Clay Marzo – Home waters
https://vimeo.com/149111034
Killer drone footage of Clay Marzo ripping his native waters of Maui aboard his signature pro model, the Mad Cat. Filmed and Edited by Matty Schweitzer.
Adriano de Souza claims first world title!
Adriano de Souza is your new WSL world champion!
He’s just beaten Mason Ho in the semi of the Billabong Pipe Masters… If Adriano lost to Mason he would have lost the title to Mick by a mere 450 points, but he maintained the pressure and used his years of experience to hold his nerve in a low scoring heat. He’s become the second Brazilian to win the title after years of being a danger man. He faces the other Brazilian world title holder, Gabriel Medina, in the final shortly. He dedicated his win to his brother who purchased his first surfboard for him for seven dollars and his friend the late Ricardo dos Santos.
In a phenomenally tense day of competition ADS main title rival Mick Fanning went down to Medina in the first semi-final, ironic as by making the semi Mick snuffed out Gabriel’s title chance. By winning the semi Gabe also became the first Brazilian to win the Triple Crown. Mick led for the duration in wonky small Pipe but Gabe pulled an air out of the bag in the final minutes to flip the lead his way.
Huge congratulations ADS, you deserve it and you can watch the Gabe v Adriano final here.
Update
Adriano added the Billabong Pipe Masters title to his day of days!
‘It’s an extra bonus, to be a Pipeline champ like Jamie and Kelly. There’s no words to describe how I feel right now. To be a world champion and to surf against my friend in the final. The ocean didn’t co-operate today but it’s still Pipe. I’m happy to finish the day well. Just like to say thanks to the fans here in Hawaii.’
‘Gabriel showed me the way to get here. How to be a world champion. Thank you so much. To share this with him in the final is a blessing.’
WSL RELEASE
After what can only be called the most dramatic day in pro surfing history, Brazilian Adriano de Souza (BRA) has clinched the 2015 World Surf League (WSL) Title at the world-renowned Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii. In the process, he also became the first Brazilian to win the Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons.
Surfing for ten years amongst the world’s elite and setting the stage for the rise of the ‘Brazilian Storm,’ De Souza’s Title clinching performance came with a significant wave of emotions, as he dedicated the victory to fallen compatriot Ricardo dos Santos who died earlier this year.
“It’s an incredible feeling and so special in dedication to my good friend Ricardo dos Santos,” de Souza said. “I have this tattoo in memory of him — he had the same tattoo that said ‘Strength, Balance and Love,’ and that’s all I needed to win this World Title. This is all in dedication to my brother as well, who bought me my first surfboard for seven dollars and now I’m on top of the world. What a dream to be a Pipeline Champion Master like Jamie [O’Brien] and Kelly [Slater] and Bede Durbidge, just so many names going through my brain now. There’s no words to describe how I’m feeling right now.”
The final day of the 2015 Samsung Galaxy WSL Championship Tour began with three contenders in the hunt for the world surfing crown – Mick Fanning (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA) and de Souza. Fanning’s Quarterfinal win over 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater (USA) ousted Medina from the race, but a late big air maneuver from Medina in their Semifinal eliminated the Australian from competition, crowning De Souza the new World Champion.
Taking down an explosive wildcard in Mason Ho (HAW) for a Semifinal win, de Souza claimed the coveted World Title after a loss earlier in the year at the Moche Rip Curl Pro had him doubting his chances heading into Pipeline.
“About midway through the year I thought Mick deserved the World Title more than me,” de Souza said. “He’s such a strong man and a three-time World Champ battling me for my first title was scary. I just wanted to give my best wishes to Mick and his mom — I had such a mix of emotions, but the day of my life has arrived.”
Fanning came into Pipeline having won his first-ever Hawaiian event at the Vans World Cup of Surfing and looked to be the favorite to win the World Title. But after being eliminated by Medina, his Title chances were left to Ho who couldn’t seal it for the three-time WSL Champion despite Fanning’s incredible win over Kelly Slater (USA).
“The energy’s been amazing walking down to the shore,” Fanning said. “I’m almost in tears every time I ‘ve paddled out and I’m just kind of going with the emotions. I had a friend tell me once that we can do anything and you just have to do it the best you can and stay true to yourself and things will happen.”
Claiming Runner-up status at the Billabong Pipe Masters for the second, consecutive year and the first Brazilian to earn a Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title, Gabriel Medina (BRA) achieved a phenomenal comeback after a tough start to 2015. Turning his season around at the Billabong Pro Tahiti with a Runner-Up finish, the defending WSL Champion stood proud hoisting his well-deserved trophy.
