Mega Semadhi was the lone local Indonesian surfer to reach the final of the 2016 Rip Curl Cup at Padang Padang. But when the final horn sounded, it was Mega who came out on top, claiming his second title in the past three times the Ultimate Tuberiding Contest has been held.
After a slow start in his opening round heat in which he took off on several smaller closeouts, Semadhi eventually found his rhythm. He would manage to survive the opening rounds and go on to win his semifinal heat with a perfect 10 and the highest heat total of the round. In the final, Semadhi won the heat with a 9 and sealed the deal with another perfect 10 with six minutes remaining, leaving Mason Ho (HAW) and Clay Marzo (HAW) comboed, and Damien Hobgood (USA) needing a 9.41 that he could never find. In the end, Mega was hoisted to victory in front of a raucous crowd, followed by Hobgood in second place, Ho in third and Marzo in fourth.
“My first heat I was really nervous and was really sloppy,” said Mega, who previously won the 2013 Rip Curl Cup. “I was going on small waves, bad waves and whitewash. Luckily I got my head together and got through and was able to get into a rhythm the rest of the contest.”
At the outset, international invitees Hobgood, Marzo and Ho looked like the surfers to beat in the event. Hobgood dominated the opening rounds, winning both his Round 1 and 2 heats and posting the highest heat total of the opening rounds. Ho meanwhile put together a spectacular performance, capping off multiple deep backhand drainers with skate-inspired aerials on the end section and wowing the massive crowds on hand at Padang Padang and watching on the webcast.
“This is one of the best contests in the world,” Ho said, “right beside the Pipe Masters and The Eddie. I wish I had the words to describe how much fun that was.”
It certainly was another epic showcase for the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang. The day saw four perfect 10 barrels, including an impossibly deep and long disappearing act by Bruce Irons in Round 2, another perfect 10 by Paulo Moura (BRA), and five 9+ point barrels from Marzo leading up to the final.
But in the end, despite the electrifying performances from the many big-name international surfers in the draw, it was the local boy Semadhi who once again kept the Cup in Bali, to the delight of the Padang Padang locals who sang a spirited rendition of the Indonesian national anthem, led by Semadhi’s mother on the awards podium. For Mega, however, the victory wasn’t about country or patriotism, but about celebrating his beloved Padang Padang.
“I’m so happy to win at my home break again,” Mega said. “But from my point of view, there is no local. We are all locals of this universe and today we are all locals at Padang Padang.”
2016 Rip Curl Cup Final Results:
1. Mega Semadhi (IND) 19.00
2. Damien Hobgood (USA) 16.60
3. Mason Ho (HAW) 15.50
4. Clay Marzo (HAW) 4.00
Sydney’s invitation-only surf competition ran through two hours of battles in extreme waves on the edge of Botany Bay on Monday before being put on hold as officials waited for the wild conditions to relent.
After Red Bull Cape Fear was given the go-ahead for 2016, a selection of Australia’s best slab-riding specialists went to work on the biggest waves ever ridden at this infamous break. The paddle-in portion of the event was cancelled as it was deemed impossible to surf the waves without being towed-in by a jet ski.
The day saw plenty of thrills and spills as competitors pushed the limits in the 12-to-15 foot waves breaking only meters from a jagged rock shelf.
“I think everyone in the event would agree this is the biggest the Cape has ever been surfed,” said Maroubra’s Blake Thornton, a former world tour surfer and veteran competitor.
“I was really nervous before the event started, then once I got out on the back on the jet ski I was pumped up and ready to go. I didn’t want to wait too long before I got my first wave because I knew the nerves would build again, and thankfully managed to get a good one early.
“Even though I got absolutely smashed at the end of the battle it’s going to be a surf I remember for a long time, with one great wave and one of the worst wipeouts I’ve ever had.”
After two battles the event team re-assessed the conditions and confirmed the event would be postponed until Tuesday.
At the halfway mark of competition Justen Allport is leading with a score of 15.25, ahead of Russell Bierke and Evan Faulks in second and third respectively. Allport was taken to hospital for assessment after a wipeout at the end of his heat, but is in a stable condition.
