Mick Fanning claimed victory at the Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal after defeating Jordy Smith, in clean three-to-five foot barrels, during the finals at Supertubos in Peniche. The win marks Fanning’s third event victory of the season, after Bells Beach and Jefferys Bay, placing him at No. 2 in the world rankings.
Following the exciting event in Portugal, only reigning three-time world champ Fanning, 11-time world champ Kelly Slater, and current No. 1 Gabriel Medina remain in contention for the world title.
Fanning was on form throughout the contest, winning all but his round one heat. He surfed five separate heats during the final day, despatching Alejo Muniz, Filipe Toledo, and Kai Otton, on his way to the final where he took down Jordy Smith. Fanning overtakes Slater in the rankings, claiming the second spot as the tour heads into the last event of the season — the Billabong Pipe Masters Hawaii.
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Fanning worked on his scoreboard early during the final, before locking into a deep backhand barrel for a nine-point ride[/pullquote]
Fanning worked on his scoreboard early during the final, before locking into a deep backhand barrel for a nine-point ride — taking the heat lead. He then backed up his score with another barrel for a 6.50, sealing the deal and taking the win.
“I am just so stoked,” said Fanning. “I didn’t really think about a win to tell you the truth, it just happened. Jordy surfed amazing, John John surfed amazing, Kai too. Everyone has been ripping this whole Euro leg and I’m just stoked I got to get a result out of it. It feels so good to get a win, it’s been five years since I won here, so I am very stoked. Going into Hawaii with a title on the line is so stressful, but I guess I will just deal with that when I get there. For now I’ll just enjoy the win here.”
Jordy Smith’s runner-up finish is his second best result of the year, after a win at Lower Trestles, and it sees him move up to seventh place in the rankings. His runner-up finish in Peniche, combined with his previous quarterfinal berth in the ASP Prime Cascais Billabong Pro solidifies his position at the top of the Portuguese Waves Series and earned him the Cascais Trophy, and the bonus of $50,000 in prize money.
During the final Smith answered Fanning’s nine, punctuating a smaller barrel with a powerful gauge — landing him a 7.67. Sadly for Smith, a slow lineup didn’t deliver many opportunities and he was left chasing a second score that never came.
“That’s incredible taking out the Cascais Trophy and the $50,000,” said Smith. “I’m definitely coming back next year. I am so excited and stoked I didn’t realise it until I came in after my semi-final and a friend of mine said to me that I’d just won the Cascais Trophy. I was like, “are you kidding me?” I was pretty pumped. I like this place, I really like the waves around here and I love Portugal and the people here. It’s a really great place and I always love surfing here.”
[pullquote]During the semi-finals Smith eliminated standout surfer John John Florence. Despite posting the only two perfect 10-point rides of the event, Florence lost his momentum and failed to top Smith’s two excellent scores[/pullquote]
During the semi-finals Smith eliminated standout surfer John John Florence. Despite posting the only two perfect 10-point rides of the event, Florence lost his momentum and failed to top Smith’s two excellent scores. He leaves Portugal in an equal third, thus ending any 2014 world title hopes.
“I’m super bummed, but at the same time I’m stoked to have made the semi-finals,” said Florence. “I’ve been on a fun, good run for these last few events. Jordy got the good ones, so congratulations to him. I’m definitely excited to go into Hawaii as a possible spoiler to the world title, I want to win Pipeline no matter what. The world title is now out of my hands, so there’s no pressure on. I just can’t wait to go home and surf Pipe.”
Mick Fanning claims his third victory of the year at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal. ASP/ Pullenot/ AQUASHOT
Defending event champion, Kai Otton, came so close to a second consecutive final, but with only minutes to spare during the semi-final his opponent Fanning came back with two fast barrels to turn the heat, and steal the win. Otton’s excellent performance in Portugal marks his best of the season and bumps him up six places, to 18th, in the rankings.
“I just got bumped off on a lot of my waves,” Otton explained. “I think that one wave I had would have been a really high score, then I might have been in control of the heat. Mick fought his way back like a champion with that 7.17 score. It’s beautiful having the family here, and it’s great coming in from each heat, win or lose, and they’re there to cheer me up.”
Heading into the final event, the Billabong Pipeline Masters, only three surfers remain in the running for the year’s world surfing crown: Gabriel Medina, Mick Fanning, and Kelly Slater. The possible circumstances are:
• If Medina finishes 2nd or better at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, he will clinch the 2014 ASP World Title.
• If Medina finishes 3rd at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, Fanning will need to win the event and Slater will be out of contention.
• If Medina finishes 5th at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, Fanning will need to win the event and Slater will be out of contention.
• If Medina finishes 9th at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, Fanning will need to finish 2nd or better and Slater will be out of contention.
• If Medina finishes 13th or 25th at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, Fanning will need to finish 3rd to win or 5th to send the title race into a one-heat “surf-off” between himself and Medina. If Medina finishes 13th or 25th at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, Slater will need to win the event.
Words Louis Hall @LHall69
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Final Results:
Winner: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.50
Runner-Up: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 7.67
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Semi-final Results (1st to Final, 2nd finishes equal 3rd):
SF 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.64 def. John John Florence (HAW) 7.27
SF 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.17 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 8.40
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Quarterfinal Results (1st to Semi-finals, 2nd finishes equal 5th):
QF 1: John John Florence (HAW) 17.83 def. Adam Melling (AUS) 11.83
QF 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.27 def. Adriano De Souza (BRA) 12.23
QF 3: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.80 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.17
QF 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.07 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 10.10
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 5 Results (1st to Quarterfinals, 2nd finishes equal 9th):
Heat 1: Adam Melling (AUS) 7.50 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 5.90
Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.60 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 9.63
Heat 3: Kai Otton (AUS) 13.83 def. Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 8.33
Heat 4: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.23 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 7.30
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 4 Results (1st to Quarterfinals, 2nd and 3rd to Round 5):
Heat 1: John John Florence (HAW) 17.27, Adam Melling (AUS) 13.96, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.03
Heat 2: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 17.26, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.66, Brett Simpson (USA) 9.00
Heat 3: Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.10, Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 6.66, Michel Bourez (PYF) 2.03
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.74, Filipe Toledo (BRA) 7.76, Kai Otton (AUS) 3.60
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 3 Results (1st to Round 4, 2nd finishes equal 13th):
Heat 1: Adam Melling (AUS) 11.66 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 7.93
Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.83 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 8.83
Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW) 18.77 def. Dion Atkinson (AUS) 13.27
Heat 4: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 11.07 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 6.67
Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.90 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 2.83
Heat 6: Brett Simpson (USA) 12.50 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.06
Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 12.00 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 6.30
Heat 8: Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.27 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.07
Heat 9: Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.10 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 11.50
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) 18.20 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 6.00
Heat 11: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.00 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.17
Heat 12: Mick Fanning (AUS) 14.10 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 13.33
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