If you missed the pipe masters 2009  here’s some highlights for you. 

Back in September the ASP World Tour made their annual stop in Southern California for the Hurley Pro, with the only stop of the WCT on the mainland of North America.
This surf contest features the best of the best as far as competitive surfers are concerned (it’s also called the “Dream Tour”). They travel all over the world to compete at some of the best surf spots on the planet. The contest in Southern California takes place at Lower Trestles just south of San Clemente.

Here are some photos from the contest:

Dane Reynolds air time

Dane Reynolds finished in 2nd place at the 2009 Hurley Pro.

Dane Reynolds getting mobbed by the Groms for autographs

Kelly Slater busting an air

9 time World Champion, Defending World Champion and Defending Hurley Pro Champion Kelly Slater finished in 3rd place.

Kelly Slater paparazzi shot

Rob Machado doing his thing

Rob Machado who is not on tour anymore entered through a sponsor wildcard exemption (he’s sponsored by Hurley) and had a respectable 9th place finish.

Adriano de Souza fins free

Brazilian Adriano de Souza finished in 5th place.

Dane Reynolds post heat portrait

Mick Fanning sliding the tail around

Mick Fanning was the winner of the 2009 Hurley Pro and went on a tear for the rest of the year eventually winning the World Title.

Technical info (if you care):
Lens used was a 500mm f4.0, I changed ISO between 200-400, aperature f5.0, shutter speed varied between 1/2500 – 1/5000 for the action shots

Deep I know but Just look at this photo… It epitomises Australian camaraderie, sportsmanship and mate-ship.
Joel, Mick and Dean became childhood superstars together and have since not only burst onto but continued on surfings biggest stage as such. The three of them have had very different careers and have been pulled in three different directions for the last decade leaving them with less time spent surfing or hanging out together. Despite Joel and Mick duelling for this years title, despite the spotlight being thrust mostly on Joel and Mick, leaving Deano somewhat in the dark and despite Joel being pipped by his mate in the final event of the year to take the title, the fact that Joel and Dean chaired Mick up the beach, still the lads they were before the surfing universe beamed them up is nothing short of inspirational. To think that these blokes could put their own perils aside to simply be there and enjoy their mates “Micktory”, the photo says it all…

Benji

Courtesy of joelparko.com

Rosy Hodge (22) a Queensberry Bay local and Nikita Robb (20) also from East London qualified for the 2010 ASP Women’s WCT.

Hodge made the cut for the third year in a row as she seeded 10th on the WCT rankings after the last event of the 2009 Tour this week, the Billabong Pro Maui. Hodge grew up suring the powerful walls of Queensberry Bay which has prepared her for battle on the World Tour.  South Africa’s most successful pro surfer, Greg Emslie also claims Queensberry Point as his local break.

What this does for women’s surfing in South Africa is amazing as it shows that with dedication and a passion for the lifestyle – not to mention hard work and surfing your heart out – anything is possible. It is the first year ever that will see South Africa with two representatives on the female circuit.

Both the slum town women will be following in the footsteps of another great South African surfer, Wendy Botha who also grew up in East London.  Botha went on to win 4 world titles in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s and was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in 2009.  Wendy was raised on a diet of powerful Nahoon Reef waves and became well regarded on the international stage for her exploits in big surf.

Wendy Botha 4 x world surfing champion

The ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT) sees 17 of the world’s top female surfers compete in 7 events around the world for the prestigious title of ASP Women’s World Champion. Stephanie Gilmore has clinched the title for the third year in a row this year.

The 2010 WCT contestants are:
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Silvana Lima (BRA)
Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
Coco Ho (HAW)
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Chelsea Hedges (AUS)
Paige Hareb (NZL)
Rebecca Woods (AUS)
Rosanne Hodge (RSA)
Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS)
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Lee Ann Curren (FRA)
Bruna Schmitz (BRA)
Nikita Robb (RSA)

Ele pode não ser o campeão mundial, pois Mick Fanning é o favorito, já que lidera o ranking, mas Parko quebrou no WQS que rolou em Haleiwa.

Nesse campeonato fez um 10 num tubo profundo, balançado e impossível.

Na minha opinião, o melhor tube rider do mundo.

