After seven years on tour, Kai finally gets chaired up the beach. Photo: ASP/Kirstin
After seven years on tour, Australian Kai Otton won his first ever ASP World Championship event today in Portugal, in a final with three-to-five foot waves, he took out Northern California surfer Nat Young.
In a wave-starved end to a wave-starved event, Otton and Young battled it out at Supertubos. The Australian found the heat’s highest scoring wave on his opening ride, forcing Young to play catch up for the rest of the heat.
The win places Otton at No.7 on the ASP WCT rankings. En route to his win on the final day, Otton was the dominant surfer, taking out John John Florence, current rankings leader Mick Fanning and reigning World Champion Joel Parkinson.
Otton’s win in Portugal moves the race for the title to the place where it should be decided: Hawaii, where two of the sport’s consummate competitors will battle for the World Title.
In addition to his runner-up finish, Nat Young claimed the WCT Rookie of the Year title, edging out fellow rookies Filipe Toledo and Sebastian Zietz.
RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Kai Otton (AUS) 12.23
2 – Nat Young (USA) 11.03
RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL SEMI-FINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.83 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.23
SF 2: Nat Young (USA) 14.07 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.66
RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL QUARTER-FINALS RESULTS:
QF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.07 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.90
QF 2: Kai Otton (AUS) 10.00 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 9.43
QF 3: Nat Young (USA) 15.10 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.54
QF 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.67 def. C.J Hobgood (USA) 8.56
RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL ROUND 5 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 17.17 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 11.10
Heat 2: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.60 def. John John Florence (HAW) 12.16
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.33 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 8.90
Heat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 18.40 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 15.53
RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.50, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 10.50, Kai Otton (AUS) 9.90
Heat 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.00, John John Florence (HAW) 11.70, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 4.74
Heat 3: Nat Young (USA) 14.67, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 9.60, Josh Kerr (AUS) 6.46
Heat 4: C.J Hobgood (USA) 15.33, Taj Burrow (AUS) 9.30, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 8.17