The event team will assess conditions again on Tuesday morning. Further details on RedBullCapeFear.com.
A photo posted by RedBull.com Surfing (@redbull_surfing) on
ABOUT RED BULL CAPE FEAR COMPETITION FORMAT
• 16 surfers
• 8 head-to-head battles
• 4 surfers in the water at all times (2 contesting a 30-minute paddle-in element and 2 in a 30-minute tow-in element)
• Each battle crowns a winner, and the 4 highest placed winners will progress through to the final
• The highest placed surfer at the end of the final will be crowned the Red Bull Cape Fear Champion
Cloudbreak kicks off in building four-to-six foot waves.
Jordy Smith (ZAF), one of the day’s top performers, took a decisive win over opponents Taj Burrow (AUS) and Adrian Buchan (AUS) with the highest two-wave heat total of the day (16.67). Smith took advantage of the improving conditions and unleashed two power turns that netted him an excellent 9-point ride and the lead. Burrow was left in a combination situation and out of the race while Buchan trailed 1.23 points behind Smith. Buchan found an opportunity on his final wave but wasn’t able to stay on his feet and will join Burrow in Round 2, despite his strong performance.
“The waves are flipping cooking and it’s going bonkers right now,” said Smith. “I’ve been waiting all year for conditions like this. It started pumping right when I paddled out and everyone was having opportunities. I feel comfortable when you get a lot of chances and that’s really happening today, it’s on! Every single person out here is loving it here and we’ve the got the people of Fiji to thank for that.”
11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA) faced Kolohe Andino (USA) and current No. 4 on the Jeep Leaderboard, Sebastian Zietz (HAW), in the final heat of the day. Slater, four-time Fiji Pro winner, found the day’s top single-wave score, an excellent 9.03, on his fifth wave for a solid 16.13 heat total and the advantage. Zietz was left in need of two big scores to find his way back into the heat while Andino was searching for a 7.74 as the clock wound down. Despite a last-minute attempt from Andino, Slater clinched his first Round 1 win since Portugal in 2015 and the direct advance to Round 2.
“It felt good to win a heat,” said Slater. “I didn’t see Kolohe’s wave but I knew I would have to hammer the lip on a few waves, and then I got that good one. It felt nice to be behind and come back and grab the lead – my year starts now really. I know the reef real well here and the intricacies and the things that play into it. Last year I just couldn’t figure it out so we’ll see what happens this year.”
Following a brief absence from the world stage, three-time WSL Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) returned to competition today and faced Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) and Kai Otton (AUS) in Heat 8. Dantas showed variety and power, opening up with a score in the excellent range to claim the Round 1 win, sending his Australian opponents to elimination Round 2.
“It’s quite hard out there, you have to really choose the good ones,” Dantas said. “I just tried to make big turns with some power. I’m just having fun and enjoying myself. It’s my fourth time here in Fiji and I just love this place as a goofy – it’s the best place ever.”
Keanu Asing (HAW) secured his first heat win of the 2016 season by taking down current Jeep Ratings’ Leader Matt Wilkinson (AUS) and CT veteran Josh Kerr (AUS) in Round 1 Heat 4. With multiple lead changes through the heat, the three surfers battled wave for wave to gain control. Wilkinson was in first place with three minutes remaining but Asing pulled through a deep barrel to earn a 7.07 and capture the top spot over the current World No. 1. Both Wilkinson and Kerr were given one last opportunity in the final minute, but could not close the gap on the Hawaiian.
“I just tried to surf as best as I could and I got the score,” said Asing. “I am pretty stoked. This is the first heat I’ve made all year. I’ve felt like I’ve been right there and I’ve been performing well, but I just haven’t really put together the heat I wanted to. I am trying to find my rhythm this year and hopefully make more heats.”
