Mick Fanning (AUS), world #1, beat #15 Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Quiksilver Pro France today. The Finals day was held in the contest’s back-up spot, Le Penon in Seignosse, in bumpy 2-4 foot, beach-break conditions, while the earlier rounds were held at the main site of La Graviere. Medina was in the lead the majority of the heat, favoring the lefts and using his air-game to stay ahead. But, it was a right, finished off with a classic blow-tail that would win the event. In the dying minutes of the final, Fanning scored an 8.83 and overtook the lead. Medina had trouble finding another high score and fell 15.00/20 points to Fanning’s 16.66.
World #2 and 11-time World Champion, Kelly Slater, bowed out in the Quarterfinals to Brazilian young-gun, Felipe Toledo. Fanning overtook Slater in the World Tour rankings after the previous contest, the Hurley Pro, at Lower Trestles in Southern California. After this win in France, Fanning is now 6,000 points ahead of Slater and over 12,000 points ahead of World #3, Jordy Smith. Taj Burrow, who won the Hurley Pro at Trestles a couple of weeks ago, jumped up to #4, while Parko’s Round 3 exit at Trestles dropped him down to 5th place.
If Fanning wins in Portugal, the 9th event of the Tour, he will have enough points to securely clinch the 2013 World Title. However, if Fanning doesn’t take the win next week, the World Title race will be decided in December at the final stop of the Tour, the infamous Billabong Pipe Masters, which, in my opinion, is the most exciting way to end the season.
*October 9-20, Rip Curl Pro by Moche in Peniche, Portugal
*December 8-20, Billabong Pipe Masters at Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii
Between Moore and Wright, the two surfers have won five out of the seven World Tour events. Wright won the 1st event of the season as Snapper Rocks. Moore answered back with a win at the Drug Awareness Pro in Western Australia and a win at the Rip Curl Pro in Bell’s Beach. Wright settled the score at the Coglate Plax Pro in Rio de Janeiro until Carissa one-upped her with a 1st at the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach this past July.
The women started off the year with a less-than-impressive schedule, the EDP Cascais Girl’s Pro presented by Billabong being added to the list last minute. Fortunately, Hurley Women’s has stepped up to the plate for 2014 and added a Women’s WCT event at Lower Trestles in September. Women’s surfing is better than it has ever been and the girls deserve more events in different conditions to showcase their talents. Hopefully in the next couple of years the women will be back in Hawaii with the men to finish out their Title race.
EDP Cascais Girl’s Pro presented by Billabong Quarterfinals
QF 1: Sage Erickson (USA) vs. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
QF 2: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) vs. Carissa Moore (HAW)
QF 3: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)
QF 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
World #2 and 11-time World Champion, Kelly Slater, bowed out in the Quarterfinals to Brazilian young-gun, Felipe Toledo. Fanning overtook Slater in the World Tour rankings after the previous contest, the Hurley Pro, at Lower Trestles in Southern California. After this win in France, Fanning is now 6,000 points ahead of Slater and over 12,000 points ahead of World #3, Jordy Smith. Taj Burrow, who won the Hurley Pro at Trestles a couple of weeks ago, jumped up to #4, while Parko’s Round 3 exit at Trestles dropped him down to 5th place.
If Fanning wins in Portugal, the 9th event of the Tour, he will have enough points to securely clinch the 2013 World Title. However, if Fanning doesn’t take the win next week, the World Title race will be decided in December at the final stop of the Tour, the infamous Billabong Pipe Masters, which, in my opinion, is the most exciting way to end the season.
*October 9-20, Rip Curl Pro by Moche in Peniche, Portugal
*December 8-20, Billabong Pipe Masters at Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii
*Trained body, trained mind. PC: ASP LIVE STREAM TV
*Congratulations, Mick. I’m sure Eugene will be out to celebrate tonight. PC: ASP
The final event of the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour is underway at Praia de Carcavelos in Cascais, Portugal. Only 200 points separate World #1, Carissa Moore of Hawaii, and World #2 Tyler Wright of Australia. Both surfers are through to the Quarterfinals, which should recommence tomorrow morning at the contest’s back-up spot in Guincho. If both surfers are knocked out in the Quarters, Moore, the 2011 Women’s World Champ, will still have enough points to take the Title. However, if Tyler Wright places higher than Moore in the contest, the Title will be all hers. If Wright does take the win, it will be her first World Title. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), who won the Roxy Pro France last week, is sitting in the #3 spot, but won’t be able to accumulate enough points to overtake the number 1 spot even if she wins this final event.Between Moore and Wright, the two surfers have won five out of the seven World Tour events. Wright won the 1st event of the season as Snapper Rocks. Moore answered back with a win at the Drug Awareness Pro in Western Australia and a win at the Rip Curl Pro in Bell’s Beach. Wright settled the score at the Coglate Plax Pro in Rio de Janeiro until Carissa one-upped her with a 1st at the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach this past July.
The women started off the year with a less-than-impressive schedule, the EDP Cascais Girl’s Pro presented by Billabong being added to the list last minute. Fortunately, Hurley Women’s has stepped up to the plate for 2014 and added a Women’s WCT event at Lower Trestles in September. Women’s surfing is better than it has ever been and the girls deserve more events in different conditions to showcase their talents. Hopefully in the next couple of years the women will be back in Hawaii with the men to finish out their Title race.
EDP Cascais Girl’s Pro presented by Billabong Quarterfinals
QF 1: Sage Erickson (USA) vs. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
QF 2: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) vs. Carissa Moore (HAW)
QF 3: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)
QF 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
*Carissa Moore throwing buckets. PC: ASP Europe
*At only 19 years old, Tyler Wright has a very good chance to win her 1st World Title.
*All smiles, despite a World Title on the line. PC: ASP Europe
*Check the EDP Cascais Pro website for updates and live stream of the contest when it resumes.
*First call is at 8:20 am WEST/ 3:20 am EDT.
**I’ve also been doing some writing for http://surfing-live-tv-stream.blogspot.com/. Check out this article, along with other articles on their website here. 911SurfReport is a growing online surf community with reports for Northeast Florida, Gulf Coast Florida, Outer Banks, Southern California, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru and El Salvador.