Medina and Slater eliminated from Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Title clinching postponed
SUPERTUBOS, Peniche/Portugal (Sunday, October 19, 2014): Supertubos delivered major upsets and high drama today as current Tour frontrunners Gabriel Medina and 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater were eliminated from the Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal by Brett Simpson and Aritz Aranburu respectively in Round 3. The Brazilian’s early exit ends his chances of claiming an historic world surfing crown in Portugal, effectively pushing the title race to the final event of the year in Hawaii.
The penultimate stop on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour ran through elimination Round 2 and ten heats of Round 3 today in five-to-eight foot barreling waves. In addition to Medina and Slater’s eliminations, current ASP World No. 4 Joel Parkinson was also knocked out of the competition in the third round at the hands Adam Melling, ending the 2012 ASP World Champion’s run at a second title this season.
Huntington Beach’s Simpson took the surprise win over the Medina by less than a point, with a final score of 12.50 to Medina’s 12.06 (both out of a possible 20.00). With just minutes remaining on the clock, Medina had the opportunity to overtake Simpson, but left the water after his final wave before the time had run down, thinking he had the score for the win. Simpson’s victory marks only the second time this year that the American has made it beyond Round 2 and could deliver crucial points in his hunt for requalification.
“For me, after having a pretty bad year, this is a nice heat to win,” said Simpson. “I’m stoked and really happy. I always wanted to surf a lot of heats out here and now that’s finally started happening.”
“I thought I had the score on my last wave, that’s why I came in, but it wasn't enough,” said Medina. “I’m pretty sad with this result, but I got happier when Kelly (Slater) lost. I was ready to win the Title here, but now I’m focused on Hawaii. I’m happy that I'm still in the Title Race and I know it doesn't depend the other title contenders, it depends on me. I don't know yet what I need to do, but I will prepare and train and be ready.”
Heat 7 of Round 3 witnessed another shock defeat when Aranburu eliminated Slater, who will leave Portugal with his second 13th place finish of the year. Aranburu opened his account with confidence, leading the current World No. 2 with 10 minutes off the clock courtesy of two clean barrel rides for a 12.00 heat total. Slater was left hunting a seven-point ride and was unable to get in rhythm with the unruly barrels or find the scores he needed. While Slater couldn’t capitalize on Medina’s loss in Peniche, he remains in contention to claim his 12th World Title in Hawaii, and will look to regroup before moving into one of his favorite events on the WCT schedule.
“It’s so hard to compete against Kelly (Slater), he’s the best of all time,” Aranburu said. “I always take it as an opportunity and this time it worked out. I’m so stoked right now. I think both of us had a lot of pressure, him for the World Title and me for the requalification, and it was such an important heat. I’ve really enjoyed this year on Tour and I’m taking it heat-by-heat and hoping to make a good result.”
“It’s hard to pick the right waves out here,” said Slater. “I knew Aritz (Aranburu) was a tough guy to draw, he went out there yesterday when no one else went out and he got an eight-foot bomb and got barreled all the way across the beach. He is dangerous in barrels and I didn't underestimate him at all. The wave he got was the wave of the heat and it would have been mine if I hadn't chosen the way I did. This is probably one of my most frustrating Title Races ever because I keep feeling that I have the opportunity and each time I keep dropping the ball.”
John John Florence delivered the performance of the day in his Round 3 heat against Dion Atkinson, building momentum from his earlier win against wildcard Nic Von Rupp. Florence scored the day’s highest two-wave heat total (18.77) and the first perfect 10 of the event after he air-dropped into a bomb and slid under the thick lip to get spat out further down the sand-bank.
“I’ve been nervous all day for some reason,” said Florence. “These last couple of days I’ve been surfing a lot, the waves have been so much fun and yesterday was my birthday so we surfed all day long. That 10 was really cool. I was paddling into it telling myself to not fall on the drop, I got up and in the end it was a round and perfect wave and I was super stoked.”
Florence has had phenomenal momentum in recent events, finishing 3rd in Tahiti, Runner-Up at Trestles and claiming victory in France. The young Hawaiian is mathematically in the title hunt for this year’s crown and today’s surprise eliminations of Medina and Slater help his cause.
Adam Melling was given a free pass into Round 3 following the unfortunate withdrawal of C.J. Hobgood, who suffered a foot injury in a free surf this morning. With a deep cut spreading from heel to toe Hobgood was forced to pull out of the event before his Round 2 match-up.
“I’ve been through this stuff before so I know I’m in God’s hands, I know I’ll be fine” Hobgood reflected. “It’s not even a question if I can surf, I like to think I can endure some pain and make things happen but this can’t be done. It’s a cut from the top to the bottom and you could fit your whole hand in there.”
Melling went on to eliminate Parkinson in the opening heat of Round 3, ending his hopes of a second World Title. Melling capitalized early with an average score and kept trying to build his lead, while the former World Champion scoured the lineup in the hunt for a high seven. Melling secured the upset with another good righthander and Parkinson leaves with an uncharacteristic 25th place, his first of the season.
