Surfing breaks many of us only dream of, holding over-sized cardboard checks while getting hosed down with expensive champagne, and using one of a countless number of free surfboards to shake away the swarms of girls that flock to them in masses. Such is the unfortunate perception that many have of professional surfers and the lives they lead. However, what is many times unseen is a different image, one of hard work and perseverance, one of immense pressure and disappointment, and one that actually reaches into the actual persona of a pro surfer. Bede Durbidge is seeking to change that.

Bede Durbidge doesn’t say much. When he does, he speaks softly and slowly, with a rural drawl. In the past, his unassuming and humble personality have lead to his competitors over-looking and underestimating him. His Triple Crown and Pipe Masters wins in 2007 and his current 3rd place rank on the world title charts in ‘08 have quickly put an end to that. As he has cemented his spot among the top surfers in the world he has continued to keep a very informative blog documenting his journey and all that goes into it. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the hard work, the struggles, the successes, and the determination of the one they call the “White Fijian.”

If you want to see just what the life of a pro surfer is all about as they make their way throughout the year, take the opportunity to read Bede’s Blog. It just may change everything you though you knew about what it’d like in the life of a professional surfer.

A lot of big names bowed out early at the Billabong Pro Tahiti today as Kelly Slater, Taj Burrow, Bede Durbidge, and Jordy Smith were all defeated in round 3 action at 4-6 foot Teahupoo.

Kelly Slater wasn’t looking too sharp again and was caught a couple times dropping in too deep, getting drilled in the head by one of the heaviest waves in the world. It didn’t matter though, as he suffered an early interference penalty and was literally surfing a heat he couldn’t possibly win. It seems there’s something about going up against local favorite Manoa Drollet that gets in Slater’s head, as he performed similarly when then two competed against each other in rd. 1 action. “This is just one of many events, you’re going to have throw-aways,” said Slater.

The highly anticipated matchup between Jordy Smith and Dane Reynolds saw Smith go down as Dane was on absolute fire. If he continues to surf like he did in round three, Dane could possibly in serious contention for his first ever ‘CT victory, only three events into his rookie season. He was looking good. CJ Hobgood is another surfer to watch this event. He posted an amazing 19.64 in round three and has been looking awfully good here at ‘Chopes. Seems super-confident as well when you listen to his interviews and he no doubt wants to keep the Billabong Pro Tahiti title in the Hobgood family.

Andy Irons and Joel Parkinson - who are both tied for current world #6 - can definitely smell blood. All five surfers ahead of them exited early from this event and now they’ll definitely be taking advantage and looking to gain as many points as possible. Look to both of these guys to make a run at winning this event.

The second annual Boost Mobile Surf Sho is set to kick-off this weekend and two more monster talents have thrown their names into the event. Bede Durbidge and C.J. Hobgood both confirmed they will be in attendance, giving an event that is already choked with world class surfers even more star-power. Hobgood and Durbidge will join a line-up that already includes current world-champ Mick Fanning, wonder-kid Julian Wilson, Ozzie Wright, Ry Craike, as well as last years Surf Sho winner Taj Burrow.

The whole event is set up to wow spectators with some of the more dynamic aerials and tricks that are coming into performance surfing. It’s great to see more of the top WCT surfers participating in an event that is completely geared toward progressive surfing. Bede’s participation has me especially excited to watch as I have yet to see much of the White Fijian’s aerial repitoire.

The event will be webcast this Saturday and Sunday. This is definitely an event worth taking a look at. Putting some of surfings top talent and just letting them boost air after air will keep anyone watching on their toes. The Boost Mobile Surf Sho is gaining momentum in only it’s second year and is becoming an event to annually keep our eyes on.

The meteoric rise of Bede Durbidge into surfing’s elite class is another in the long list of story-lines that makes this generation of surfers as exciting as ever to follow. The 2007 Pipeline Masters and Triple Crown winner has ridden a wave of momentum into the ‘08 Dream Tour and now after the Aussie-stops, finds himself in front of everyone not named Kelly Slater.

His defeat at the hands of the 8x world-champ at Bells left me wondering how he would respond after losing such a big event in the dramatic fashion that he did. After reading his blow-by-blow post about his finals match-up with Kelly I wonder no more. Bede has the attitude and the out-look of a champion, and there is no doubt that the ‘White Fijian’ is on his way to greatness.

Instead of taking this as a crushing loss and second-guessing himself, Bede appears to be taking his runner-up finish at Bell’s as a learning experience, and this will only continue to make him a force on tour. (more…)

Kelly Slater has done it…. again! By taking a big risk in the final and making the paddle a few hundred yards down the beach to Rincon he showed us once again why he is “The King.” Boosting a huge air with just minutes left in the heat, Kelly got the score he was chasing the entire heat. Bede Durbidge surfed as well as you could expect leading pretty much the entire heat, but Slater just wouldn’t be denied.

Congratulations Kelly Slater on winning the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach! We look forward to watching you in Tahiti.

Cheers to Australia’s Bede Durbidge for winning the 2007 Billabong Pipeline Masters, clinching the Van Triple Crown of Surfing title in the process. In a contest that saw the legendary career of surf legend and Australian-icon Mark Occhilupo come to an end, fellow country-man Durbidge pulled off the victory by throwing down a near-perfect 9.5 ride early on in the final heat and never looked back. In the process, the 24 yr. old up-and-comer from Queensland, unsponsored and financing his own way around the world, won himself over 75,000 dollars in cah and prizes with his victories. That will go down as the biggest single-day gain in the history of professional surfing.

With this years world title already being wrapped up by Mick Fanning in Florianopolis, Brazil, the small and inconsistent surf did nothing to help give the Pipe Masters contest the drama and intensity that has made it the premier event of the year in the surf world. Maybe it was only fitting that today’s final was held at a break known as ‘Off the Wall’, which is located about 100 yards down the beach from the most famous wave in the world in three-foot surf.

The lack of waves was probably the culprit for the scarcity of local Pipe riders in the final heats. But even the lack of typical Pipe Masters conditions couldn’t keep top surfers like Bruce Irons and Fred Patacchia, both of whom were on the bubble for making next years tour, from qualifying to surf full-time on the 2008 ASP world tour next year.

So a big ‘Congratulations’ goes out to Durbidge, who I am sure we will be hearing a lot more from in the coming years. And here is to hoping that 2008 brings back the mind-blowing barrels that has made Pipeline the legendary break that it is today.