By: Alex Wilson

After assessing the conditions this morning, contest organizers elected to pack up and head to Waddell Creek to start the third day of the O'Neill Coldwater Classic presented by Jeep, the third and final stop of the Macy's California Trifecta Surf Series. Meager swell and fog lead to an abbreviated day of competition today, but with a very solid looking northwest swell scheduled to fill in some time on Saturday; organizers are counting on the rise in surf to carry the competition to a close over the weekend. After making the call to run only half of the 4 th Round, the first heat hit the water at Waddell amidst waist-high and wind chopped conditions.

Rob Machado was once again rolling in Heat 1, demolishing a left on his forehand to jump out to an early lead. Snapping off the top, and then reeling through two more big slashes before slamming the door on the inside, Machado's surfing was as seamless and polished as ever despite the bumpy and weak waves. His fist ride earned an 8.33 from the judges. Rob then went back to work on his second wave, this one a right, generating tons of speed for a trio of zippy backhand slams that garnered a 6.27. With those scores putting him firmly in the top slot, Machado sat comfortably in control of the heat throughout, and easily took 1 st . “Out here at least everyone can get waves,” he said of the decision to move the Coldwater Classic to Waddell Creek. “When it's small at the Lane it just turns into a situation where whoever gets the only good wave that comes through wins. And that really isn't a surf competition. So I think coming up here was a good call.” Advancing behind Machado in Heat 1 was Zach Keenan in 2 nd

Heat 2 saw South African Jordy Smith work the conditions to his advantage this morning, posting a 7.83 and a 5.17 with a series of slams and off-the-tops. Looking cool and calculated, Smith turned in a rousing performance to take the win. Advancing in 2 nd was Hawaiian Casey Brown, who came to Santa Cruz riding high after his team's victory at the ISA, and his advance, like Smith's, was also the product of calculation. With under a half minute remaining, Brown managed to scratch into a wave after a paddle battle with Peter Mussio, who at the time was in control of the transfer slot. With Mussio dropping in on the shoulder, Brown got the better end of an interference call, and as a result, got a green light into the next round.

Jeremy Sherwin continued his roll from yesterday in a highly contested Heat 3. During a huge flurry of activity, Sherwin managed to come through on top with his powerful on-rail-attack, while New Jersey 's Andrew Gesler battled into the 2 nd place position by less than half a point.

In Heat 4, Jeremy Ryan blew out a big forehand air on the end section of a small running left for a 7.33, a score that would cement him into the top slot in a tight Santa Cruz power match up. Bumping Homer Henard from the transfer position was Josh Mulcoy who dropped into his last wave seconds before the buzzer needing a high 4 to advance. He managed a 5.83 to narrowly earn a 5 th Round birth.

Newport 's David Giddings ripped through his heat, Heat 5, laying down some big, powerful slams that were clearly appreciated by the judges. With an 8.67 backed up by a 6.50, Giddings easily took 1 st , while Indonesian Dede Suryana came through in 2 nd .

Australian Jarrah Tutton came on strong in Heat 6, surfing well on both his backhand and forehand. However, his performance fell short of stopping local sensation Bud Freitas. Continuing his roll through the ranks, Freitas, who has surfed exceptionally this past week, turned in another commanding performance today at Waddell to take 1 st from Tutton on the merits of a series of savage bashes and slams late in the heat. Tutton would advance behind him in 2 nd .

Establishing himself amongst the top performers in the difficult conditions today was Kyle Knox, who racked up an 8.17 on his first wave. That score gave him a solid foundation to build on, and after sitting without a good backup score for most of the heat, he finally posted a 5.60 to claim the top slot. Advancing in 2 nd from Heat 7 was WQS vet Omar Etcheverry.

Floridian gulf coaster Sterling Spencer seemed right at home in the beachbreak bumps during Heat 8, the last heat of the day, and he handily claimed 1 st , while Justin Swartz pushed through in 2 nd .

With the contest ending early today, most of the remaining surfers quickly scattered after the final match up to prepare for the 7am check in tomorrow. On tap for Day 4 will be the second half of the Round of 128, and the entire Round of 96. For those rounds, contest organizers will undoubtedly seek out the most contestable waves as they patiently await the solid northwest swell that is predicted to arrive in force for the finals on Sunday.