Se as duas primeiras provas do Circuito Mundial de 2018 foram marcadas pelas surpresas e pelas eliminações precoces de alguns candidatos à vitória, o Margaret River Pro acabou por ter um início oposto a tudo isso na ronda inicial: apesar de ter havido algumas surpresas pontuais, os principais favoritos foram conseguindo a qualificação direta para a terceira fase, casos de Jordy Smith, John John Florence, Gabriel Medina, Julian Wilson, Filipe Toledo ou Adriano de Souza, ao passo que, nos heats mais equilibrados, havia uma maior incerteza no desfecho. E é aqui que entra Frederico Morais, que iniciou a sua participação esta madrugada.
Chegado à terceira prova do ano no 11.º lugar da classificação geral, o português entrou em ação na 11.ª bateria da primeira ronda com o americano Kolohe Andino e o havaino Ezekiel Lau, num dos duelos mais equilibrados nesta fase inicial. Andino acabou por levar a melhor num heat que não teve propriamente grandes notas, terminando com 8.20 contra 6.54 de Lau e 5.93 de Kikas, que caiu dessa forma para as repescagens. Agora, Frederico Morais terá pela frente o sul-africano Michael February na sexta bateria da segunda ronda, na reedição de um duelo que já teve lugar na mesma fase da última prova, o Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach (o português levou a melhor: 7.73-6.33).
Os resultados da primeira ronda do Margaret River Pro, na Austrália, foram os seguintes:
Heat 1: Keanu Asing (10.70) x Matt Wilkinson (5.33) x Connor O’Leary (4.64)
.@Keanu_Asing takes the first heat win of the #MargiesPro over @mattwilko8 & #ConnorOLeary in Round 1 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/NXlq0nvJb5
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 2: Jordy Smith (12.17) x Ian Gouveia (10.67) x Tomas Hermes (2.54)
.@jordysmith88 takes down @TomasHermes & @ian_gouveia at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 2 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/hzQ2NNlzvc
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 3: Jack Robinson (13.94) x Owen Wright (4.03) x Miguel Pupo (2.40)
Local boy #JackRobinson takes down @realowenwright & @miguelpuposurf at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 3 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/ky9r8Dkj8C
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 4: John John Florence (14.60) x Mikey Wright (11.87) x Wade Carmichael (8.50)
.@johnjohnflorenc takes the win over #WadeCarmichael & #MikeyWright at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 4 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/CfEnM1Na77
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 5: Gabriel Medina (10.16) x Kael Walsh (8.96) x Joan Duru (1.97)
.@gabriel1medina with the win over @JoanDuru & Wildcard @kaelwalsh at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 5 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/rDJWBsQu7S
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 6: Julian Wilson (10.56) x Jesse Mendes (10.00) x David Delroy-Carr (3.40)
.@julian_wilson with the win over @Jesse_Mendes & wildcard #DavidDelroy-Carr at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 6 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/FafbbO3kEB
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 7: Filipe Toledo (6.14) x Conner Coffin (5.87) x Michael February (2.57)
In the final heat of the day, @toledo_filipe takes down @crcoffin & #MikeyFebruary at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 7 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/n2zMXxPOQQ
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 8: Adriano de Souza (5.00) x Kanoa Igarashi (3.74) x Yago Dora (1.60)
.@MineirinhoSurf defeats @KanoaIgarashi & @YagoDora at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 8 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/MLMTbFGqlt
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 13, 2018
Heat 9: Willian Cardoso (7.53) x Adrian Buchan (5.93) x Griffin Colapinto (3.83)
.@williancardoso takes down rookie #GriffinColapinto & @acebuchan at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 9 → https://t.co/DqIoS5g8sx @westaustralia pic.twitter.com/VDSRsNGZUD
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 14, 2018
Heat 10: Sebastian Zietz (5.40) x Ítalo Ferreira (2.90) x Michael Rodrigues (2.23)
.@cbasszietz with the win over @Jeep leader @ferreiraitalo15 & #MichaelRodrigues at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 10 → https://t.co/DqIoS5g8sx @WestAustralia pic.twitter.com/3fU0Vj3wBG
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 14, 2018
Heat 11: Kolohe Andino (8.20) x Ezekiel Lau (6.54) x Frederico Morais (5.93)
.@koloheandino moves on over @FredericoMorai1 & @zekelau at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 11 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @WestAustralia pic.twitter.com/r1L1hSYxwO
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 14, 2018
Heat 12: Joel Parkinson (10.34) x Michel Bourez (2.24) x Patrick Gudauskas (1.30)
Veteran #JoelParkinson takes the win over @michelspartan & #PatrickGudauskas at the #MargiesPro in Round 1, Heat 12 → https://t.co/DqIoS4Yx3X @WestAustralia pic.twitter.com/RdhEwZgx1s
— World Surf League (@wsl) April 14, 2018
