Florence marches on as Medina is eliminated in Portugal
PICO DO FABRIL, Peniche/Portugal (Friday, October 21, 2016) - Action continued today at the Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal as competition ran through the remainder of Round 2 followed by Round 3. After a day of eliminations and upsets at the back-up site of Pico do Fabril, the field has been narrowed down to just 12 of the world’s best surfers.
Current World No. 1 on the Jeep Leaderboard John John Florence (HAW), 24, asserted his dominant form in Round 3 with an impeccable wave selection as the Hawaiian posted big scores right from the opening buzzer to easily advance past lethal wildcardFrederico Morais (PRT). Florence showed a variety of backhand turns in the power section of the waves to quickly build a 16.27 heat total and eliminate Morais. The Hawaiian will advance on to Round 4 and is one step closer to claiming the WSL Title with a win in Portugal.
“It’s so great, running up the beach everyone’s yelling and getting amped, every time you finish a wave you can hear the whole beach erupt and you’re just psyched to go back out and get another one!” Florence said. “I was definitely a little bit nervous, yesterday Frederico (Morais) was surfing out here with us and he was ripping, so I just had to focus on myself.”
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 28, delivered another huge upset today by taking out current World No. 2 Gabriel Medina (BRA) in Round 3 of the Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal, opening the door for Florence to potentially clinch a maiden WSL Title in Portugal. Despite a stronger and faster start from the Brazilian, it was Flores who built momentum throughout their exciting 30-minute battle to continuously improve his scoreboard and eventually push Medina out with a solid 15.77 total. Flores, who also eliminated Jeep Leaderboard No. 3 Matt Wilkinson (AUS) in the second round, advances on to Round 4 and secures his best result of the season.
“I haven’t really made a heat all-year and in the hardest heat I have I manage to make it through,” Flores admitted. “I feel like I’ve been in rhythm with the waves, yesterday against Wilko (Matt Wilkinson) and in this one too I felt like I had the good waves. I was so excited, on the wave I was actually thinking ‘just breathe, bottom turn and surf.’ I had a pretty terrible year in terms of results so I really wanted to make a couple of heats against these big names to get my confidence back and show I can still surf.”
Miguel Pupo (BRA), 24, narrowly defeated 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA)to move past Round 3 for only the second time this season. This marks an important feat for the Brazilian who currently sits right outside of the re-qualification bubble in 23rd position on the Jeep Leaderboard. Slater, the 2010 event winner, is eliminated in Equal 13th place.
“First of all I was just happy cause I was going to surf a left and I’ve been waiting all-year to do that,” Pupo commented. “It’s always hard to surf against Kelly, I’ve had the privilege to surf against him at Pipe a couple of times but I lost so I’m pretty stoked to get one back. I’ve been surfing 3 times a day between supertubos and here with the same board to try to make it work whatever the conditions and it paid off.”
Conner Coffin (USA), 23, fended off numerous assaults from World No.7 Filipe Toledo (BRA) to continue with the trend of rookies upsetting some of the World’s Top surfers in Peniche. The Californian stuck to powersurfing, his signature backhand attack scoring big on the lefts of Fabril, while Toledo tried everything he could including one-off aerial maneuvers eventually in vain.
“Filipe (Toledo) is one of my favourite guys to watch, we’ve surfed a little bit against each other in the juniors, I beat him once at the US Open on lefts so I was just fingers crossed earlier that the tide didn’t come high enough for that little right rip bowl,” Coffin said. “I’m stoked that the waves held out the back on that left and hopefully I won’t slip off on my last turn on an 8 next time.”
The final heat of the day saw current No. 4 of the Jeep Leaderboard Jordy Smith (ZAF)take down 2013 event winner Kai Otton (AUS) with 17.03 heat total. The result sees Smith remain in the Title Race and become the only surfer that can send the title race to Hawaii should Florence make the Final.
“I’m really excited,” said Smith. “It was a good call and everyone has been ripping all day. I’m really happy with my performance in that last heat so I’m psyched. Portugal is by far one of my favorite stops of the year, and every year we seem to score.”
