The world’s best surfers are getting ready for Stop No. 8 of 10 on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, to be held in Peniche, Portugal, at Supertubos starting this Wednesday, October 10 through the 21st, 2012. This leg plays a vital role in the determination of the 2012 ASP World Champion.

Front-runners Joel Parkinson (AUS), Kelly Slater (USA), Mick Fanning (AUS) and John John Florence (HAW) know that the Portuguese waters might decide their fate in the 2012 season. Parko, 31, current frontrunner on the ASP WCT rankings, overtook the tour’s top position from country-mate Mick Fanning, 31, at the recent Quiksilver Pro France, but the race is still tight and anything can happen.

Other names to watch include 22-year-old Californian surfer Dillon Perillo, who has been awarded the first event wildcard. Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, defending Rip Curl Pro Portugal winner, is currently ranked 6th on the ASP WCT. Also, thousands of Portuguese fans are expected to show up in the beach to support the local surf star, Tiago Pires.

Supertubos is one of the best beach breaks in the world. The perfect tubular waves are famous for its lefts but mainly provides epic rights. The best swell direction is from Southwest and the most favorable wind direction is Northeast.

Here’s the Round 1 lineup:

Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2012:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (Brazil), Brett Simpson (USA), Raoni Monteiro (Brazil);
Heat 2: Taj Burrow (Australia), Alejo Muniz (Brazil), Jadson Andre (Brazil)
Heat 3: John John Florence (Hawaii), Kai Otton (Australia), Pat Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (Australia), Kieren Perrow (Australia), Dusty Payne (Hawaii)
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA), Damien Hobgood (USA) and Wildcard
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (Australia), Kolohe Andino (USA) and Wildcard
Heat 7: Owen Wright (Australia), Bede Durbidge (Australia), Yadin Nicol (Australia)
Heat 8: Josh Kerr (Australia), Heitor Alves (Brazil), Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 9: Gabriel Medina (Brazil), Miguel Pupo (Brazil), Matt Wilkinson (Australia)
Heat 10: Jeremy Flores (France), Michel Bourez (Tahiti), Adam Melling (Australia)
Heat 11: Jordy Smith (South Africa), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Travis Logie (South Africa)
Heat 12: Julian Wilson (Australia), Adrian Buchan (Australia), Tiago Pires (Portugal)

We’re ready for Supertubos!

Image via surfing-peniche.blogspot.com Supertubos spring 2010. Photo by Sandra Stubenvoll, Baleal Surf Camp Continue reading →

The Surf Industry Manufacturing Association (SIMA) launched a new online fundraiser this week called Stokes Me Challenge as a way for surfers to give back to benefit 10 humanitarian causes. It began Monday, October 1st and will run for 30 days through October 30, 2012.

The challenge allows surf brands, retailers, or individual surfers to compete and raise money, with prizes going to the top fundraisers (including a trip to two to Hawaii to the Triple Crown of Surfing). The goal is to raise $220,000 and surfers from around the globe are being called to unite to raise money and do what stokes them by living out the campaign’s motto: Surfers Helping Humans.

According to SIMA President Doug Palladini, “The Stokes Me Challenge is a simple, powerful way to augment that connection all surfers have and grows SIMA’s ability to meet our ongoing obligation to give back, one of our most important mandates. If you are a surfer or even just a fan of surf culture, Stokes Me deserves to be a part of who you are.”

There are 3 choices on how to get involved:

1. You can become a fundraiser for your favorite surf brand, retailer or partner team
2. You can start your own team
3. You can make a one-time donation.

All 3 options lead to prizes, with the top fundraiser poised to win a trip for two to Hawaii for the Triple Crown, including VIP treatment to the Surfer Poll Awards. The top 50 fundraisers will receive the following prizes according to their final ranking: Skullcandy headphones, Vans custom shoes, custom Hurley Phantom Create boardshorts, and recognition in Surfer Magazine and on Surfline.com.

We want to give a shout out to Billabong, who is currently ranked #1 on the leader board, followed closely by Nixon. Let’s try to keep them on top!

For more information on how to get involved with the Stokes Me Challenge visit www.stokesME.org. Continue reading →

What names will we need to watch for in the future? The ASP regions have selected their representatives for the ASP World Junior Tour, and now we will watch the best of the best focus from local events to taking on the world’s best surfers under 20-years-old as they compete for the highly-coveted ASP World Junior Title.

The ASP’s seven regions (North America, South America, Africa, Hawaii, Europe, Japan and Australasia) are sending their top representatives to compete starting next week with the Oakley ASP World Pro Junior, in Bali, Indonesia from October 6-17th. This will be the first of the two-stop tour that will decide the 2011 ASP World Junior Champions, and the first place winner will receive a $100,000 prize.

