Billabong Pro Teahupoo

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
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event Outerknown Tahiti Pro 2023
SportSurfing
CountryFrench Polynesia
Most recent
champion(s)		Australia Jack Robinson (men)
United States Caroline Marks (women)
Most titlesUnited States Kelly Slater (men) (5 titles)
Hawaii Keala Kennelly (women) (3 titles)
Official website

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.

Winners

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

Year Winner Nation Score Runner-Up Nation Score Prizemoney
1999 Mark Occhilupo  Australia 14.50 CJ Hobgood  United States 9.50 $120,600 [3]
2000 Kelly Slater  United States 25.55 Shane Dorian  United States 20.25 $135,600 [4]
2001 Cory Lopez  United States 25.05 CJ Hobgood  United States 23.85 $250,000 [5]
2002 Andy Irons Hawaii Hawaii 22.65 Luke Egan  Australia 20.50 $250,000 [6]
2003 Kelly Slater (2)  United States 19.57 Taj Burrow  Australia 14.83 $250,000 [7]
2004 CJ Hobgood  United States 16.66 Nathan Hedge  Australia 8.67 $260,000 [8]
2005 Kelly Slater (3)  United States 20.00 Damien Hobgood  United States 17.5 $270,000 [9]
2006 Bobby Martinez  United States 16.27 Fred Patacchia Hawaii Hawaii 16.07 $280,000 [10]
2007 Damien Hobgood  United States 16.60 Mick Fanning  Australia 16.20 $300,000 [11]
2008 Bruno Santos  Brazil 9.16 Manoa Drollet  French Polynesia 6.83 $320,000 [12]
2009 Bobby Martinez (2)  United States 18.46 Taj Burrow  Australia 16.10 $340,000[13]
2010 Andy Irons (2) Hawaii Hawaii 14.67 CJ Hobgood  United States 8.33 $400,000 [14]
2011 Kelly Slater (4)  United States 18.43 Owen Wright  Australia 17.10 [15] $425,000 [16]
2012 Mick Fanning  Australia 18.87 Joel Parkinson  Australia 18.37 [17] $425,000 [16]
2013 Adrian Buchan  Australia 18.94 Kelly Slater  United States 17.90 [18] $425,000
2014 Gabriel Medina  Brazil 18.96 Kelly Slater  United States 18.93 [19] $500,000 [20]
2015 Jeremy Flores  France 16.87 Gabriel Medina  Brazil 13.20
2016 Kelly Slater (5)  United States 19.67 John John Florence Hawaii Hawaii 15.23
2017 Julian Wilson  Australia 18.96 Gabriel Medina Brazil Brazil 17.87
2018 Gabriel Medina (2) Brazil Brazil 13.50 Owen Wright  Australia 12.07
2019 Owen Wright  Australia 17.07 Gabriel Medina Brazil Brazil 14.93 $607,800
2022 Miguel Pupo  Brazil 17.17 Kauli Vaast  French Polynesia 15.00
2023 Jack Robinson  Australia 15.66 Gabriel Medina  Brazil 15.00

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

References
  1. "Surfing The Waves At Teahupoo, Tahiti". Cookiesound. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  2. "8 reasons why Teahupoo is the most dangerous wave in the world". Men's Journal. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  3. "GOTCHA TAHITI PRO 1999" (PDF). ASP.
  4. "GOTCHA PRO TAHITI 2000" (PDF). ASP.
  5. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2001" (PDF). ASP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-23.
  6. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2002" (PDF). ASP.
  7. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2003" (PDF). ASP.
  8. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2004" (PDF). ASP.
  9. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2005" (PDF). ASP.
  10. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2006" (PDF). ASP.
  11. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2007" (PDF). ASP.
  12. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2008" (PDF). ASP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-06.
  13. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2009" (PDF). ASP.
  14. "Billabong Pro Tahiti 2010" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-24.
  15. "Results - Billabong Pro Tahiti 2011". Billabong Pro. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  16. "Local Knowledge - Billabong Pro Tahiti 2011". Billabong. Archived from the original on 2011-10-11. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  17. "Results - Billabong Pro Tahiti 2012". Billabong Pro. Archived from the original on 26 August 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  18. "Adrian Buchan Wins Billabong Pro Tahiti, Slater Takes ASP WCT Lead". Billabong Pro. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  19. "Billabong Pro Tahiti". ASP. August 25, 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  20. "event pdf - 2014 Billabong Pro Tahiti". Archived from the original on 2014-09-01.
  21. "Outdoor, Extreme & Vacation Adventures". Men's Journal. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
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