Billabong Pro Teahupoo Explained

Billabong Pro Teahupoo
Current Season:Outerknown Tahiti Pro 2023
Pixels:125 px
Sport:Surfing
Country:French Polynesia
Champion: Ítalo Ferreira (men)
Vahine Fierro (women)
Most Champs: Kelly Slater (men) (5 titles)
Keala Kennelly (women) (3 titles)
Website:https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2023/ct/75/shiseido-tahiti-pro/champions

Billabong Pro Teahupoo is a professional surfing competition of the World Surf League held at the break Teahupo'o in Taiarapu, Tahiti. The Billabong Pro Teahupoo was founded in 1999 and has been recognized as "one of the world's heaviest big wave competitions". This is because Teahupoo is the only known natural wave break in the world that breaks below sea level. The Billabong Pro Teahupoo has not claimed any lives since the surf competition began in 1999, but the wave has claimed lives over the years.

Billabong Pro Teahupoo location

The surfing event takes place in Teahupo’o, a village on the south-west coast of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean. Teahupo'o is a reef break. The swells that hit the reef mainly break left, but the outer reef also creates right breaks that surfers must be cautious of when paddling out. Therefore, Teahupo'o is also "renowned for the consistent number of barrels it delivers". However, "only experienced surfers in peak physical condition should attempt Teahupo'o".[1] The breaks heavy waves combined with a shallow shoreline can result in serious injuries and even death in a wipeout.

Billabong Pro Teahupoo wave break

The Billabong Pro Teahupo'o's reputation for wave riding is due partly to its unique form. An extremely shallow coral reef which ranges up to 20 inches beneath the waters surface is responsible for a very hollow-breaking wave. The wave's unique shape, with an effect of almost breaking below sea level, is due to the specific shape of the reef beneath the wave. Its semi circular nature which drops down sharply creates a 'below water' effect and the extreme angles in descent create an instant instability to the wave. A steep wall of reef causes the entire mass to fold onto a scalloped semi circle breaking arc. The wave bends and races along into a dry reef closeout and the lip of the wave is often as thick as it is tall. Combined, these unique properties have earned Teahupo’o the reputation as one of the most dangerous surf breaks in the world.[2]

Billabong Pro Teahupoo competition

The ASP Billabong Pro Teahupo’o consists of four parts based an elimination process. The first is composed of the competitive heats. The second is composed of the Quarter Finals. The third is composed of the Semi Finals. The fourth and last part of the competition is the Finals. Once this process of the Billabong Pro Teahupoo competition is completed, then a Billabong Pro Teahupoo Champion is named.

Naming

Since the birth of this competition it had different names due to sponsorship deals.

Name Years
Gotcha Tahiti Pro 1999–2000
Billabong Pro Teahupoo2001–2017
Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o2018–2019
Outerknown Tahiti Pro 2022
SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro2023–present

Winners

The Billabong Pro Teahupoo event names a new champion each year. The past champions of the listed WSL competition are located below.

