SEAN HOLMES maintained his remarkable record in the R2 million Billabong Pro, the continent's most prestigious surfing tournament,  when he repeated his third round victory over world champion Andy Irons (Haw) at the same stage of last year's event on Sunday.

In powerful two to 2.5 metre (6-8 foot) surf, the 25 year-old from Wilderness came off second best in the opening exchange of rides when the Hawaiian gouged several radical turns on a wave that peeled down the point to be awarded 8.50 points for by the judges.

Holmes scored 7.33 for his opener and after a couple of mediocre rides added an identical 7.33 with nine minutes remaining to take the lead. This left Irons, the runaway 2003 ratings leader after winning three of the five events so far this year, needing an easily achievable 6.16 for the heat win.

Despite holding priority, which gave him the right to choose any of the waves he wanted, the champion waited until there was just one minute on the clock before the pressure became too much and he caught the smallest wave ridden today for a 4.83 and an historic victory for Holmes.

"I was lucky that no more waves came," he explained of the long lull at the end of the heat in a typically humble response after being mobbed on the beach. "If Andy had caught the right waves he would have won."

The contest finishes on Friday.