If Peniche serves up conditions like these, we might see a champ crowned in Portugal. Photo: ASP
The waiting period for the 2013 Rip Curl Pro Portugal presented by Moche, event number 9 of the 10 event 2013 ASP Men’s World Championship Tour, will begin on October 9th and run through October 20th. A mere five day turnaround from the conclusion of the Quiksilver Pro France brings the world’s Top 34 to Portugal for the culmination of the European leg of the 2013 ASP World Tour.
Supertubos, located on the westernmost edge of Europe’s continental shelf immediately south of the Peniche Peninsula, will be the event’s main competition site with Cascais as the backup. Widely considered to be Portugal’s hollowest and heaviest beachbreak, the world’s best surfers will be intently anticipating the deep water swells produced by the Nazare Canyon hoping for the creation of large heaving barrels for the duration of the Rip Curl Pro.
The continued highly dramatic 2013 ASP WCT World Title race will be front and center with every heat of current title chasing front-runners Mick Fanning and Kelly Slater on heightened alert. Mick, the current points leader, is the only surfer that is positioned to wrap up the world title in Portugal under several possible ASP-calculated scenarios.
Kelly needs to stay in striking distance or gain some ground on Mick if he is going to steal the ratings lead and world title with a late charge at the WCT’s final event, the Billabong Pipe Masters. Mick truly controls his own destiny but needs to maintain his winning form and consistency one heat at a time. Making every conceivable effort to slam the world title door shut on Kelly and not allow him the potential to work his magic at Pipe is the goal. Jordy Smith, Taj Burrow, and Joel Parkinson all barely cling to World Title aspirations but need major results and require both Mick and Kelly to bomb out at the two remaining events.
Re-qualification for the 2014 WCT will also provide a great deal of spectacle to the 2013 Rip Curl Pro Portugal as the ‘CT surfers who sit “on the bubble” will be competing for their careers. The surfers currently on the bottom half of the rankings will be competing fiercely to move up to avoid the dreaded #22 cut off.
Look for all four of the former Rip Curl Pro Portugal event champions–Mick (2009), Kelly (2010), Adriano DeSouza (2011) and Julian Wilson (2012)–to put on stellar performances. However, a win from Gabriel Medina looms given Gabby’s recent return to winning form, increased heat IQ and unceasing passion for victory. Increased attention on the Mick and Kelly WT race could assist Gabriel in keeping his progression throughout the event under the radar.
The 2013 Rip Curl Pro Portugal presented by Moche will be webcast live here.
