RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL | ROUND 1 [11.10.2010]Surfers

Tom Whitaker on the front foot with the back foot  / Photo: Carlos Pinto/Rip Curl

WHITAKER NOT JUST THERE TO MAKE UP NUMBERS

SUPERTUBOS, Peniche/Portugal – The first nine heats from Round one of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal were completed overnight in mushy four-to-six foot conditions at Supertubos. Despite the waves being anything but premium, a crowd of 40,000 spectators were on-hand to take in all the day's action.

Reigning world champ Mick Fanning was one of five victorious Australians from the opening nine heats completed:

“It’s a big washing machine, I don’t think it matters what you ride out there, you just have to hang on. The Portuguese people turn out in the numbers and they’re really cool. They’re just stoked on surfing and that’s what we’re excited about.”

Another successful Australian was Sydney's Tom Whitaker, who posted the day's highest single-wave score (9.50), relegating nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater to Round 2 of competition.

“Any kind of lip you could see you had to hit it,” Whitaker said. “That one had a pretty good line on it and I was lucky that it pushed me out in front at the end. Any time you draw Kelly (Slater), you have to put up big numbers and he’s capable of getting 7s or 8s at any moment in any conditions.”

Currently a replacement surfer for the injured Joel Parkinson, Whitaker also revealed how he's not just there to make up numbers:

“I want to win an event before I hang up my competitive career,” Whitaker said. “I feel like my surfing is still at this level and I’m looking forward to a few more opportunities here. I have to give a shout out to Joel Parkinson, who I heard had his first surf the other day. I hope he rebounds quickly and I look forward to sharing some waves with him in Hawaii.”



With three heats remaining in Round one, organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at Supertubos to access a possible 8:30am start.

RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL MEN’S ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Taylor Knox (USA) 9.60, Luke Munro (AUS) 7.43, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 4.23
Heat 2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.10, Dane Reynolds (USA) 8.00, Dean Morrison (AUS) 5.50
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 10.17, Travis Logie (ZAF) 4.33, Brett Simpson (USA) 3.73
Heat 4: Gabe Kling (USA) 14.94, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.07, Adam Melling (AUS) 6.70
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.67, Marlon Lipke (DEU) 12.10, Daniel Ross (AUS) 8.73
Heat 6: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 14.67, Kelly Slater (USA)13.10, Bruno Santos (BRA) 3.03
Heat 7: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.66, Tiago Pires (PRT) 10.00, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 8.30
Heat 8: Owen Wright (AUS) 12.40, Roy Powers (HAW) 6.14, Chris Davidson (AUS) 5.26
Heat 9: Dusty Payne (HAW) 16.57C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.20, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 8.57

RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL MEN’S REMAINING ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 10: Damien Hobgood (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Luke Stedman (AUS)
Heat 11: Michel Bourez (PYF), Bobby Martinez (USA), Kai Otton (AUS)
Heat 12: Andy Irons (HAW), Jadson Andre (BRA), Patrick Gudauskas (USA)

-micholas

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