’t wait? Watch these videos to prepare you for all that is Teahupo’o!

The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials culminated in a clean two metre waves at the South Pacific reef pass of Teahupo’o.  Trials concluded yesterday with Ricardo dos Santos (BRA) and Alain Riou (PYF) finishing first and second respectively. Both were awarded wildcards into the Billabong Pro Tahiti. Check out the highlights:

VonZipper Trials winner Ricardo Dos Santos. Photo:ASP/ Robertson

Now THAT is an epic barrel face. Tweet your best barrel face to #TheSurfChannel #BarrelFace for your chance to win a month’s supply of Surf Channel Matunas Wax.

Kolohe Andino (USA), 18, and Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 30, have withdrawn from the event due to injury. They have been replaced by Fredrick Pattachia (HAW), 30, and Willian Cardoso (BRA), 26, respectively.

When competition commences, up first will be John John Florence (HAW), 19, Miguel Pupo (BRA), 20, and Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 26, in the opening heat of Round 1.

Alain Riou, 29, (PYF) second. Photo: ASP/ Robertson

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: John John Florence (HAW), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (AUS), Damien Hobgood (USA), Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 3: Mick Fanning (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA), Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Bede Durbidge (AUS), Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Heat 5: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kai Otton (AUS), Ricardo dos Santos (BRA)
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA), Travis Logie (ZAF), Alain Riou (PYF)
Heat 7: Josh Kerr (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 8: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS)
Heat 9: Owen Wright (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Heat 10: Julian Wilson (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 11: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 12: Jeremy Flores (FRA), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)

With the trials completed and wildcards determined, the Round 1 draw has been set for opening day and Surfline, official forecasters for the Billabong Pro Tahiti, have provided the updated forecast for this week’s swell:

BRIEF OVERVIEW: Moderate size, long period and inconsistent Southwest swell will prevail for the first two days of the waiting period, along with local short period south windswell. Another moderate, mid periodsouth swell will fill in for the weekend, before backing down early next week. At this point, the long range forecast looks very slow with no swells of significance on the radar for Teahupoo for the last week of the waiting period.

THURSDAY 16th
SWELL/SURF: Longer period, inconsistent/lully SW swell filling in through the afternoon with 5-6’ faces and occasional max sets up to 7-8’. Local, shorter period south windswell in the mix to give the surf a jumbled up and somewhat stormy feel.
WIND: SE trades 8-14kts, building and strongest in the afternoon.

FRIDAY 17th
SWELL/SURF: SW swell eases with more 5’ faces (head high) and occasional sets running up to 6’+ (slightly overhead) in the morning. Local south windswell also easing so surf gradually cleaning up.
WIND: ESE trades 10-14kts.

SATURDAY 18th

SWELL/SURF: Smaller leftovers from the SW as small South swell fills in with surf hanging in the 4-6’ range on the face and possibly larger. Stay tuned, the small south swell is still dependent on storm development.
WIND: Lighter ESE trades 7-10kts.

SUNDAY 19th
SWELL/SURF: Mid period south swell continues with 4-5-6’+ faces and possible larger sets. The swell is still pending storm development, so stay tuned.
WIND: SE/SSE wind building 9-13kts.

MONDAY 20th
SWELL/SURF: Smaller, fading south swell in the 4-5’ range on the face in the morning, with some leftover larger waves in the morning. Decreasing swell/surf through the day.
WIND: SE trades 10-15kts.

SWELL/WEATHER SUMMARY
A longer period southwest swell (210-220) from a distant storm will provide contestable and moderate size surf for the first couple days of the waiting period. Theswell will build through the day on Thursday, strongest over the afternoon hours and in the solid head high range, with occasional sets up to a couplefeet overhead. Look for a slow decreasing trend on Friday, with smaller leftovers through the weekend.

There are a couple things to keep in mind about the surf for the end of the week:

The long period swell came from a storm that spun up and was strongest in the Southern Ocean, roughly 4500-5000 miles from Tahiti. Because the majority of swells for Teahupoo come from storms that are roughly half that distance away, expect this swell to be inconsistent and very lully at times, but will provide medium size surf when the sets do show.

We’ll also see a decent amount of short period, locally generated south windswell running in the head high+ range. This will provide contestable waves, but will also give the surf a jumbled and stormy feel. There will be more windswell on Thursday, with an easing trend on Friday and gradually cleaning up conditions.

A mid period south swell (180-195) from a nearby storm developing over the next couple days will then fill in for the weekend; building Saturday, holding Sunday and fading by early next week. If this storm behaves as currently forecast, head high+ waves will continue at Teahupoo through the weekend, with potential for the largest sets to be into the overhead range. Stay tuned, we’ll have more precise details on the timing and size of this swell as we see the storm pull together and evolve.

Beyond that, things look very slow for the last 7+ days of the event waiting period at this point. Strong high pressure is sliding into the area to the southeast of New Zealand (the normal ‘sweet spot’ for swell producing storms for Tahiti) and will occupy that general area for the next several days. At this point, there are no significant south or southwest swells on the radar for the last 7 days of the event. If this outlook changes we will let you know.

Wind Conditions: SE/ESE trades prevail for the first couple days of the event waiting period at moderate to even at times light levels (see above for specific day by day wind). Stronger SSE to SE trades are forecast to build late in the weekend and continue early next week. Stay tuned.

The Billabong Pro Tahiti will be webcast LIVE via BllabongPro.com

For more information, log onto ASPWorldTour.com

Shannon Q (92 Posts)

Shannon Marie Quirk is the Head Editor of the TheSurfChannel.com. She is a sports journalist with Bachelors of Arts degrees in English and Spanish Literature from UCLA, trained as a photojournalist by the Los Angeles Times. A San Francisco native, Shannon is a surfer, snowboarder, photographer, and believes that athletes have a responsibility to take care of their playgrounds. She has spent the last three years in South America working as an environmental activist, while shredding the hemispheres.