At first light, the forecasts presented by Surfline proved on point, as 4- to 6-foot sets rolled through Riyue Bay for Day 3 of the Hainan Classic, a 4-Star ASP event organized by the ISA. What transpired were eight tightly contested heats, filled with late-heat game-changing scores and shuffling of positions, which kept the day's action exciting and unpredictable.
Everyone remaining in the competition has proven a standout and shown a proficiency for the wave at Riyue Bay, but Hall has been one of the surfers sitting deepest and seemingly advancing somewhat unnoticed. As the big names fall around him – Peru's Cristobal de Col, USA's Chris Ward, and Australians Nic Muscroft and Heath Joske were all eliminated on Day 3 – Hall has been consistently posting huge scores and appearing at ease and surprisingly in-tune with whatever the wave offers.
South Africa's Royden Bryson has probably put in more water time than any other surfer competing in the ISA's two-event Festival. His South African teammates have come to calling a left-hand barrel in front of their hotel "Roydens," since he was the first to discover it.
"We've just had insane waves; I haven't surfed this much since I was a kid, I reckon," said Bryson, a point that explains his comfort in the conditions. "I've just been spending hours and hours in the water every day and there are so many waves to surf. I've had an amazing time." That experience translated to two heat wins on Day 3 and a spot in the semifinals.
In the fourth quarterfinal, the final heat of the day, the two remaining Frenchmen were forced to fight for survival. Both Joan Duru and Marc Lacomare have proven themselves potential favorites – Lacomare for his 10, Duru for beating his teammate despite the 10 – but one had to go home.
Competition resumes in the morning with the first heat of the semifinals, with Dion Atkinson surfing against Glenn Hall, followed by Royden Bryson versus Marc Lacomare. The finals will follow, to complete competition. The event will wrap-up with the Awards Ceremony followed in the evening by a Farewell Dinner hosted by Hainan Province and the City of Wanning.
According to the Official Surfline Forecast, conditions are expected to drop for the final day, but they are expected to remain contestable.
The webcast will be live at the sound of the first heat horn, at 9:00am local time (5:00pm PST – 8:00pm EST). Watch it online on www.hainaninternationalsurfingfestival.com/hainan-classic/live.