“I’m really stoked to be the first Brazilian to win a Triple Crown – it was actually my goal coming to Hawaii,” Medina said. “This year has been difficult for me when I lost the first four events and everyone said I wouldn’t have a shot at the World Title. I’m so thankful to come here and be a part of the World Title race. I’m so happy to make the Final, it was a tough heat against Mick and I got the score I needed in the last minute and I couldn’t ask for anything better. I’m so excited for Adriano to win his first World Title and Pipe Master – I know he’s been dreaming for ages and he did everything he could.”
It was Medina who ended C.J. Hobgood’s (USA) final run at a Pipe Master title, earning a Quarterfinal appearance in his last WSL Championship Tour competition. Winning a World Title in 2001, the 36-year-old Florida native spent 17 years on the dream tour – giving fans and fellow competitors so many fond memories to look back on.
“You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with and I’ve spent the last 17 years of my life surrounding myself with, who I think, are not only the best surfers in the world, but the best humans,” Hobgood said. “I think this surfing platform is not just better than when I started, it’s 1,000 percent better so I’m happy to leave. The surfers are better, their characters and I just want to thank WSL for not only giving me this platform to speak right now but the stage out there to perform and do what I love. I’m fortunate enough that they work with us and continue to work closely with us, and hopefully it just keeps getting better and better because I’m going to be at home watching – so I’m going to be demanding the best. I just want to thank you guys, I’m stoked to get to work with Salty Crew now – thank you, love you…bye.”
De Souza’s 2015 Samsung Galaxy WSL CT Results:
Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast: 3rd
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach: 2nd
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro: WINNER
Oi Rio Pro: 13th
Fiji Pro: 13th
J-Bay Open: 5th
Billabong Pro Tahiti: 13th
Hurley Pro at Trestles: 2nd
Quiksilver Pro France: 3rd
Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal: 13th
Billabong Pipe Masters: WINNER
De Souza joins Carissa Moore (HAW) as 2015 WSL Champion; Moore won her title at Maui earlier this month.
“December 2015 has been the biggest month ever in the history of professional surfing,” said Paul Speaker, CEO of the World Surf League. “The Billabong Pipe Masters achieved the largest audience and greatest live viewership in the history of the sport, and we are so grateful to the athletes, fans and our partners for delivering a season to remember. Our congratulations go out to Adriano de Souza on an incredible Pipeline performance and first World Title, as well as maiden Pipe Masters title, and Gabriel Medina for claiming Brazil’s first Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title. We’d also like to extend our deepest condolences to the Fanning family and their tragic loss, and best wishes to Bede Durbidge and Owen Wright, their families, on their serious injuries toward a full recovery.”
The world’s best surfers will return in 2016 with the kick-off event at Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia in March.
For more information, log onto www.WorldSurfLeague.com
BILLABONG PIPE MASTER FINAL RESULTS:
1- Adriano De Souza (BRA) 14.07
2- Gabriel Medina (BRA) 8.50
BILLABONG PIPE MASTER SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.33 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 10.86
SF 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 6.83 def. Mason Ho (HAW) 3.83
Sebastian Williams takes out 2015 Quiksilver King of the Groms
Sebastian Williams has taken out the 2015 Quiksilver King of the Groms, in Fernando De Noronha, Brazil. Dane Reynolds choose Seb as a wildcard for the 2015 Quiksilver King of the Groms finals giving him a vote of confidence him not after he failed to achieve the number of votes necessary to place him the top 7 video entries. The super final had ten contestants surfing in paradise. They were invited to impress the judging panel with fun factor, progressive surfing and creativity in the waves. The winner would cash in $20,000. There were two days of trials and four eventual finalists: Sebastian Williams, Miguel Pupo, Vitor Mendes, and Kael Walsh.
The 15-year-old surfer now living at J Bay South Africa stormed the competition with a flawless aerial surfing performance,
“Words don’t describe how stoked I am, after three days of amazing waves and fun times with the best crew! Thank you everyone that made this possible. Still can’t believe this happened,” said Seb
The 2015 Quiksilver King of the Groms also awarded Malakai Martinez (Expression Session), Kian Martin (Best Rail Move), Sandon Whittaker (Best Combo), and Samuel Pupo (Best Air).
2015 Quiksilver King of the Groms | Final
1. Sebastian Williams (RSA)
2. Samuel Pupo (BRA)
3. Vitor Mendes (BRA)
4. Kael Walsh (AUS)
Finalists
1st: Sebastian Williams – South Africa @sebastianwilliams1
2nd: Samuel Pupo – Brazil @samuel_pupo
3rd: Vitor Mendes – Brazil @vitormendes0
4th: Kael Walsh – Australia @kaelwalsh
Awards
Expression Session winner: Malakai Martinez – Costa Rica
Best Rail Move: Kian Martin – Sweden / Bali
Best Combo: Sandon Whittaker – Australia
Best Air: Samuel Pupo – Brazil
A little bit more about SEB…
19-year old Sidmouth local charges Jaws on the day of days at Pe'ahi Challenge.
