The first riders exit the main event as we approach the Quarter-Finals on Day Three in Dakhla Thursday’s winds were the strongest of the competition so far here in Dakhla, averaging a steady 25 knots from early morning. Including the eight riders who qualified to the main event through the trials on Wednesday, the plan was to complete rounds one, two and three and potentially the quarter finals, should conditions allow. The judging criteria had also changed with the combo format now being adopted in which riders would be scored on 70% wave riding and 30% strapless freestyle performance. Mitu Monteiro understands the value of variety and was racking up scores for freestyle in his heat straight away Three riders faced off in the round one heats. Winners progressed straight into round three while second and third places would ride again in round two. Mitu Monteiro won the first heat, putting his marker down early with his unmistakable smooth, fluid waver riding and a big mega loop crazy horse. Fellow F-One team rider Filippe Ferreira also impressed from the start, hacking the shore break to pieces with seamless wave 360s and quickly linked turns, even in the smaller, slow sections. …