width=50Yearwidth=140Winnerwidth=140Nationwidth=50Scorewidth=140Runner-Upwidth=140Nationwidth=50Scorewidth=100Prizemoney
1999Mark Occhilupo14.50CJ Hobgood9.50$120,600 [3]
2000Kelly Slater25.55Shane Dorian20.25 $135,600 [4]
2001Cory Lopez25.05CJ Hobgood23.85 $250,000 [5]
2002Andy Irons Hawaii22.65Luke Egan20.50 $250,000 [6]
2003Kelly Slater (2)19.57Taj Burrow14.83 $250,000 [7]
2004CJ Hobgood16.66Nathan Hedge8.67$260,000 [8]
2005Kelly Slater (3)20.00Damien Hobgood17.5 $270,000 [9]
2006Bobby Martinez16.27Fred Patacchia Hawaii16.07 $280,000 [10]
2007Damien Hobgood16.60Mick Fanning16.20 $300,000 [11]
2008Bruno Santos9.16Manoa Drollet6.83$320,000 [12]
2009Bobby Martinez (2)18.46Taj Burrow16.10 $340,000[13]
2010Andy Irons (2) Hawaii14.67CJ Hobgood8.33 $400,000 [14]
2011Kelly Slater (4)18.43Owen Wright17.10 [15] $425,000 [16]
2012Mick Fanning18.87Joel Parkinson18.37 [17] $425,000
2013Adrian Buchan18.94Kelly Slater17.90 [18] $425,000
2014Gabriel Medina18.96Kelly Slater18.93 [19] $500,000 [20]
2015Jeremy Flores16.87Gabriel Medina13.20
2016Kelly Slater (5)19.67John John Florence Hawaii15.23
2017Julian Wilson18.96Gabriel Medina Brazil17.87
2018Gabriel Medina (2) Brazil13.50Owen Wright12.07
align=center 2019Owen Wright17.07Gabriel Medina Brazil14.93$607,800
align=center 2022Miguel Pupo17.17Kauli Vaast15.00
align=center 2023Jack Robinson15.66Gabriel Medina15.00
align=center 2024Ítalo Ferreira17.70John John Florence Hawaii17.16

16. Billabong Pro Tahiti. (2013). ASP World Tour – The Association of Surfing Professionals.[21]

17. Steve Robertson and Kim Kempton. Celebrating perfect 10’s at Billabong Pro Teahupoo. (2010). http://www.surfersvillage.com/surfing-news/48143#.Ucz9vuDraFI

18. Billabong Pro Teahupoo. (2012). http://www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Event/Billabong-Pro-Teahupoo-021242894680885

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Surfing The Waves At Teahupoo, Tahiti. . Cookiesound . 26 August 2011 . 3 January 2023.
  2. News: 8 reasons why Teahupoo is the most dangerous wave in the world . en . Men's Journal . 2023-09-12.
  3. Web site: GOTCHA TAHITI PRO 1999. ASP.
  4. Web site: GOTCHA PRO TAHITI 2000 . ASP .
  5. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2001 . ASP . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120523225511/http://www.aspworldtour.com/archivedraws/2001/2001mcevt02.pdf . 2012-05-23 .
  6. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2002 . ASP .
  7. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2003 . ASP .
  8. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2004 . ASP .
  9. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2005 . ASP .
  10. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2006 . ASP .
  11. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2007 . ASP .
  12. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2008 . ASP . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100206073051/http://www.aspworldtour.com/archivedraws/2008/2008mcevt03.pdf . 2010-02-06 .
  13. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2009. ASP.
  14. Web site: Billabong Pro Tahiti 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120324145111/http://www.aspworldtour.com/archivedraws/2010/2010mcevt05.pdf. 2012-03-24.
  15. Web site: Results - Billabong Pro Tahiti 2011. Billabong Pro. 11 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111112142048/http://www.billabongpro.com/tahiti11/results-gb/. 12 November 2011. dead.
  16. Web site: Local Knowledge - Billabong Pro Tahiti 2011. Billabong. 2011-11-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20111011035446/http://billabongpro.com/tahiti11/news-article-gb/local-knowledge. 2011-10-11. dead.
  17. Web site: Results - Billabong Pro Tahiti 2012. Billabong Pro. 27 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120826034942/http://www.billabongpro.com/tahiti12/results-gb. 26 August 2012. dead.
  18. Web site: Adrian Buchan Wins Billabong Pro Tahiti, Slater Takes ASP WCT Lead. Billabong Pro. 23 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115119/http://billabongpro.com/tahiti13/news-article-gb/adrian-buchan-wins-billabong-pro-tahiti-slater-takes-asp-wct-lead/. 26 August 2014. dead.
  19. Web site: August 25, 2014. Billabong Pro Tahiti. ASP. 26 August 2014.
  20. Web site: event pdf - 2014 Billabong Pro Tahiti. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140901085538/http://www.aspworldtour.com/asset/2193. 2014-09-01.
  21. Web site: Outdoor, Extreme & Vacation Adventures. 2021-08-26. Men's Journal. en-US.

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