Imagine being 19 and after surfing for only five years (mostly in Sidmouth – it’s so bad you’ve never heard of it!) deciding to fly to Maui to paddle out at Pe’ahi and ride it! An hour before the world’s best big wave surfers contested this year’s Pe’ahi Challenge last Sunday a young Devon lad called Adam Amin did exactly that.
Words by Toby Foster. Photos Glenn Tremble.
Rewind a week and you’d have found Adam riding his bike out to the headland that overlooks Jaws to work out where the ‘beach’ is so he could paddle out. The following day he did exactly that and paddled into the world’s most forbidding take-off zone – two hours of trying to paddle into these giant waves he got caught on the inside and after taking a couple of sets on the head managed to crawl up the beach to safety. For most of us that would have been enough – not Adam.
On the morning of the Pe’ahi Challenge Adam heads down to Maliko Gulch (you’ll have seen the pros launching here in countless videos) and asks the guys getting ready if he can get a lift – the answers “Sorry Adam but there’s no room on any of the boats heading out to Peahi you’ll have to watch the action form the cliff.” do not deter him and undaunted he decides to head out through the closeout sets and paddle the 3.8 miles to Jaws. About an hour into the paddle and a friendly waterman (Greg Long no less) takes pity on Adam and gives him a lift. After about 10 minutes there are 6 guys out; 5 big wave chargers and Adam. I’ll let Adam describe what happened next…
“We all spotted a huge wave in the distance and we all paddled for the horizon and I saw my opportunity to prove that I can surf Jaws so I turned around while all the others were paddling over the wave and caught this monster. I caught it and rode down what seemed like a liquid mountain. I got to the bottom and looked up…. there towering above me was a face this sized of a two-storey house. When I looked back it felt like I was going to make it but there was a stretch of white water blocking my way and I got taken out – it felt like the ocean collapsed on me. I held my breath and took the worst beating I’ve ever had and finally made it to the surface. I then noticed a huge set coming towards me and I got pounded again and again by these massively powerful waves. I was knackered and drifting very close to rocks until suddenly a jet ski rider picked me up and took me to safety. What a legend, he took me to the channel and the contest started. I watched the entire event from the channel for five hours while talking to all of my heroes of the sport in one place! I was in heaven!”
Think about this for a minute – I’ve surfed with Adam and he’s good but being good and thinking you can just fly over to Maui and paddle into Pe’ahi are two very different things. In extreme sports there are people who change the playing field, take for instance Göran Kropp a Swedish climber who cycled to Everest and climbed it without oxygen or support and then cycled home again or Jeff Clark surfing Mavericks alone for 15 years. These guys redefined what could be done and I truly believe this is what Adam has done.
This could be a step-change in big wave surfing – the established route to surfing these waves used to be decades of waterman preparation, carrying boulders in crystal clear water on the seabed, holding your breath for five minutes and looking deep into your soul for the truth of the universe. Here’s a young kid who hasn’t grown up on Maui but has dragged himself up on a diet of south coast mush and just casually paddled out into THE arena of big wave surfing and simply caught a wave! Could he have done it better or safer … of course, but Adam isn’t rich, doesn’t have a support network of sponsors or the benefit of a childhood of Hawaiian surfing behind him – all he has is determination, focus and a pair of balls the size of Devon! Last month you could have rented a board from him on Saunton beach – now he’s establishing himself as a big wave contender – inspirational?
You Wait Ages For An Event & Three Come Along At Once!
Plenty of wave sliding action to keep you entertained this weekend with two big wave events and the World Longboard champs n’all.
The call is Sunday for the La Vaca XXL in Spain, featuring a strong home contingent with Cotty, Buttsy, Lowey and Ollie O’Fla taking on the Santander beast with a field of Europe’s finest. Once the the sun sets over the north coast of Spain we should roll straight in to the Pe’ahi challenge which is also brewing for Sunday. The WSL logs kicks off tomorrow for a week with guys and girls deciding the king and queen of the nine footer. Ben Skinner and Bearman are flying the flag for Blighty there which this year for the first time should feature a webcast so we’ll be able to cheer the crew on from here.
More info: La Vaca XXL
More info: Pe’ahi Challenge
More info: WSL Jeep World Longboard Championships, China.
https://youtu.be/ar7y9mYgrC0
Rip Curl La Nord Challenge goes off
https://vimeo.com/147755505
Highlights from the Rip Curl La Nord Challenge which was on all day last Monday.
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