Billabong Pro Teahupoo

Billabong Pro Teahupoo
SportSurfing
CountryFrench Polynesia
Most recentchampionsAustraliaJack Robinson (men)AustraliaMolly Picklum (women)
Most titlesUnited StatesKelly Slater (men) (5 titles) HawaiiKeala Kennelly (women) (3 titles)
Official website[1]

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.

NameYears
Gotcha Tahiti Pro1999–2000
Billabong Pro Teahupoo2001–2017
Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o2018–2019
Outerknown Tahiti Pro2022
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.

Men's

Year Winner Nation Score Runner-Up Nation Score Prizemoney
1999Mark Occhilupo Australia14.50 CJ Hobgood United States9.50 $120,600 [3]
2000Kelly Slater United States25.55 Shane Dorian United States20.25 $135,600 [4]
2001Cory Lopez United States25.05 CJ Hobgood United States23.85 $250,000 [5]
2002Andy IronsHawaiiHawaii22.65 Luke Egan Australia20.50 $250,000 [6]
2003Kelly Slater(2) United States19.57 Taj Burrow Australia14.83 $250,000 [7]
2004CJ Hobgood United States16.66 Nathan Hedge Australia8.67 $260,000 [8]
2005Kelly Slater(3) United States20.00 Damien Hobgood United States17.5 $270,000 [9]
2006Bobby Martinez United States16.27 Fred PatacchiaHawaiiHawaii16.07 $280,000 [10]
2007Damien Hobgood United States16.60 Mick Fanning Australia16.20 $300,000 [11]
2008Bruno Santos  Brazil9.16 Manoa Drollet  French Polynesia6.83 $320,000 [12]
2009Bobby Martinez(2) United States18.46 Taj Burrow Australia16.10 $340,000[13]
2010Andy Irons(2)HawaiiHawaii14.67 CJ Hobgood United States8.33 $400,000 [14]
2011Kelly Slater(4) United States18.43 Owen Wright Australia17.10 [15]$425,000 [16]
2012Mick Fanning Australia18.87 Joel Parkinson Australia18.37 [17]$425,000 [16]
2013Adrian Buchan Australia18.94 Kelly Slater United States17.90 [18]$425,000
2014Gabriel Medina Brazil18.96 Kelly Slater United States18.93 [19]$500,000 [20]
2015Jeremy Flores France16.87 Gabriel Medina Brazil13.20
2016Kelly Slater(5) United States19.67 John John FlorenceHawaiiHawaii15.23
2017Julian Wilson Australia18.96 Gabriel MedinaBrazilBrazil17.87
2018Gabriel Medina(2)BrazilBrazil13.50 Owen Wright Australia12.07
2019Owen Wright Australia17.07 Gabriel MedinaBrazilBrazil14.93 $607,800
2022Miguel Pupo Brazil17.17 Kauli Vaast France15.00
2023Jack Robinson Australia15.66 Gabriel Medina Brazil15.00
2024Ítalo Ferreira Brazil17.70 John John FlorenceHawaiiHawaii17.16
2025Jack Robinson(2) Australia16.90 Griffin Colapinto United States13.67

Women's

Year Winner Nation Score Runner-Up Nation Score
1999Kate Skarratt  Australia21.50 Melanie Redman-Carr  Australia16.45
2000Keala KennellyHawaiiHawaii12.90 Serena Brooke  Australia8.45
2001Layne Beachley Australia16.75 Rochelle BallardHawaiiHawaii12.90
2002Keala Kennelly(2)HawaiiHawaii22.90 Layne Beachley Australia11.60
2003Keala Kennelly(3)HawaiiHawaii9.83 Rochelle BallardHawaiiHawaii7.84
2004Sofía Mulánovich Peru14.23 Rochelle BallardHawaiiHawaii13.50
2005Chelsea Hedges Australia14.00 Melanie Redman-Carr  Australia10.50
2006Melanie Redman-Carr  Australia13.50 Chelsea Hedges Australia10.44
2022Courtney Conlogue United States11.67 Brisa Hennessy Costa Rica5.20
2023Caroline Marks United States9.23 Caitlin Simmers United States3.94
2024Vahine Fierro France15.17 Brisa Hennessy Costa Rica12.00
2025Molly Picklum Australia17.26 Caitlin Simmers United States4.94

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. ^ ab"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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