Tahitian powerhouse Michel Bourez (PYF), 30, used his full surfing repertoire to eliminate Caio Ibelli (BRA) in their Round 3 encounter. Bourez started with a good barrel ride on a throaty left to lock in a good first score and take an early lead, before letting his powerful gauges out on a big and clean wave for a near-perfect 9.70 (the highest score of the day) and a Round 4 berth.
“I was in a really good rhythm out there, I felt like a ten just before my heat, that wave came and I just gave everything I had and it just went perfectly,” Bourez stated. “[Caio Ibelli] surfs amazing in his first year and I told him in Fiji that I was impressed by his surfing. He’s really well rounded and the kind of guy you don’t want in your heat.”
Former WSL Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS), 35, was in a difficult position againstWiggolly Dantas (BRA) as the young Brazilian capitalized early with powerful forehand carves, until the Australian found a near-perfect barrel ride to lock-in an impressive 9.33 and eventually take the win and a ticket for Round 4.
“It was good, I felt like I didn’t surf like I wanted to, I was a bit front-footed, probably a wrong choice of board and fins, but that one wave came in and it had possibly a ten point ride written all-over it,” Parkinson reflected. “It was really hollow and I just kind of sat there and enjoyed a perfect little vision of sand-bottom barrel and that was it. Sounded like Wiggolly (Dantas) was ripping, I saw a couple of sprays from behind, it was a really exciting heat to be in.”
Reigning WSL Champion Adriano de Souza (BRA), 2012 event winner Julian Wilson (AUS), Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Kolohe Andino (USA) and Stuart Kennedy (AUS) will also advance to Round 4 after eliminating Kanoa Igarashi (USA), Jadson Andre (BRA),Josh Kerr (AUS), Matt Banting (AUS) and Italo Ferreira (BRA) respectively.
Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal Remaining Round 2 Results:
Heat 6: Matt Banting (AUS) 12.00 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.34
Heat 7: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 11.64 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 9.26
Heat 8: Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.16 def. Jack Freestone (AUS) 13.27
Heat 9: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 14.93 def. Davey Cathels (AUS) 11.20
Heat 10: Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 12.33 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 6.40
Heat 11: Conner Coffin (USA) 14.67 def. Nat Young (USA) 13.66
Heat 12: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 11.93 def. Keanu Asing (HAW) 10.83
Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.43 def. Matt Banting (AUS) 12.04
Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.10 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 15.00
Heat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.97 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.90
Heat 4: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 13.86 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 10.03
Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) 17.23 def. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 12.37
Heat 6: John John Florence (HAW) 16.27 def. Frederico Morais (PRT) 13.30
Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 15.77 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.17
Heat 8: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 12.07 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.76
Heat 9: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 15.43 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 14.26
Heat 10: Conner Coffin (USA) 13.60 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 12.97
Heat 11: Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 11.63 def. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 11.33
Heat 12: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.03 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 8.73
Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 4 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Kolohe Andino (USA), Joel Parkinson (AUS), Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Michel Bourez (PYF), John John Florence (HAW)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Heat 4: Conner Coffin (USA), Stuart Kennedy (AUS), Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Comments
'Current World No. 1 on the Jeep Leaderboard John John Florence (HAW), 24, asserted his dominant form in Round 3 with an impeccable wave selection as the Hawaiian posted big scores right from the opening buzzer'
His first wave was 15 mins into the heat wasn't it? Looked like he was edgy and waiting too long but he was patient then dominated.
Some odd judging, Julian Wilson got lucky, Josh Kerr got shafted.
Yeah I didn't see Julian getting anywhere near the score he needed...Jaddy got dudded.
I agree, i nearly posted that last night. Jaddy got the score and should have knocked Julian out.
Great mid heat interview with Kelly and I hope he would one day take up a commentating possie. Stoked for Jeremy, he soundly beat Gabs and it's funny to read all the Brazzos commenting on how he was robbed this morning- ha ha!
They all sound like Portuguese speaking versions of me:)
Thought Kellys interview was pretty weird, rambling more than usual then said he was still in the race for the title when im pretty sure he had been knocked out then a bit of commentary. Seems like anyone they interview is being encouraged to commentate on a heat if there are waves being ridden. Be cool to see Kelly do a bit more but he'd need to know when to stop talking.
