体坛英语新闻：Kerr leads way in Rio Pro

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Josh Kerr posted the highest score of the day in stormy conditions to progress to the third round of the Billabong Rio Pro on Friday.

The 29-year-old scored 17.94 from his best two waves to eliminate Brazil's Messias Felix in a 1.5m swell at Barra da Tijuca beach.

It came after four consecutive lay days due to poor weather.

"It feels good to get that heat win after all of those days off," Kerr said after the heat.

"I was lucky to find those two good ones and I waited forever to get that second good one after that first 9. Hopefully I can keep it going in the next round."

Eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater and reigning tour winner Joel Parkinson were given the day off after progressing directly to the third round last week.

Slater leads the 2013 ASP World Tour rankings with 11,750 points ahead of Mick Fanning (11,700), Taj Burrow (11,700), Adriano de Souza (10,500) and Parkinson (9,750).

BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 2 RESULTS:

Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.34 def. Gustavo Fernandes (BRA) 10.70

Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 17.94 def. Messias Felix (BRA) 5.07

Heat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.56 def. Jack Freestone (AUS) 9.60

Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.50 def. Ricardo dos Santos (BRA) 7.47

Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) 10.16 def. Yadin Nicol (AUS) 8.67

Heat 6: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.17 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 8.10

Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.93 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 14.33

Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) 12.24 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 12.20

Heat 9: Brett Simpson (USA) 15.10 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 15.04

Heat 10: Travis Logie (ZAF) 11.40 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 10.76

Heat 11: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.23 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 10.50

Heat 12: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 10.70 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 4.93

BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)

Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Nat Young (USA)

Heat 3: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)

Heat 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)

Heat 5: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)

Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)

Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL)

Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Bede Durbidge (AUS)

Heat 9: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Sebastian Zietz (HAW)

Heat 10: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Filipe Toledo (BRA)

Heat 11: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)

Heat 12: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)