TEAHUPOO, Taiarapu/Tahiti - Small surf in the one-to-two foot (0.5 metre) range has forced event organizers to call another lay day for the Billabong Pro Tahiti, but a slightly improved forecast for later in the week could see the world’s best surfers attacking Teahupoo in the coming days.

Event No. 5 of 10 on the 2010 ASP World Tour, the Billabong Pro Tahiti is a crucial venue for the ASP Top 45. The ASP’s midyear field reduction from the Top 45 to the Top 34 (Top 32 finishers plus two wildcards), renders this year’s Billabong Pro Tahiti boasts unprecedented importance for the world’s best surfers.

“The surf has dropped since yesterday as predicted and we’ve called competition off for the day,” Richie Porta, ASP International Head Judge, said. “The forecast has improved slightly for the end of the week, but we’ll be back again tomorrow at 7am to assess conditions.”

Surfline, official forecasters for the Billabong Pro Tahiti, are calling for small scale southwest swell to ease through mid week. A longer period southwest swell will slowly build in Thursday and Friday, which will offer a slight increase in size and power. The coming weekend and week of the 30th also look quite slow, but also slightly better than the past couple days.

A full breakdown of ASP World Title Rankings possibilities, including the ASP midyear field reduction, for the Billabong Pro Tahiti are available at ASPWorldTour.com

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start.

When competition commences, up first will be Damien Hobgood (USA), 31, Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), 25, and Jay Thompson (AUS), 28, in the opening heat of the Billabong Pro Tahiti.

BILLABONG PRO TAHITI ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS
Heat 1: Damien Hobgood (USA), Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), Jay Thompson (AUS)
Heat 2: Jadson Andre (BRA), Luke Stedman (AUS), Nate Yeomans (USA)
Heat 3: Bobby Martinez (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Marco Polo (BRA)
Heat 4: Dane Reynolds (USA), Tom Whitaker (AUS), Blake Thornton (AUS)
Heat 5: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Roy Powers (HAW), Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Joan Duru (FRA)
Heat 7: Mick Fanning (AUS), Adam Melling (AUS), Tamaroa McComb (PYF)
Heat 8: Jordy Smith (ZAF), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Manoa Drollet (PYF)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Tiago Pires (PRT), Tuamata Puhetini (PYF)
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA), Andy Irons (HAW), Heiarii Williams (PYF)
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS), Dusty Payne (HAW), Drew Courtney (AUS)
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA), Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 13: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Tanner Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 14: Michel Bourez (PYF), Dean Morrison (AUS), Mick Campbell (AUS)
Heat 15: Taylor Knox (USA), Luke Munro (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 16: Chris Davidson (AUS), Patrick Gudauskas (USA), Ben Dunn (AUS)