While we're amidst a behemoth day here at the Vans Pro, running approximately 100 heats today due to Hurricane Irene, it's easy to get lost as to what's going on.... Well, local boy Michael Dunphy went bananas in his Round of 64 heat, unleashing his jeddi-like local knowledge to slap the day's highest heat total... thus far... on the competition. Dunphy locked into a couple of righthanders and belted the crap out of them, taking a 14.50 heat total to move straight into the Round of 32 and admitted his goal of making it to the podium in front of his hometown crowd.


In addition to the domination of the native East Coasters, who are reveling in the tricky beachbreak waves at 1st Street Jetty in VB, South African darkhorse Michael February, who has won about who knows how many heats by now, finished behind Dunphy in the Round of 32. Despite his second place finish in the heat, February racked up the day's highest single-wave score of Vans Pro competition of a near-perfect 9.00 out of 10. If February continues to build momentum as fast as Hurricane Irene approaches, several local favorites could be in a world of trouble.

Speaking of Hurricane Irene, the big girl is barreling her way up the coast as we speak and is expecting to make landfall by Saturday, hence today's marathon schedule. Event organizers are working overtime to make sure a 2011 Vans Pro Champion is crowned tomorrow afternoon... Basically, before everyone gets kicked off the beach in search of shelter... TUNE IN TO THE VANS PRO LIVE IN HD for all of the Hurricane crazy action!