San Clemente surfer Patrick Gudauskas made it to the quarterfinals at the Billabong Pro Tahiti, before being taken out by Andy Irons, who went on to win the event.

It was Irons’ first win since his comeback after taking a hiatus last year.

“It feels so good to be back,” Irons said. “It feels amazing.”

In his heat against Gudauskas, he came out into the heat strong, scoring a 9.27 barrel ride early in the heat and then backing it with a 7.17, with a 16.44 total heat score – against Gudauskas’ 6.00 heat total.

It was still a great showing for the O.C. surfer, who was on the cusp of being kicked off the World Tour entering this contest, but advanced well beyond the cut off area when he made it to the quarterfinals.

He was still all smiles in the post-heat interview.

“It’s been a huge event, for myself,” he said. “I hadn’t made it past 17th in any contest. Just to do well in an event like this – I know it’s not the Teahupoo we all want to surf, but it’s still fun, there’s still great barrels.”

Irons had good works for Gudauskas after the heat.

“I like Pat, he’s a great kid. I’m stoked to see him re-qualify.”

Irons is getting his groove back after taking last year off, and earlier in this contest took out Pat’s younger brother Tanner, who was knocked off the World Tour. Pat and Huntington Beach’s Brett Simpson remain the last surfers left on tour, the next contest happening at Trestles.

Irons went on to take out nine-time world champ Kelly Slater in the semi-finals, in a highly-anticipated match up that was slow in the action, except for a stellar wave by Irons when he got a 9.40 barrel ride.The two have met 12 times in competition, and have had a huge rivalry through the years.

Slater was only able to put a 10.29 on the board, with a 5.33 and 4.93.

“I took a bad one, he took a good one and there was two good ones behind him,” Slater said. “You have to patient. It’s the way it goes. There wasn’t many waves in the heat.”

“It’s the way it goes, you’re going to have some good contests, you’re going to have some bad contests,” Slater said.

Gudauskas made it to the quarterfinals, after winning his heat against Damien Hobgood.

Gudauskas pulled an early 9.07 on the scoreboard, then was able to back it up with a 7.83 as a solid barrel came through. Waves are in the 2-to-3 foot range.

“I’m stoked,” he said in a post heat interview on the webcast. “I got lucky to get those waves.”

He also had a bit of help from Damien, who he ended up taking out. He’s been staying with the Hobgood brothers, and they’ve been helping the rookies on tour read the waves and giving them tips on how to surf them.

“I say thanks to those guys – even though Damien might be kicking himself,” he said.

Gudauskas threw a Rodeo flip two days ago to advance, making history for being the first surfer to pull that move during competition.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASP

“For the conditions, I felt stoked to throw that. It’s a spectator sport, you want to get people excited,” he said.

The San Clemente surfer is the sole surfer left who was threatened by a mid-year cut, but made it through.

Other quarterfinal heats saw Damien’s brother CJ winning against Tiago Pires. Heat 2 saw  Jeremy Flores win Fredrick Patacchia, followed by Kelly Slater scoring a perfect 10 wave – only the second one seen on tour this year – and winning with a combined heat total of 18.67 – in his heat against Australia’s Adrian Buchan.

Watch it live here.

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