Adriano de Souza (BRA), reigning WSL Champion, took down event wildcard and local favorite Tevita Gukilau (FJI) and 2016 WSL Rookie Kanoa Igarashi (USA) in Round 1 Heat 6. Gukilau, who earned his place by winning the event trails, charged against the defending World Champion, but could not close the 3.56-point gap needed to advance to Round 3. Gukilau and Igarashi will be sent to elimination Round 2, where they will compete again to avoid early elimination from the event.
“For me it is such a pleasure to be back in Fiji,” De Souza said. “I am trying to enjoy being here and surf the best that I can. I was so nervous during that heat because there were not many opportunities. At the start I made a lot of mistakes, but remembered to take the pressure off of myself and just try to do my best. After that I started to improve and get the momentum. I am happy to make that heat against Tevita and Kanoa because they surfed so well.”
An all-Brazilian, all-goofy-footer match-up in Round 1 Heat 5 saw an intense clash between Miguel Pupo (BRA), 2015 WSL Rookie of the Year Italo Ferreira (BRA) and 2016 Rookie Alex Ribeiro (BRA). Ferreira set the tone with a solid 7.50 opening ride, but lost the advantage to Pupo. Ferreira answered back and unleashed massive carves to lock in a 7.60 and take back the lead. Needing an 8.10, Pupo got to his feet with less than a second before the final buzzer and was awarded an excellent 8.23 to defeat Ferreira and take the win. Pupo will advance to Round 3, while Ferreira and Ribeiro will surf again in Round 2.
“I made a couple of mistakes in the heat, but my board felt good,” Pupo said. “At the last second I had to believe. I knew I had to make the drop and soon as I dropped the wave caught me and I had to adjust. There was a lot of foam so it was hard to see, but right as I came out I saw an opportunity to do a turn. You never know if you are going to get the score, but you have to give your best. I am feeling healthy and happy and glad to make this heat.”
John John Florence (HAW) fought through the opening heat of Round 1 and defeated Alejo Muniz (BRA) and rookie Davey Cathels (AUS). The close heat saw Florence edge out Muniz by only 1.00 point and Cathels by only 1.73 points. Florence will advance to Round 3, while Muniz and Cathels are sent to Round 2.
“Always pumped to come back to Fiji and compete,” Florence said. “You sometimes feel like a guinea pig having the first heat of the contest and there was a lot of water on the reef for us so it wasn’t classic Cloudbreak conditions. Davey (Cathels) and Alejo (Muniz) are super deadly on their backhands so it really came down to making the most of my opportunities. Stoked to be into Round 3.”
Jadson Andre (BRA) stormed into the lead with a 14.60 heat total against Gabriel Medina (BRA), 2014 WSL Champion and former event winner, and injury replacement Stuart Kennedy (AUS) in Round 1 Heat 3. Kennedy found a 5.17 and a 7.50, but could not secure the 7.10 score needed to defeat Andre. Medina stayed the most active throughout the heat by attempting many progressive maneuvers, but could not break through the 6-point range and will surf again in Round 2.
“That was a great heat for me,” Andre said. “As everyone knows, I had a slow start to the year because of my ankle injury taking me out of Western Australia and I probably should not have surfed at Rio, but I wanted to surf in front of my family and the Brazilian crowd. I got worse after Rio, so I have been working to get back in form with my team and doctors. It is great to say that I am not one-hundred percent yet because I just had my best heat of the year. I feel great and it is amazing to be back in Fiji.”
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 2015 Fiji Pro Semifinalist, sailed through his opening heat against Nat Young (USA), former Fiji Pro runner-up, and replacement surfer Dusty Payne (HAW). Flores’ solid turns earned him the direct advance to Round 3 with a 12.67 heat score.
“It feels great to get back to a proper reefbreak on tour,” Flores said. “I feel like I have been surfing well this year and the results have still been hard to come by. I’m probably strongest in reef breaks, having grown up on Reunion Island, and I think this is an opportunity to put in a solid result.”
When competition recommences, up first will be Italo Ferreira (BRA) against Tevita Gukilau (FJI) in the opening heat of the elimination Round 2.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 6:30am local time for a possible 7am start.
