Day 4 of competition at the Fiji Pro was actually day 9 of the waiting period, but more importantly it was the first day the swell got real. Round 3 resumed in solid 6-8 foot offshore conditions with even bigger sets later in the day. With the swell building and the tide rising, Cloudbreak came alive late in the day. Owen Wright got the best of it surfing only the seventh perfect heat in history, while Joel Parkinson claimed his share with a perfect ten-point ride. Tomorrow, they'll face each other in the Quarter Finals.

The day started with Mick Fanning (13.67) taking on Alejo Muniz (13.30) with Fanning again not needing to get out of second gear. Despite Muniz posting the highest score of the heat (8.67) Fanning surfed with characteristic discipline; he made all the right decisions and controlled the heat. While other surfers have had to dig deep, Fanning made it into Round 4 without cracking a 14-point heat.

Kai Otton (14.97) caused a big upset in Heat 10 beating Gabriel Medina (13.77). Otton surfed a smart heat posting a pair of 7’s with his frontside power carves being the difference. Medina had a chance to take the win but fell off under pressure needing a 7.70 towards the end of the heat. The defending champ pushed a carving turn a little too hard losing the fins after he'd done the hard work up the line. It was a crucial mistake; Medina is sitting in 19th position on the rankings and after yet another early exit it's fair to say he can't win back-to-back World Titles. The more pressing question is this: will he even qualify?

The result for Otton is his best of the year and the first time he has made the top 12 and needs to go on with it as currently sitting in 30th position on the rankings.

The interference rule, it's so simple yet it catches so many surfers out. The WSL rule book has clauses and sub-clauses but they all boil down to this: if you don't have priority stay well clear of the person who does - don't 'interfere' with them. Bede Durbidge was the latest surfer to push the issue and get caught out in his heat against Jeremy Flores. Bede took off up the reef without priority only to see Jeremy exercise his right to take off. However, rather than straighten out or dive under the wave, Bede chose to bottom turn around Jeremy and flick off. For his part, Jeremy chose not to 'force' the priority, an admirable gesture from a guy who used to push the rules, yet the judges were left with little choice. Jeremy won the heat with a pair of 5s.

The last heat of Round 3 was a scrappy affair but it needs to be commented on. Felipe Toledo (10.97) went down to saw Adam Melling (11.66), the young Brazilian falling on his last wave needing just 5.07. He scored 4.37. Going into the event the big question was how Toledo would perform in hollow lefts and the answer is unequivocal: not good. Toledo looked sharp but to be competitive in big powerful waves he needs to put on some bulk. After Round 3 the Brazilian Storm had withered to a drizzle with Toledo, ADS, Andre, Muniz, and Medina all out of the running. Only Dantas and Ferriera remained, the two rookies, who not coincidentally carry a bit of bulk and can lay rail.

First heat of Round 4 saw a pattern emerge that was to repeat itself a number of times throughout the afternoon. One surfer, in this instance it was Julian Wilson, totally dominate a heat picking all the good waves. J'Dub appeared in complete rhythm with the ocean and had Kelly Slater (14.34) and Taj Burrow (13.83) in a combination situation for the majority of the heat. Just like he did winning Pipe last year, Wilson charged every section in front of him showing no fear, and such was his dominance he would have won the heat with his third and fourth scoring rides.

In the third heat of Round 4 it was Joel Parkinson's (18.93) time on the pedestal, he scored the first 10 point ride of the event and backed it up with an 8.93. When the hooter blew Parko had both Owen Wright and Mick Fanning in a combination situation. One heat later and Jeremy Flores (18.70) did the same to Kai Otton (12.10) and Adam Melling (7.17).

And so the hooter sounded for the first heat of Round 5, Kelly Slater vs Italo Ferreira. In just over 40 minutes time Kelly was heard to say he didn't think the surf was good enough to continue the contest. It was hard to know what to make of the champ's statement. After all, Parko had just scored a perfect 10 out there. To be fair, the waves slowed down for their heat, yet the Slater of old would have ground out the win, which is just what Italo did, holding his nerve and doing whatever it took to get the points. Slater's statement says much about where his head is at in 2015 - if it's not perfect he doesn't want a part of it. I half expected him to give an impromptu retirement announcementmuch like CJ did. He didn't but will he turn up to J'Bay? 

Conditions cleaned up for Taj Burrow (15.24) and Dane Reynolds (13.66) with both surfers scoring in the 6 and 7 range until Taj broke the shackles locking in a 9.07. Taj said after the heat it was fun surfing against Dane and it was more like a freesurf as they couldn’t hear the scores due to the wind.

And then history was made. Cloudbreak absolutely turned it on with Owen Wright scoring two 10-point rides in the first few minutes of his heat against Adam Melling. Owen took the magic dust that J'Dub and Parko had brushed against earlier in the day and coated himself in it. Head to toe. He could do no wrong, an 8.83 was followed by a 10 which was followed by a 10 which was followed by an 8.77, and he paddled in with his head in the clouds dropping F-Bombs on camera. It'd be easy to see Melling as the hapless loser except that he scored a 9.70 late in the heat. What was Kelly saying about conditions?

Kai Otton earnt the giant killer tag today. In the AM he took down Gabriel Medina, in the PM he bested Mick Fanning. Always dangerous in barrelling lefts - remember his efforts at big Chopes? - today's conditions played right into his hands. He had a bit of luck, to be sure, Fanning snapped a board then had to sit through a lull, but Otton capitalised on every opportunity. At one point even jumping off the ski straight into a set wave. Step offs in competition? There's no rules against it. Fanning will be disappointed to miss an opportunity to take the yellow jersey, Otton will have to go on with the job to avoid relegation.

The forecast for tomorrow is looking excellent with the Quarter Finals expected to resume first thing in the morning. Today was an epic day of surfing with plenty of upsets that has guaranteed a new Fiji Pro Champion in 2015. //STEVE HARRISON