Florence, currently in his rookie year on the ASP WCT, proved unstoppable on the final day of Billabong Rio Pro competition, topping prodigious Australian Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, and Josh Kerr (AUS), 27, on his way to triumph over Parkinson.

“This is the best feeling in the world,” Florence said. “I had that bad heat at Arpoador to start and we had a couple of lay days and I had to just sit and think about it. I can’t even believe this right now. I’m in shock. I was just sticking to my game plan and not thinking about the other guys. I’m so happy right now.”

Florence, who now sits at No. 6 on the ASP WCT, will look to carry the momentum from today’s massive victory to the upcoming ASP WCT events in Fiji and Tahiti.

“This helps my confidence so much,” Florence said. “I have a lot of confidence going into events with barreling waves like Pipe. Obviously I have a lot of confidence in barrels from my experience at Pipe, but coming here, I wasn’t expecting a big result. I was just hoping to make a few heats.”

Parkinson utilized his complete skill set at Barra Da Tijuca, driving through barrels, lofting airs and unloading powerful carves en route to his Finals berth, but was unable to find a rhythm against Florence and finished runner-up overall.

“I’m a little bit disappointed as I never really got a start in that final, but overall, I’m stoked,” Parkinson said. “The quality of waves here were unreal. Yesterday, we had full barrels and good sections for turns and airs, it was good for the event.”

Parkinson’s finish today propels the Australian into the frontrunner position for the ASP World Title, but Parkinson was humble in claiming his spot atop the rankings.

“It’s a good feeling I suppose,” Parkinson said. “It’s a long way to go and I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but I’m stoked. I’ve had a couple of really nice consistent results. I have been in this position before though so I’m hoping to maintain my performance level throughout the rest of the year.”

Josh Kerr (AUS), 27, put in an amazing performance at the Billabong Rio Pro with an astounding array of barrels and airs to take an equal 3rd place finish. Kerr surfed strong on the Final day of competition, but was unable to surpass Florence in their Semifinal bout.

“I tried an air on the first wave I got and turned around and saw John John (Florence said) in the most perfect barrel,” Kerr said. “Out here in this beachbreak you’ve got to keep an open mind. The wind came up from the south in my heat so I was looking for the backhand airs. John John got the perfect barrel and there’s not much I could do about that.”

Kerr’s equal 3rd place finish at the Billabong Rio Pro matches his career-best result as he continues to build momentum against the world’s best surfers.

“I’ve had three Semifinals now, but it’s better than no Semifinals,” Kerr said. “I’ve had three back-to-back results and for me, going from 33rds on my previous years on tour until last year, it’s good progress and hopefully I can keep it going.”

Kerr was responsible for a big upset in the Quarterfinals, eliminating 2011 Billabong Rio Pro champion and local favorite Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, when he took to the air in the back half of their bout.

“I was definitely on the back foot,” Kerr said. “Adriano (de Souza) had a 14 point heat total and I just relaxed and figured it’s a couple of 7s. I knew my airs could get me those scores. I was lucky to land that one at the end. I knew I had to launch into the flats because there’s no soft landing, it just dumps. I was lucky to keep it steady under my feet.”

Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, two-time ASP World Champion, eliminated Brazilian Alejo Muniz (BRA), 22, in the Quarterfinals but lost a hard-fought heat to close friend Joel Parkinson in the Semifinals to finish equal 3rd overall.

“It’s always fun surfing against Joel and we started out bang-for-bang,” Fanning said. “That’s just the way it goes, but it’s always fun. Even though you lose, your friend’s in the Final, so you win. I would have liked to make the Final but I just didn’t get the right waves and Joel (Parkinson) surfed great.”

Kelly Slater (USA), 40, reigning 11-time ASP World Champion, was absent from the Billabong Rio Pro, citing an ankle injury. The Floridian’s absence relinquished his former frontrunner status on the ratings and Slater now sits at ASP World No. 8.

To watch highlights from the Billabong Rio Pro log on to http://wctbrasil.com/

The Billabong Rio Pro is proudly supported by Monster Energy Drink and Xperia Sony Smartphone.

The next stop on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour will be the Volcom Fiji Pro, which holds a waiting period from June 3 through 15, 2012.

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG RIO PRO FINAL:
1 – John John Florence (HAW) 16.37
2 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 11.44

BILLABONG RIO PRO SEMIFINALS RESULTS:
SF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.83 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.00
SF 2: John John Florence (HAW) 17.94 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.86

BILLABONG RIO PRO QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.90 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.60
QF 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.57 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 5.90
QF 3: John John Florence (HAW) 14.94 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.43
QF 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.84 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.27

Current ASP WCT Top 10 (After Billabong Rio Pro):
1. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 19700 pts
2. Mick Fanning (AUS) 18250 pts
3. Josh Kerr (AUS) 18200 pts
4. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17200 pts
5. Taj Burrow (AUS) 15750 pts
6. John John Florence (HAW) 15750 pts
7. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15700 pts
8. Kelly Slater (USA) 13700 pts
9. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 12250 pts
10. Owen Wright (AUS) 12150 pts

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, current ASP World No. 5, rebounded after a Round 4 loss, threading the needle on two deep barrels to earn the day’s highest heat total of a near-perfect 18.33 out of 20 eliminating powerhouse Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24, in the process.