The Surfline forecast is calling for:
Fun to mid size SW swell mix builds Sunday before slowly easing through Monday. At this point the surf looks fairly small for the 7th-10th with a couple of modest pulses of SW swell during that time, but with periods of onshore flow also expected for the middle to second half of the week. The last few days of the waiting period continue to hold better potential for larger surf, although we remain lower confidence on any specifics this far out.
Highlights from the Fiji Pro will be webcast LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com
High Res Images from this event available for editorial use via Reuters
For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com
Fiji Pro Round 1 Results:
Heat 1: John John Florence (HAW) 10.33, Alejo Muniz (BRA) 9.33, Davey Cathels (AUS) 8.60
Heat 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 13.76, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 12.56, Jack Freestone (AUS) 9.94
Heat 3: Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.60, Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 12.67, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.26
Heat 4: Keanu Asing (HAW) 13.04, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.56, Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.26
Heat 5: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 15.23, Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.10, Alex Ribeiro (BRA) 8.63
Heat 6: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 11.73, Tevita Gukilau (FJI) 8.17, Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 4.84
Heat 7: Matt Banting (AUS) 10.34, Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.16, Conner Coffin (USA) 3.57
Heat 8: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 15.60, Mick Fanning (AUS) 11.90, Kai Otton (AUS) 8.47
Heat 9: Jeremy Flores (BRA) 12.67, Nat Young (USA) 9.70, Dusty Payne (HAW) 8.46
Heat 10: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.67, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.44, Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.44
Heat 11: Adam Melling (AUS) 11.26, Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.14, Caio Ibelli (BRA) 8.60
Heat 12: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.13, Kolohe Andino (USA) 15.90, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 12.60
Fiji Pro Round 2 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Tevita Gukilau (FJI)
Heat 2: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Alex Ribeiro (BRA)
Heat 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS)
Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 6: Nat Young (USA) vs. Dusty Payne (HAW)
Heat 7: Caio Ibelli (BRA) vs. Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 8: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Heat 9: Kolohe Andino (USA) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 10: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Stuart Kennedy (AUS)
Heat 11: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Jack Freestone (AUS)
Heat 12: Conner Coffin (USA) vs. Davey Cathels (USA)
After a few years’ sabbatical we’re stoked to announce Boardmasters is confirmed as a World Surf League Qualifying event.
Boardmasters had a proud history as, for many years, the UK’s only World Tour event. For a few golden years England and Scotland hosted the tour but in recent times it’s been sparse. Sure BM HAS been a stop for the WSL longboard crew the last few years but it’s not quite the same.
So it’s with great joy we share the news from Boardmasters that the event is once again part of the World Surf League qualifying series.
It’ll be a QS1000 event, but as QS events worldwide are getting rare they’re all vitally important for points and for seedings the following year.
Boardmasters will host the Men’s Open, the Women’s Open and the Boardmasters Men’s and Women’s Longboard contests,cementing Boardmasters as the high-profile event in the UK’s surf calendar.
Boardmasters will be stop #29 on the WSL international qualifying series tour, giving surfing professionals the opportunity to come to Cornwall and be in with the chance of gaining valuable points in their quest to reach the elite platform of professional surfing.
The highly anticipated Boardmasters QS1000 will run from Wednesday 10 until Sunday 14 August 2016 at Fistral. The action will kick off with the Men’s Open. Britain’s best professional surfers, such as Ben Skinner, Luke Dillon, Jobe Harris and Lucy Campbell will once again have the chance to compete at an international level in home waters.
Registration for entry for the WSL Open and Longboard events is via the WSL website.
It doesn’t stop there, as the festival continues at Watergate Bay for a weekend of the biggest and best names in live music performing from Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August 2016. Confirmed headline acts so far include Chase & Status, James Bay and Deadmau5, with other performances across the weekend from Catfish and the Bottlemen, Craig David, Primal Scream, Kano, Lianne La Havas, Kaiser Chiefs, Sigma, Wolf Alice, Example and Eats Everything, with further acts still to be announced. Can’t wait!
