Image: Getty
Here's Schuyler McFerran, last years overall winner,on the way to winning her heat in messy waves yesterday. The waves have cleaned up a lot today, and the skies are sunny, hurrah! There's still a light cross shore wind and the waves are pretty small, but at 2 foot they're big enough for these ladies and their 9 ft plus boards. Onto today's action, keep updating the post to find out what's happening...
8.26am No surprises so far. Hot favourite and nose riding queen Kassia Meador has just gone through to the second round, with a combined score of 12.75. In the first heat of the day, last years semi finalist, Claire Karabastos beat Tory Gilkerson with a combined score of 10.90. In the water now is Hawaiian Janna Irons and Malia Fuertes from the USA...
8.43am Oooh we got a mention in the coverage, nice one! Janna Irons (cousin of super surfers Bruce and Andy) is currently leading her heat with three minutes to go. Her top rides so far are 5.00 and 6.25.
8.56am Janna Irons goes through with the highest combined score of the day so far - 13.50. In heat four Chelsea Williams has just got a really long ride scoring a 7.00 and putting her into the lead.
9.03am Chelsea Williams gets another super long wave. Loads of nose riding action! A high scorer, I reckon....yes, she's rewarded with an 8.75! Putting her firmly in the lead with a combined score of 15.75.
9.07am Just looking through the heat draws for the day, and the only Brit in the competition, Candice O'Donnell, has a tough heat against one of last years stand out competitors, Miku Uemura. That's coming up in heat 12.
9.16am Chelsea Williams goes through with her score of 15.75. In the water now is surf shop manager Ashley Lloyd. Hailing from Santa Cruz, she manages the Paradise Surf Shop. Ashley Lloyd is currently in the lead, but there's not much separating her and Jennifer Flanigan.
9.22am Ashley Lloyd sure is a talented individual, not only is she a surf shop owner and a world class surfer, she's in a band, too. Check out her music here! She's still in the lead, and has just posted a 5.00 score.
9.43am Jennifer Flanigan goes through in what was of the most exciting heats so far! Despite an early lead from Ashley Lloyd Jennifer's final combined score was 11.00 to Ashley's 9.40. In the water now is Aussie Selby Riddle and Caroline Angibeaud from France. Selby Riddle currently leads.
10.00am Selby Riddle just got a nice little ride that scored her 3.65 and increased her lead. Followed swiftly by Caroline Angibeaud posting a 2.30. Not enough to put her in the lead, but it closes the gap a little.
10.27am Selby Riddle maintained her lead and goes through to round three. In the current heat Roxy rider Coline Menard leads, and Rosie Locke only has one score due to an interference. Coline Menard recently passed her exams, (Congrats Coline!) and has been training hard for the Roxy Jam ever since.
11.05am We're now onto heat nine and Clemence Godinaud and Claire Dereux, both from France, are surfing for a chance to get into the third round. The commentator has just gone over the rules, so I'll share them with you. Each competitor is allowed to catch up to 15 waves in their heat, but only the top two scores are counted. Each wave is scored out of 10, and the scores of all the judges, apart from the highest and lowest, are averaged to create their score. So far the highest score today is 15.75 from Chelsea Williams. In heat eight, Lindsey Steinide went through.
11.22am A stunning last ride from Claire Dereux, beautiful turns and elegant cross-stepping from the French surfer. She scores an 8.00 and is through to round three.
11.38am No heat eleven so Brit Candice O' Donnell is up next. Good luck Candice! Cristiana Pires and Hanalei Reponty are currently in the water. Cristiana Pires is leading, she's had some nice rides on those lovely looking waves so far.
11.48am Candice O'Donnell in the water now. Send good vibes!
11.51am I can't understand a word the French commentator is saying, but I just caught a ' oooh la la' when Candice wiped out. Who knew the French really said that? Miku Uemura currently leads with a 5.00 to Candice's 3.25 and 1.25.
12.12am Candice put in a damn good try, but sadly was no match for Japanese Hawaiian Miku Uemura. But then she's got Hawaii to practice in!
12.35am Karina Abras goes through in heat 13. Some tandem surfing coming up next, I believe. Wanna try it yourself? Watch this how-to video!
3.28pm Still a break in the heats. But ah haaaa, I was right, Tim Warwood is commenting on the event. Do I have clever ears or what? Strange that a male snowboarder is reporting on a womens' surfing event, but, ah well!
4.30pm The contest is still off, but due to recommence at 6pm local time (in about half an hour I think). In the meantime, check out how 14-year-old Kelia Moniz has been spending her day off before the third round tomorrow. According to her blog, she's been eating, sleeping, and doing a spot of surfing.
5.11pm And we're off again! I think so, at least. Heat 14 is Kirsty Webster against Myriam Imaz. My money's on Myriam Imaz.
5.16pm The heat's now underway, and it looks lovely and sunny in France. Three heats to get through before the end of the day.
5.30pm Kirsty Webster up and riding most in the heat so far, some nice sets coming in! Kirsty Webster leading.
5.33pm Kirsty Webster seems to have a ride-everything tactic, while Myriam Imaz is selecting waves carefully. So far Kirsty's tactic seems to be paying off as she is in the lead!
5.39pm Nice wave from Kirsty Webster, a bit of nose riding at the beginning and it scores a 6.25, increasing her lead. And Kirsty Webster goes through. How wrong was I?
5.42pm Now is the turn of Summer Romero and Gaelle Szymkowiak - who is already on a wave seconds into the heat!
5.45pm Summer Romero posts a 7.00 for her first ride. Lovely! Her second ride is even better at 7.75. She's going to take some beating.
6.27pm Summer Romero goes through, and in the last heat of the day it looks like world record holder Angela Bauer might be advancing into round three too. She leads in front of Helene Chabeaud with five minutes remaining. It looks so lovely in France right now, oh to be there!
6.32pm Oh look, there's a surf school in the way. What a surprise. Oooh, Helene Chabeaud gets a wave at the last minute and goes through.
All over for another day! Come back tomorrow for some round three goodness! Kassia Meador is up first again. Should be an interesting one. You've no idea how much I want to go surfing after watching it for a whole day.