Did anyone watch the Banting v Andino heat. Ive never competed and obviously never judged but i thought Banting did enough to get the 2nd score? I'm not complaining about the judging, I'm seeking clarification from the more experienced on here
Time to move the event off Supers ... not really a WSL wave. Rarely is.
No. Time to move the event to Nazare beach it goes nuts or if its a bit big Coxos
quality point break. Supertubos is a almost a closeout shore break.
Raku, you're not the only one who has said Matty Banting got the score off Kolohe.
Maybe it's me but imo since the ASP morphed into the WSL there has been an overall improvement in the 'product' in terms of delivery, improved webcasting, commentary and just overall professionalism. But one thing that is glaringly obvious is the disparity in the judging and how the surfers have been muted in saying anything mildly negative about it (or the WSL in general).
It's as if the WSL is pre-determining outcomes and it becomes even more obvious with the marketability of the surfer. Medina is the obvious one where he's been juiced through a few heats now but in this contest alone, Julian should have gone down to Jaddy Andre and Kolohe should have gone down to Matt Banting. That said, the two former surfers are much marketable than the latter.
If you give me time I can look back on numerous other examples over the last couple of years, but for now, that's the feeling I get. Unfortunately, judging surfing is purely subjective and if the surfer doesn't fall off, that's the argument the judges (WSL) will always be able to fall back on.
The shameful thing is, it affects the livelihood of those at the receiving end of these dodgy decisions.
Feel free to agree or disagree with me.
I agree it appears that some more marketable surfers get through some heats questionably but having said that De Souza is the current world champion. He does not stand out as the most charismatic person on the tour. He had a good start last year similar to Wilko this year but he kept the momentum going. Wilko has also had some unfortunate judging scores.
The judging needs more transparency. I couldn't name one judge on the circuit. The same call is coming from the Seppos and Brazzos so youd think the WSL would listen. People in the industry need to voice this as anyone involved with the tour are obviously suppressed from talking about it.
BTW have you ever judged? I'm sure it would not be easy.
Yes, I've judged at a local boardriders level (inter-university) but I was pretty stoned most of the time:)
I've also watched a lot of pro-surfing over the last 40 odd years and probably have a bit of an Aussie bias but recently as the sport has become more global I try and set my bias aside.
I reckon as an armchair judge I can sniff out the more blatant rip-offs.
i agree w u raku re transparency. if they don't want to name the judges to save them grief on social media, they cld at least show the nationalites of the panel next to their scores (little flags on the graphics wld be a piece of piss). wld keep them more honest and give the wsl some ammo to defend the judging. i agree w many here and elsewhere that there r lotsa dodgy decisions
Every other referee is known in international sport so surfing shouldn't be any different. I know its a long way off but i reckon they'll show the nationalities in the Olympics.
Well at least the judging has been consistently inconsistent,though I was surprised by a couple of competitors opting for Hail Mary's on close-outs when there were good quality lefts on offer
@ raku if in doubt with the judging, which I often am try and go back to the first manoeuvre that's when they have 10 points to gain or lose. Have judged up to national level and that's the one that generally makes or breaks a score
Thanks Sticky. Good on ya for judging, I'm sure its not easy. What are your thoughts on the current WSL judging. Like I said some more transparency would be good. At least name the judges with the scores they post. The WSL judges have a video replay to help with scores so consistency should be easier than say at a club event.
Stickyson ever get told to let the little blonde kid through who's son of a board riders president or any other sort of mischievous manipulation of results. Reckon some surfing parents would be pretty full on.
Nah never really found that but to kids that wanted to compete the advice was put it beyond doubt because the name guy will get the nod nearly all the time see it at club level state level more so in the qs and that's the problem. Would be good to see the judges just throw scores and not be privy to the overall situation,now that would be good fun!
hi sticky. same situation in all representative-level or selection-based kids sport at high levels. the 'name' kids or 'known' kids are the incumbents. you want their spot you have to put it beyond doubt. not condoning or condemning it - just what you see again and again
Please get Roy and HG on the panel!