On May Bank holiday Watergate Bay played host to the English Surfing Federation’s National Surfing Championships, in association with Quiksilver and Roxy, who through their support of the event had competitors of all ages from the U12s to the over 45 year old veterans and promised for the first time equal prize money to both the male and female surfers in the Open and Longboard Categories.
The event started off on a beautifully sunny day, gradually getting busier and busier as it progressed. At 7:30 in the morning a solid queue began to develop as check in for the junior events started, and by 7:45 the queue was snaking its way back towards the Watergate Bay Hotel.
The south westerly winds created a nice surf for the juniors in the morning, with some nice lines rolling through for the groms to show the judges exactly what they can do on a wave. Credit has to be given to the juniors for their constant enthusiasm and passion, surfing their way through declining surf conditions. In the evening of the first day, the organisers and the judges made the decision to postpone the finals until the next day due to the surf, but this didn’t dampen the atmosphere at all. With the beach full of families, dog walkers and surfers from both the competition and those who had come down on a sunny bank holiday to give surfing a crack. The DJ made sure that the soundtrack for the first day of the competition was perfect, playing everything from Prince to Basement Jaxx. The voice of the commentator booming over the tannoy not only kept everyone up to date with the competition, but also keeping everyone laughing with his ramblings on anything that he felt was necessary to share with the beach.
Typical English bank holiday weather met those who made it down to the beach on the Sunday, with the competition surrounded with a constant drizzle. The wind howled around the beach making sure that everyone that had been looking forward to the extra day of their weekend was thoroughly drenched whilst watching the surfing. Alongside the Junior finals the first few heats of the men’s and women’s open, longboarding events and the under 18 events progressed in small but competitive conditions, those who had made it out to watch the action were met with a array of talent from various categories. The presentation for the junior events was in the evening, and whilst the families of the competitors crowded around the award tent, the children stood relaxed, boards under arm, waiting to hear which one of them had won.
Waking up on the final morning the competitors were met with a grey sky that promised rain. Arriving at the beach, the conditions looked sizeable and heavy, the surf forecasters had promised it would gain in size as they day progressed, a promise they didn’t break. As we worked our way through the events of the day, the surfing conditions slowly started to pick up. The veterans, masters and seniors were the first of the finals, followed by the Under 18 events. As the Under 18 girls got into the water the waves began to get a bit heavier and they faced a brutal paddle out back for their final. The longboarding, men’s and women’s final followed on from the Under 18 events and as the conditions picked up it encouraged the surfers to show the judges why they should be going home with the prize money. The Men’s final didn’t disappoint with Alan Stokes pulling off an awesome floater and Reubyn Ash stomping a massive backside air reverse. The weather slowly turned round to beaming sun again, with the miserable Sunday being sandwiched with two days that finished off with warm sun and smiling faces.
The presentation began for the winners of each event with Reubyn Ash from Bude winning the Men’s Open, Ellie Turner from Bude winning the Women’s Open, Ben Skinner from St Agnes winning the Men’s Longboard and Emily Curry from Bude winning the Women’s Longboard. Ellie Turner deserves a special mention for her absolute dominance in the tournament, winning the Under 16s, Under 18s and Women’s Open, not a bad weekend for Ellie as a whole, in fact not a bad weekend end for Bude. As the final day drew to an end, the scenes were perfectly fitting for a surfing competition; sunny, full of family and friends laughing and joking and contestable surf conditions with some extremely talented surfers showcasing their skills to all those watching.
Photos by Louis Supple.
The Final event listings
Under 12 Boys
1st – Sam Hearn
2nd – Bertie Norman
3rd – Thomas Reeves
4th – Ollie Keast
Under 14 Boys
1st – Stanley Norman
2nd – Noah Capps
3rd – Woody New
4th – Sam Hearn
Under 16 Boys
1st – Kit Innes
2nd – Stanley Norman
3rd – Fynlee Millar
4th – Barnaby Cox
Junior Longboard
1st – Jack Unsworth
2nd – Joe Hornbuckle
3rd – Max Hudson
4th – Beth Leighfield
