Last week the two underdogs Tia and Alejando sent Luke and Anastasia packing, but it's no rest for the competitors as we see the squad head straight into another Beach Battle … no one is safe for long at The Surf Ranch.
Getting barreled is the holy grail of surfing -- riding inside the breaking curl of a wave -- so when Jessie told the squad they were going hunting for barrels, you know they didn't need to be told twice.
But these barrels aren't the type they were expecting. In this Beach Battle, the contestants don't ride in the barrel, they have to ride on them.
For the Beach Battle in Episode 3 the contestants have roll on floating barrels in the water, winning team claims an extra ride. - WSL / ABC
Beach Battle: The Barrel Roll
Here's how it works. There is a line of floating barrels set up for the competitors. First the men compete to see how long they can balance on top of the floating barrels, with the last one standing the winner.
Then it's the women's turn. The winners of the men's and women's rounds go to the final round, along with their teammate. Out of those four surfers, whoever stays on the longest wins it for their team, and claims an extra ride if that team were to later end up in the elimination Surf Off.
"Today we're focusing on our balance, that's one of the key aspects in getting barreled," Mason explains. "You're using the same muscles, and you kind of have to get the same feeling."
And while he might have won the Surf Off last week, Alejando is the first to fall. Next in the water is Kai. Mason is down next, closely followed by Zeke, and then to claim a photo-finish win, Koa is last to go for a swim. It's no surprise that Koa won. He made a name for himself in the freesurf world by bagging one of the longest barrels ever recorded, at Skeleton Bay in Namibia.
Now it's the women's turn to spin the barrel. Almost everyone falls at nearly the same time, except Tia, who is so calm up there she has time to kick back and celebrate -- must be all that yoga. It was only last week that Alejandro and Tia seemed like underdogs, and now they're a force to be reckoned with. They would now face Koa and Julie to gain an competitive advantage later in the episode.
Malia Ward and Mason Barnes enjoying dancing by the lake after a long day of competition. - WSL / ABC
Julie's down first. Alejando is in the drink second. Tia takes a dip third, leaving Koa as the undisputed king of balance, and he's got a meditative message for yogi Tia: "Namaste off my barrel!"
Now Koa and Julie are two-for-two when it comes to Beach Battles, and have an extra ride should they end up in the Surf Off. Oh, and they can also choose to give this ride to another team …
Kai wants it badly, He hasn't been putting his waves together, and there's limited opportunities to practice. He knows it could be the difference between staying at The Ranch, or going home. But what's in it for Julie and Koa?
After some wine and dancing by the lake (and is that a spark in the eyes of Malia and Mason?) It's time for the real thing.
Wave Challenge: Barrelling
This week's Wave Challenge is barrel riding -- the real thing -- at the most perfect barrel ever created, by none other than 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater.
This challenge is about staying inside the breaking curl of the wave for as long as possible and exiting cleanly. The barrel section at The Ranch is very long -- longer than almost any natural wave in the ocean. It's also fast, so competitors need to be comfortable staying low and balanced for a very long period of time.
With barrel riding in his blood, Kai Barger tucks in for a back side barrel. - WSL / ABC
Here is where the "super team" of Zeke and Malia live up to their reputation. Zeke has put up the highest score in back-to-back wave challenges, so all eyes are on him and his teammate.
Barrel riding is in Malia's blood -- her dad Chris is one of the most famous tube hounds ever, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Malia gets deep and comes out without a care in the world. Zeke packs a long one too, once again making them the team to beat.
Koa got one of the waves of the day too, proving he's the real deal. But in the end though, it was Malia and Zeke with another win -- in Wave Challenges, they're beginning to look unbeatable.
Malia's best friend Anastaia was sent packing in Episode two, so now it's time for Zeke to take charge of the chess moves.
"I love picking who goes in the Surf Off, I feel like I have so much control," says Zeke. "I love stirring the pot."
And stir they do, sending Alejendo and Tia to yet another Surf Off -- they can't catch a break! And neither can Kai and Bruna, as they're picked, too. Koa? Koa? Please can I have my extra wave? We're friends!
The Wrap: What Does Friendship Count For At The Ranch?
Koa and Kai grew up together, and Kai is reduced to almost begging for that extra wave -- but Koa wants to play the game. He knows Kai shreds and if he finds his feet, will be a legitimate threat. Julie wastes no time giving her extra wave to Bruna, but Koa leaves Kai hanging. He might seem like the court jester at The Ranch, but it turns out Koa is ice cold...
Tia shows her barrel riding abilities in full force and that she can take the pressure from elimination rounds. - WSL / ABC
Bruna misses her first wave, which is about as bad a start as you can have. Luckily she had that extra one, but it means she totally lost her advantage. Tia finds a nice barrel but falls, leaving Bruna in the game. She starts strong, nearly falls but recovers. She finds the barrel but then also falls, leaving it very close between the two women.
Surf Off: Once Again Alejandro And Tia Rise To The Occasion
Kai knows it's now or never. He holds nothing back. But he falls, too. It all hinges on Alejando now, who has found the magic. For Alejandro, the thing about always ending up in the Surf Off is you get more experience surfing the wave, and it shows -- he storms through for another Surf Off win and sends former WSL World Junior Champion Kai packing.
It's also Tia who walks back through the door for the women, meaning Bruna also had to pack up and exit competition.
