Burrow Off to A Flying Start on Day One of the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy

Kuda Huraa, Maldives (August 10, 2016) – Competition is underway at the 2016 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy with Day 1 seeing competitors return to basics and hitting the water on single fin boards. Taj Burrow (AUS) took out the division in pumping 3 to 4 foot clean right-handers at Sultans.

Burrow, who had only just ridden a single fin for the first time yesterday put on an amazing show all day pulling into barrels and smashing vertical reentries on the groomed walls of Sultans.

In the final, Burrow came up against former Pipe Master Rob Machado (USA). The two went blow for blow but it was Burrow who came out on top with a heat total of 14.94 (out of a possible 20).

“Surfing in a final on a single fin against Rob Machado is like a dream,” Burrow said. “That was just so much fun, the waves are sick and my board felt really good. It’s a bit bigger than what I’m used to but you could really push it through turns. I’m just having such a sick time here on Kuda Huraa we’re all being so spoiled.”

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Machado, who was surfing on a board he shaped himself, was a real standout. Surfing a single fin at a wave like Sultans on your backhand is no easy task, but Machado made light work of it posting high heat scores all day.

“That was so fun out there,” Machado said. “The conditions are so dreamy today. It’s been so sick to catch up with Shane (Dorian) and the rest of the crew especially here in paradise. It doesn’t get any better.”

Last year’s event Champion Shane Dorian (HAW) came up against childhood friend and single fin master Machado in Semifinal two. Dorian tucked into a number of barrels for a heat total of 15.34 to tie with Machado who won on a count back due to receiving the highest single wave score of the heat.

“Rob and I have been competing against each other since we were kids,” Dorian said. “We’re good friends so it was super chilled out there. Rob is surfing as a good as he ever has so it was sick to share waves with him. It’s just such a pleasure to be back at this event.”

Semifinal one was an amazing duel between Taj Burrow and WSL Deputy Commissioner and former CT competitor Travis Logie (ZAF). Logie’s backhand was on point going vertical on critical sections to earn himself a heat total of 17.06. He was unable to overcome Burrow’s division high score of 18.44.

“They were the best waves I’ve had in a heat in over ten years,” Logie said. “Taj was just getting tubes and I was doing a million turns, it was so fun. It’s always great when you both get opportunities. The conditions are perfect for a single fin, just so good.”

In one of the slower heats of the morning, Hawaii’s Jamie O’Brien was unable to find an early score as the ocean went flat. As the heat progressed he began to develop momentum as the waves built. Left needing a 8.40, O’Brien took off on one of the better looking waves of the heat pulling into a long barrel across the inside section; unfortunately it was after the siren and O’Brien bowed out of the day’s competition.

“This is such a unique contest,” O’Brien said. “When a wave comes through and it’s your turn, it’s a real treat; this wave is so perfect. It was a real challenge to ride the single find, you have to take off a bunch of talent and just go with the feel of it. It’s really cool out there, everyone was super relaxed so it was really cool.”

Local Trials Winner Hussain ‘Iboo’ Areef (MDV) had to ask a friend if he could borrow a single fin as the young Maldivian had never ridden one before. His lack of experience did not show as the goofy footer nailed backhand hit after backhand hit. His heat total of 12.40 was not enough to move into the Semifinals so Areef will now set his sights on the twin fin division.

“Riding a single fin is really different,” Areef said. “You have to really slow everything down. It was so cool too see Travis, Jamie and Shane surfing up close they were all ripping. I surf out at Sultans a lot and it can get really busy so having it with only four people out there was awesome.”

Check back at WorldSurfLeague.com for more images and information on the 2016 Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy or on the WSL App as competitors ready themnselves for the twin fin division.

Single Fin Division Results

Round 1

Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.67, Rob Machado (USA) 14.67, Bethany Hamilton (HAW) 13.56

Heat 2: Shane Dorian (HAW) 15.93, Travis Logie (ZAF) 14.33, Iboo Areef (MDV) 12.44, Jamie O’Brien (HAW) 7.86

Semifinals

Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 18.44, Travis Logie (ZAF) 17.06 Heat 2: Rob Machado (USA) 15.34, Shane Dorian (HAW) 15.34

Final: Taj Burrow (AUS) 14.94, Rob Machado (USA) 14.00

Clutching At Straws

A short film by Bryce Gage featuring underground Australian charger Elliot Marshall.
Filmed in and around Elliot’s stomping ground of the New South Wales South Coast – and a couple of strike missions here and there – Elliot is the embodiment of quiet, coastal Australia. Humble, genuine and willing to throw himself into all manner of daunting aquatic situations.
We invite you to enjoy this cinematic piece showcasing the raw talent of Mr Marshall – like, share or simply just enjoy.

Music:: “The Bill” by The Walking Who.

Call Me Peg Leg…

We featured Peg Leg Rik in Carve a few issues back with his epic road trip to the Arctic Circle, here’s a class Channel 4 short on one of British surfing’s most inspirational characters.

True To This: Miguel Tudela

Peru, the South American country home to the beautiful Amazon rainforest and Machu Picchu (set high in the Andes Mountains), is also home to the 21-year old high-flying Peruvian surfer Miguel Tudela. Miguel has been making a name for himself by being the guy who can surf 2 foot mushy shorebreak just as good as 20 foot heavy Waimea. We’ve seen him charge Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu in heavy conditions, and prove his shredability in smaller waves, but now Miguel is putting sheer focus and determination into his true passion: big wave surfing.

Mega Semadhi Claims 2016 Rip Curl Cup

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