“I was pretty happy to get through Round 3,” said Melling. “It was a bummer for C.J. Hobgood, it sucks getting injured so that’s really bad and unfortunate for him. It’s in to a no-loser round next, so I can just go for it. Hopefully we get some really good waves, and it looks like we’re going to, and we can get some good barrels.”
“I’m excited to see if Gabriel (Medina) will be the next World Champion,” Parkinson said. “For him, what he could do for Brazil and surfing in his country, it would just be amazing. Brazilians are so passionate about surfing and it would be awesome to see Gabriel take it. He is probably the most talented surfer I’ve ever seen since Kelly (Slater) and he deserves to be World Champ.”
Current ASP World No. 3 Mick Fanning remains in the competition after defeating wildcard Jacob Willcox in Round 2. An in-form Fanning wasted no time and found a clean barrel on his forehand to post an 8.50 and take the lead. The reigning three-time ASP World Champion backed it up with a near-perfect 9.43 and the win sees him move on to the third round where he will face Alejo Muniz when competition resumes. Willcox will look to reset and focus before the ASP World Junior Championships next week in Portugal.
“I’m pretty excited to compete in these conditions this morning,” said Fanning. “I got down here and it was still so dark so I couldn't see anything. I just threw my wetsuit on and went out and when I got out there I saw some crazy ones, it was pretty exciting. I had to come in before my heat, regroup and go back out there, and I’m stoked that I got a couple of good waves.”
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 2 Results (1st to Round 3, 2nd finishes equal 25th):
- Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.93 def. Jacob Willcox (AUS) 7.43
- Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) 11.67 def. Nic Von Rupp (PRT) 9.66
- Heat 3: Michel Bourez (PYF) 5.80 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 5.27
- Heat 4: Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.77 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 8.83
- Heat 5: Brett Simpson (USA) 13.87 def. Nat Young (USA) 13.43
- Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 8.74 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 2.67
- Heat 7: Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 9.17 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 1.70
- Heat 8: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 8.23 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 7.83
- Heat 9: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 9.33 def. Mitch Crews (AUS) 5.87
- Heat 10: Adam Melling (AUS) advances to Round 3, C.J. Hobgood (USA) injured
- Heat 11: Dion Atkinson (AUS) 13.20 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 11.00
- Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS) 12.50 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 6.90
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
Comments
Good interview with Slater - check kelly with the fans.
http://www.aspworldtour.com/posts/75780/slaters-post-round-3-interview
Maybe that hat's been putting the the jinx on him?
KS "I think that takes me out of the title fight".
As if he didn't know.
As mentioned in another thread, he plays the best mind games.
I hope Medina watched the interview.
I dunno, he looked pretty surprised, I don't think he knew gabs was eliminated.. Kelly doesn't normally get board snapping rage over losing a heat... he's pretty cool calm and collected...
I've got a lot of money on Medina to win the world title.
I took him @ odds of $5 at Tahiti, $1.80 at Trestles and again @ $1.40 after France.
I hope Fanning and JJF lose before the semi's.
Interesting to see the wash up after this event and what lines come out once it's done.
IF (and it's a big IF) JJF can win this event, he'll be fecking tough to beat at Pipe!!! Can JJF still win the world title though? He has to win both events now doesn't he and Medina would have to finish 25 or something like that again at Pipe wouldn't he?
And Slater would have known for sure that Medina had lost the previous heat AND that Slater would still be in with a title chance after losing his heat. You don't win 12 world titles by NOT knowing the math!!!
Forget Prime Minister Tony Abbott, ...
Tour vet Bob Kelly Slater royally shirt-fronted Gabby in front of the whole surfing community!
Or maybe it's the fact that Gabs expecting a score, and making one of the most boned headed decisions to leave the field of battle two and and a half minutes early, revealed himself as one of the most self shirt fronting blokes ever!
On a second thought, time will tell if Gabby might be the biggest fronter in a decade.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fronting
http://www.surfermag.com/features/andy-irons-surfer-interview-leaves-asp...
http://www.surfingmagazine.com/asp/jeremy-flores-suspended-jbay/
Even if they are subtle,..... Meltdowns are fully a part of surfing.
Yew!
Medina still has to face the challenges of the islands... not just the surf. Home town boy JJF and Slats is well liked and has owned pipe. Medina might come up against wild card home town boys maybe a early exit at the hands of the wild card Hawaians with world title pressure and land antics. Will be interesting to see how this plays out wish I was going to be on the North Shore should be a cracker.
Hasn't ASP dropped a big portion of the local wildcards from Pipe?
I think Medina only needs a 5th or 9th place to clinch the title now.
Yep, the draw is exactly the same as every other WT event now - Top 34 + 2 wildcards - much to Fast Eddie Rothman's chagrin.
Speaking of, in 2011 Rothman slapped then-Billabong marketing manager Graham Stapelberg during an altercation. And now Graham Stapelberg is the marketing manager of ASP/WSL and is at the forefront of hostilities over reduced local wildcards at the Pipe Masters.
Gra Gra gets kudos for his moxie but my money is on Eddie to take round 2.
Eddie had his spit .......to backdown now will be seen as a pussy.......interesting few weeks coming up.
