Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2015
Current world number one and last years Rip Curl Pro Portugal champ, Mick Fanning ducking for cover at Supertubos. Photo: WSL/Damien Poullenot
Ladies and Gents. Welcome to the second last event of the year for the Samsung Galaxy World Surf League Championship Tour.
Stop number nine hits the coast of Portugal and the barrelling peaks of Supertubos. Supertubos is undoubtably the best beach break in Portugal. Breaking over a sand bottom, this wave offers peaky lefts and rights but is more consistent with the lefts in a SW swell.
Down to the business end, lets touch on the world title race and France for a moment. France left us with Gabriel Medina taking out the event. The kids surfing couldn’t be faulted, dropping two 10 point rides in the event on his way to victory. Mick Fanning dropped the ball in his quarter final berth against an on fire Bede Durbidge while Adriano De Souza fell out in the semis. This has resulted in a very tight two horse race between Mick and Adriano to the finish line. Owen Wright, Julian Wilson and even Gabriel Medina are all still in mathematical contention, however all 3 guys would need some serious magic to happen to take it from MF and ADS.
Julian Wilson and Gabriel Medina have been surfing out of their skin lately and will stick it to the top two to play spoiler in the title race.
Here’s a brief overview of the situation:
Men’s Scenarios Ahead of the Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal:
If Fanning wins the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, De Souza will need a 9th or better (making Round 5 or better) in order to take the World Title decision to Hawaii.
If Fanning finishes runner-up in Portugal the decision will go to Hawaii even if Adriano gets a 25th (last place).
If De Souza wins the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the World Title decision will go to Hawaii even if Mick Fanning gets a 25th in Portugal.
The even more fierce race for re-qualification is going on as mentioned in my France write up. Jordy Smith, Adam Melling and Sebastian Zeitz are all sitting on that cusp of doing some QS events to get them back on tour next year (pending Jordys injuries). Rookies Riccardo Christie and Dusty Payne are pretty much out for next year as much as i love their surfing. Brett Simpson is also looking at falling off tour. The good story from all this is Kolohe Andino. With his round 5 finish in France, Kolohe’s crisis has moved from critical to moderate. As a huge surprise, Joel Parkinson is slipping quite quickly down the rankings. Joel is sitting at 18th and will need some impressive results to back up for 2016.
Let the fireworks fly and crowd cheer as we watch the race for the world title unfold. Who will it be? Watch the next two events and get ready for anything to happen.
The Rip Curl Pro Portugal kicks off on the 20th of Oct. Check all the action at
worldsurfleague.com and may god have mercy on our souls.
Offical Surfline Forecast
Brief Overview: An unfavorable weather pattern for significant swell will be in place over the North Atlantic leading up to the contest. Instead, nearby low pressure will set up shorter period windswell for the first several days of the waiting period. Longer range guidance suggests we may see the North Atlantic start to show some life setting up the potential for more swell during the last week of October.
Mens Round 1 Heat Draw
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Jadson Andre (BRA), Tomas Hermes (BRA)
Heat 2: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Mason Ho (HAW) (WC)
Heat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS), Keanu Asing (HAW), Caio Ibelli (BRA) (IR)
Heat 4: Owen Wright (AUS), Michel Bourez (ZYF), Vasco Ribero (PRT) (WC)
Heat 5: Adriano De Souza (BRA), Kolohe Andino (USA), Fredrico Morais (PRT) (IR)
Heat 6: Mick Fanning (AUS), Sebastian Zeitz (HAW), Tiago Pires (BRA) (IR)
Heat 7: Kelly Slater (USA) Adrian Buchan (AUS), Aritz Arunburu (ESP) (IR)
Heat 8: Italo Ferreria (BRA), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 9: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Riccardo Christie (NZL)
Heat 10: Nat Young (USA), Kai Otton (AUS), Glen Hall (IRL)
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge (AUS), John John Florence (HAW), C.J Hobgood (USA)
Heat 12: Josh Kerr (AUS), Wiggolly Dantes (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS)
* WC = Wildcard
* IR = Injury Replacement
Day 1 Highlights
Day 2 Highlights
Day 3 Highlights
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo 13.17, Tomas Hermes 12.83, Jadson Andre 8.40
Heat 2: Gabriel Medina 14.00, Miguel Pupo 12.60, Mason Ho 10.86
Heat 3: Keanu Asing 12.30, Caio Ibelli 12.07, Julian Wilson 8.07
Heat 4: Vasco Ribeiro 12.17, Michel Bourez 11.47, Owen Wright 11.07
Heat 5: Frederico Morais 16.43, Adriano de Souza 16.27, Kolohe Andino 16.27
Heat 6: Mick Fanning 13.24, Tiago Pires 10.17, Sebastian Zietz 9.10
Heat 7: Kelly Slater 13.90, Aritz Aranburu 11.86, Adrian Buchan 8.67
Heat 8: Brett Simpson 16.13, Joel Parkinson 15.33, Italo Ferreira 14.60
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson 15.63, Jeremy Flores 13.07, Ricardo Christie 12.67
Heat 10: Nat Young 12.60, Kai Otton 10.34, Glenn Hall 9.54
Heat 11: Bede Durbidge 14.17, John John Florence 11.60, C.J. Hobgood 10.16
Heat 12: Josh Kerr 15.97, Wiggolly Dantas 13.94, Adam Melling 10.04
Round 2 Results:
Heat 1: A. de Souza, 12.43, T. Pires 6.17
Heat 2: C. Ibelli 13.33, O. Wright 12.37
Heat 3: M. Ho 13.93, J. Wilson 13.06
Heat 4: I. Ferreira 11.50, T. Hermes 9.74
Heat 5: J. Flores 12.76, A. Aranburu 12.00
Heat 6: R. Christie 10.73, W. Dantas 8.70
Heat 7: J. Florence 16.20, G. Hall 8.70
Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: F. Toledo 14.70, M. Ho 2.76
Heat 2: K. Andino 13.06, B. Durbidge 10.43
Heat 3: B. Simpson 13.54, K. Slater 8.06
Heat 4: N. Young 16.67, S. Zietz 13.17
Heat 5: J. Parkinson 15.00, M. Wilkinson 14.60
Heat 6: F. Morais 16.03, M. Fanning 14.40
Heat 7: V. Ribeiro 14.36, A. de Souza 11.80
Heat 8: K. Asing 13.43, J. Florence 13.16
Heat 9: J. Flores 17.26, C. Hobgood 12.47
Heat 10: I. Ferreira 14.17, R. Christie 12.84
Heat 11: M. Bourez 13.17, J. Kerr 13.10
Heat 12: G. Medina 17.67, C. Ibelli 15.87
Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: F. Toledo 19.00, K. Andino 18.00, B. Simpson 17.57
Heat 2: F. Morais 14.96, N. Young 14.50, J. Parkinson 7.43
Round 4 Upcoming:
Heat 3: V. Ribeiro, K. Asing, J. Flores
Heat 4: I. Ferreira, M. Bourez, G. Medina