Three Orange County, CA surfers are among the best young surfers in the world traveling to Bali in early October: Andrew Doheny, Kanoa Igarashi, and Luke Davis. There are six surfers selected from Mainland U.S.A; the other surfers are Evan Thompson, Taylor Clark, and Conner Coffin. Each of the surfers has competed in ASP events through the year to try to earn high enough points to qualify for the championships.

After Bali, the contenders will head to Australia from Jan. 20 to 29 for the Billabong ASP World Juniors on the Gold Coast.

Who do you think will be crowned ASP World Junior Champions? Watch the Oakley World Pro Junior Championship LIVE webcast at oakleyprojunior.com.
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Now that the women’s qualifying season culminated with the ASP 6-Star SATA Airlines Azores Pro last weekend, the ASP Top 17 surfers have been confirmed for 2013. The 2013 ASP Top 17 is comprised of the top 10 finishers on the 2012 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT) rankings, the next six finishers from ASP Women’s World Rankings, and the ASP Wildcard.

Among the new crop of surfers, there is really only one “new” face, and that is 19 year-old Bianca Buitendag of Victoria Bay, South Africa. Bianca, a Roxy team rider, has numerous South African national titles under her belt and won the ASP 2011 World Junior Championships.

The other 15 women have all re-qualified from past stints on tour.

There is still the one wildcard spot to be determined by the ASP, but this will not be decided until the women compete again for the Roxy Pro Gold Coast in February 2013.

The Top 10 qualifiers from 2012 ASP Women’s WCT Rankings are:
- Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
- Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
- Carissa Moore (HAW)
- Tyler Wright (AUS)
- Courtney Conlogue (USA)
- Malia Manuel (HAW)
- Lakey Peterson (USA)
- Laura Enever (AUS)
- Coco Ho (HAW)
- Paige Hareb (NZL)

The Top 6 qualifiers from the ASP Women’s World Ranking are:
- Sage Erickson (USA)
- Bianca Buitentag (ZAF)
- Pauline Ado (FRA)
- Rebecca Woods (AUS)
- Alana Blanchard (HAW)
- Sofia Mulanovich (PER)

Stephanie Gilmore won the 2012 crown in France in the summer, regaining the title from 2011 champ Carissa Moore.

Congratulations, ladies. Which one of these amazing women do you think has 2013 all wrapped up?

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com.
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Event #2 of the American Pro Surfing Series is this Friday and Saturday, September 28-29, and a good solid swell is expected to bring even more fun, challenging waves for the competition. Surf fans have a lot to look forward to with really great waves forecasted for the competition, a pro-am event that brings some top notch competitors to the south side of the Huntington Beach pier.

According to Adam Wright from the Official Event Forecaster, Solspot.com, “You can’t really get a much better mix of swells for the HB Pier. We already have S-SSW swell on the way that will be mixing with some medium-period WNW-NW energy from a waking North Pacific storm track that will work to set up peaky conditions. If that wasn’t enough, ‘Major’ Hurricane Miriam is just starting to move into the North Orange County SE swell window and she will likely be adding additional tropical SE swell to the blend.”

With this mix of swells, Solspot expects the competition days to have consistent shoulder to head high surf, with waves going a couple of feet overhead on the best sets. This should make for some really good surfing for the APSS.

The APSS consists of three events. The first event was in late April, and the last event will be in early November. On top of the great waves expected, world-class surfers competing include Chris Ward, Anastasia Ashley, Cory Arrambide, Tom Curren, Lisa Andersen and Parker Coffin.
Created by industry veteran Scott Waring, the contests offer an opportunity for domestic surfers and up-and-comers who sit outside of the top-ranked 32, a chance to earn prize money and bragging rights while competing near home. The series allows mid-ranked competitors the chance to showcase their skills in a contest that keeps their surfing sharp, and their names in the public. There will be 64 men and 16 women competing in the event.

After event #1, Chris Ward (San Clemente) leads the series with Torrey Meister (San Diego), Kilian Garland (Santa Barbara) and Gabe Kling (Saint Augustine, Fla.) in second, third and fourth, respectively.

In the women’s division Erica Hosseini (Newport Beach) leads the charge followed by Meah Collins (Costa Mesa) in second, Anastasia Ashley (Malibu) in third, and Kulia Doherty (Rancho Santa Fe) in fourth.

Follow the APSS live action webcast online at AmericanProSurfingSeries.com.
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