Will it create a precedent if the ASP do back down? ie open it up for every location to have 8 wildcards? I'm hoping they don't give in to Eddie's threats - does pipeline need the ASP more than the ASP needs pipeline?
The locals have already got the Volcom Pipe Pro, which is supposed to be the locals version of the Pipe Masters. And then, as you said, it's not like other regions are pushing for hometown wildcards under the threat of violence.
OK, here is a really bad sportsmanship moment in the making, lets just say:
- JJF goes on to win Portugal tonight
- now if GM loses first few heats at pipe and KS or JJF go onto make the finals, they win the world title.
If i was a Hawaiian wildcard (lets say JOB / Makua) do you think they would block, gang up, hassle, drop in etc GM to ensure that he doesnt win the title, and gift it in the hope that JJF gets a win, if its pumping the odds of JJF winning the comp would be very good....
That way the hawaiians would ultimately be sticking it up the ASP and having the last laugh...
Gary Elkerton says yes.
Agreed Stu - seem to recall a similiar scenario with Sunny, Gerry Lopez and Occy. Seem to recall Gerry basically threw his heat by dropping in on everyone and poor Occy did all he could to give Sunny the win but was surfing too well and it didn't work? Sunny won the title a few years later??
8 wildcards, 4 man heats - bet Gabs is hoping the ASP don't buckle to Eddie's threats esp. if JJF wins Portugal.
the ASP needs Pipe far more than Pipe needs the ASP ..... I think that answers the question . Without Pipe , the tour loses a shit load of credibility .
You can't have a season without a Grand Final .... look at English Soccer , and NRL ..... Minor Premiers PFFFT .....
Yet we have a tour without Indo....
Amen........most consistent wave rich place on earth and no comp, I know its about money and sponsors, but you would think they would be keen to sponsor a comp thats guaranteed to have good waves.
AI threw a heat to gift the world title to Garcia by his own admission.
...and Parko blocked Slater to gift AI the Pipe Masters and World Title. Nevermind patriotism they were united by something far stronger - a common sponsor.
So what the maths now?
How far does gabby have to get at pipe to seal it,
And what does slater have to do for the upset?
Gab gets a 9th at Pipe Kelly can't win title
Gab 13th or worse Kelly needs to win pipe to win title
Mick has to finish at least 5th in Portugal to be in it at Pipe
JJF has to finish at least 2nd in Portugal to be in it at Pipe
If
Mick and JJF make the final in Portugal there is plenty of potential
for a title other than Medina. If Mick wins Portugal and Gab gets a 13th
or worse at Pipe Mick only needs a quarter to equal Gab's points for
the title...
I just cut and pasted this from somewhere else...is this correct?
-If Gabriel makes the final at Pipe, he wins the World Title.
-If Gabriel places 3rd or 5th at Pipe, Mick must win Pipe to claim the World Title. Kelly will be eliminated.
-If Gabriel places 9th at Pipe, Mick must place 2nd at Pipe to claim the World Title. Kelly will be eliminated.
-If Gabriel places 13th or 25th at Pipe, Mick must place 3rd to beat Gabriel or 5th to tie (***SURFING does not know how ASP breaks ties. Surf off anyone?***)
-For Kelly to win the World Title, he must win Pipe, while having Mick place 3rd or worse, and Gabriel place 13th or 25th.
Think Gabby only needs a 9th doesn't he - doesn't matter what Slater does if he gets that or better.
Also due to number of wildcards (?) isn't he guaranteed a 13th?
Or what about JJF and even Mick?...Mick still in with a chance to keep going.
Can both Mick and JJF actually make the final at Portugal (ie are they on opposite sides of the draw)?
I'm rooting for John John!
If he keeps surfing the way he is; he wins Portugal, then Pipe and Gabby will need to place higher than ninth at Pipe.
Dare to dream.
John is on another planet... hands down best surfer on tour. Hope he wins portugal right now, then pipe, and takes the title if Medina falters...
Go Mick the Aussie battler, now its interesting with Mick and Kelly in the race, i really hope Medina slips up.
ha ha..Jordy only got one wave in the final compared to Micks four decent waves and two close outs.
Is there a rule if Gab & Mick happen to tie for first?
Put it down the bottom easier to see (cut and pasted from elsewhere, so dont blame me if wrong)
-If Gabriel makes the final at Pipe, he wins the World Title.
-If Gabriel places 3rd or 5th at Pipe, Mick must win Pipe to claim the World Title. Kelly will be eliminated.
-If Gabriel places 9th at Pipe, Mick must place 2nd at Pipe to claim the World Title. Kelly will be eliminated.
-If Gabriel places 13th or 25th at Pipe, Mick must place 3rd to beat Gabriel or 5th to tie (***SURFING does not know how ASP breaks ties. Surf off anyone?***)
-For Kelly to win the World Title, he must win Pipe, while having Mick place 3rd or worse, and Gabriel place 13th or 25th.
Yep, they have a one heat surf off. ASP have posted that info, see latest article on the homepage.
JJF beat Medina (funky cold) in round 3 at last years pipe masters.
The best to his sons, but Fast Eddie is not only slow, he's repetitive.
Time for a new nickname.