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Josh Kerr Wins O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada

With a win in Canada, Josh Kerr is now 33rd on the ASP World Ranking. Photo: Courtesy of O'Neill

Josh Kerr took home the trophy at the fourth stop on the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series in Tofino, Canada, on Thursday. The final day was almost perfect: blue skies, head-high surf, and just a breath of wind promised a good show. In heat No. 2 of the Round of 16, Josh Kerr knocked out Peter Devries with a first wave score of 7.17, squashing the local favorite’s hopes of repeating last year’s win. Also advancing into the semis with a close win over Tanner Gudauskas, Eric Geiselman punted a Kerrupt flip for a 9.10, and locked down the highest single wave score of the event. After a week of on-point surfing, the final came down to Kerr and Geiselman. In a relatively slow heat, Kerr took home the trophy and $20,000 thanks to a series of frontside air-reverses.

While Tofino is a finicky place to hold a surf contest, with massive tides and rough weather making both spectating and a competing difficult, it delivered in the end, giving up solid surf for most of the contest window. The next and final stop on the Cold Water Classic is Steamer Lane, where an extra $50,000 is up for grabs for the overall series winner.

–Alex Haro

“I never really felt like I had a cracking heat this whole event, but things just kept going my way,” said Kerr. “It’s my first time here and it’s a beautiful place, so I’m stoked to have won.” Photo: Courtesy of O'Neill

Josh Kerr’s patience in the inconsistent conditions earned him his second major ASP victory of the year. Photo: Courtesy of O’Neill

“It would have been nice to have won, but I’m stoked to get a result,” said Geiselman. “I haven’t really had one this year, so to make the Final is great." Photo: Courtesy of O'Neill

Despite the chilly conditions of Tofino, hundreds of Canadian surf patrons came out to support Canada’s rising surf scene. Photo: Courtesy of O’Neill

Eric Geiselman’s Kerrupt flip that earned the event's highest single wave score of a 9.10. Photo: Courtesy of O’Neill

O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada Final Result:
1 – Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.10
2 – Eric Geiselman (USA) 10.20

O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada Semifinals Results:
SF 1: Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.64 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 11.17
SF 2: Eric Geiselman (USA) 13.42 def. Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 10.96

O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada Quarterfinals Results:
QF 1: Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.47 def. Richard Christie (NZL) 9.73
QF 2: Julian Wilson (AUS) 11.26 def. Glenn Hall (IRL) 11.17
QF 3: Eric Geiselman (USA) 11.33 def. Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 11.20
QF 4: Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 14.30 def. Nathaniel Curran (USA) 11.57

O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada Round of 16 Results:
Heat 1: Josh Kerr (AUS) 14.14 def. Peter Devries (CAN) 13.17
Heat 2: Richard Christie (NZL) 8.93 def. Hank Gaskell (HAW) 8.90
Heat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 11.33 def. Rudy Palmboom (ZAF) 7.27
Heat 4: Glenn Hall (IRL) 11.00 def. Cory Lopez (USA) 5.33
Heat 5: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 11.07 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 7.03
Heat 6: Eric Geiselman (USA) 16.34 def. Mitchel Coleborn (AUS) 12.30
Heat 7: Nathaniel Curran (USA) 14.30 def. Cory Arrambide (USA) 11.86
Heat 8: Shaun Cansdell (AUS) 15.37 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 9.20