Repara no narrador durante o replay:

- First session, second session, third session, 4th session

Mais um 10 dele, agora em J-bay, para comprovar o que estou falando sobre o melhor tube rider do mundo.

joel parkinson 10 point ride – j-bay 2009

Video das Finais em Haleiwa.

Texto Original:

Check out the action highlights for the final day of the 6 STAR Prime WQS Event – Reef Hawaiian Pro 2009, Congratulations to Joel Centeio from Hawaii !

1 Joel Centeio (Haw)
2 CJ Hobgood (EUA)
3 Jay Thompson (Aus)
4 Alain Riou (Tah)
5 Damien Hobgood (EUA)
5 Hank Gaskell (Haw)
7 Kai Otton (Aus)
7 Dion Atkinson (Aus)
17 Marco Polo (Bra)
25 André Silva (Bra)
25 Bernardo Pigmeu (Bra)

Os brasileiros não foram tão bem no campeonato realizado em Haleiwa, mas Marco Polo e Rodrigo Dornelles permanecem no grupo que se classifica para a elite.

Já temos o Jadson André classificado.

Ano que vem o bicho vai pegar.

Breve video das finais do Reef 2009

Reef Hawaiian Pro 2009

1 Joel Centeio (Haw)
2 CJ Hobgood (EUA)
3 Jay Thompson (Aus)
4 Alain Riou (Tah)
5 Damien Hobgood (EUA)
5 Hank Gaskell (Haw)
7 Kai Otton (Aus)
7 Dion Atkinson (Aus)
17 Marco Polo (Bra)
25 André Silva (Bra)
25 Bernardo Pigmeu (Bra)

Ranking do WQS 2009

1 Daniel Ross (Aus) 14975
2 Patrick Gudauskas (EUA) 14876
3 Jadson André (Bra) 14813
4 Owen Wright (Aus) 14338
5 Adam Melling (Aus) 14288
6 Jay Thompson (Aus) 13638
7 Nathan Yeomans (EUA) 13419
8 Luke Munro (Aus) 13263
9 Brett Simpson (EUA) 13150
10 Matt Wilkinson (Aus) 12850
11 Travis Logie (Afr) 12344
12 Marco Polo (Bra) 12331
13 Blake Thornton (Aus) 12325
14 Rodrigo Dornelles (Bra) 12206
15 Drew Courtney (Aus) 12200

Li na revista Fluir uma excelente entrevista com o Renato Hickel, brazuca e gerente geral do ASP World tour sobre o circuito do ano que vem.

Pelo que entendi o Slater fez mais uma pressão em cima da Asp do que uma quebra do circuito,

O que estranhei é quando Hickel diz que no meio da turma do Slater esta um cara de reputação duvidosa e que eles tem que provar que tem os 40 milhões para se juntar a Asp num novo formato.

Vale a pena comprar a Fluir e ler essa matéria, pois ela é bem esclarecedora.

E O Slater?

Diz que não tem nada a ver com isso…

Parabéns a Fluir que deu a notícia fresquinha.

Respondendo a uma pergunta que ouço por aí: na minha opinião, Fluir é deslizar sobre uma superficie aquosa.

No Rip Curl Search feminino, a campeã carrega um sobrenome de peso no surf. Deve ser difícil honrar um sobrenome desses…

15.83 Coco Ho HAW
9.37 Chelsea Hedges AUS

Final Rip Curl Pro

Bede Durbidge x Mick Fanning

To assistinda ao vivo e o Fanning esta possuido, pra mim, surfando como campeão…Deu mole Joel….

Os brazucas Heitor Alves e Jihad avançam para segunda fase d WCT The search que foi transferido para as ondas de The Wall

1 – 13.10 Jihad Khodr
2 – 10.84 Tim Boal

1 – 8.50 Heitor Alves
2 – 4.10 David Weare

Vale lembrar que pelo formato dessa etapa, perdeu ta fora.

Breve vídeo das baterias

Um forte swell atingiu a costa portuguesa e destruiu a estrutura do campeonato.

Os top surfers Mick Fanning and Taylor Knox fizeram uma seção de tow in e deram show para o público presente.

Depois de ver esse vídeo, concluí que o Fanning será novamente campeão mundial…..