“It was just one of those heats where I waited for a while and got one good one and thought ‘that could be amazing, just that one wave.’” Parkinson said. “Then I got another one. Poor Jordy (Smith) really got nothing. It was a lot like home, the good ones have a really nice draw on the water off of the bank. It’s really dumpy, so you air drop into it and it’s hard to find a rail. Who would have thought you’d come to Brazil and get two 9s getting barreled?”

Parkinson has now faced off against Smith four times in the three ASP WCT events this year and admits their seesaw battles have created a friendly-but-competitive rivalry between the two surfers.

“I think there is a rivalry,” Parkinson said. “We don’t talk about it, but we just keep catching each other. We’ve had three events and it’s four times that we’ve surfed against each other and it’s been back and forth.”

Parkinson will face Tiago Pires (PRT) in the Quarterfinals when competition resumes.

Josh Kerr (AUS), 28, was clearly in rhythm with the afternoon’s barreling conditions. The talented natural-footer put on a dominant performance, earning one of the day’s highest heat totals of 17.84 to relegate defending event champion Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, and Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, to Round 5 of competition. The Australian admitted to being spurred on by De Souza’s Perfect 10-point ride acquired early in the heat.

“I saw Adriano’s wave go down and we were sitting in a different spot than everyone else,” Kerr said. “We were getting 9s and 10s and I feel bad for Adriano (de Souza). I wasn’t expecting a little backdoor shootout and I’m stoked to get some good waves.”

Kerr will take on Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, in Quarterfinal No. 4.

Adriano de Souza put in a valiant effort today, posting the event’s only perfect 10-point ride for a critical forehand barrel ride. De Souza went on to take a Round 5 win in a rematch of last year’s final, topping Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, in a tough battle to advance to the Quarterfinals.

“I was focused on the right, but I knew there was a little channel and I went over to the left,” De Souza said. “Luck is really going my way and I’m stoked. The waves were really hard and I’m stoked to make it through this heat.”

De Souza admitted that advancing to the Quarterfinals alleviates some of the pressure that came along with competing as defending Billabong Rio Pro champion and is hoping to carry the momentum into the Final day of competition.

“Making it through that round, some of the pressure is off,” De Souza said. “Being defending event champion, I’m really looking to do well here and head to Fiji without pressure. Hopefully the crowd is going to push me to the Final.”

John John Florence (HAW), 19, took an amazing come-from-behind victory in his Round 4 heat to advance to the Quarterfinals. In need of two scores to overtake Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, Florence drove through a lengthy barrel for a 9.63 to take him out of a combination situation before finding another barrel in the dying seconds, earning 8.10 for the ride and claiming victory.

“It was Taj (Burrow) and Julian (Wilson) and those are two guys you never want to have in a heat,” Florence said. “It was windy when I first paddled out and I was trying to do airs and have fun with it. Then the wind stopped and I got the one in the middle of the heat that was a pretty decent barrel. I finally got that last one and there was only 10 seconds left. I wasn’t even sure I had gotten the score when I hit the beach.”

Florence, who is highly-regarded for his barrel-riding ability, was surprised to find barrels at this year’s Billabong Rio Pro and is elated to come away with a guaranteed 5th place finish in Brazil.

“I couldn’t get a good wave and dug my rail a lot at the start of my heat,” Florence said. “That one good barrel came through and I was just trying to figure out what the conditions were doing. I was searching for any kind of peak and couldn’t find one, then I got the wave at the last second. I’m stoked to make the Quarters here in Brazil. For me to be able to make Quarters here is amazing.”

Florence will face Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, in Quarterfinal No. 3.

Alejo Muniz (BRA), 22, was responsible for two big heat victories today. The young Brazilian bested fellow countryman Heitor Alves (BRA), 30, in Round 3 and went on to topple Australian icons Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, and Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, in Round 4 to advance directly to the Quarterfinals, his best result of the season.

“My heats are always like that, where someone is always getting a score at the end to get through,” Muniz said. “I’m just happy. Mick (Fanning) and Joel (Parkinson) are two of my favorite surfers. I knew there were a couple of lefts and for some reason my board didn’t feel good on the rights, but on the lefts, it felt good.”

Muniz, who has been working to recover from an ankle injury sustained this past December, is nearly at full strength and the talented natural-footer was relieved to have a breakthrough result to help rebuild his competitive confidence.

“My ankle is feeling better,” Muniz said. “Everyday it’s feeling a bit better. It’s feeling better than the first round at Arpoador even, but running on the beach is still a little sketchy. I’m just stoked that it’s feeling better so I can show a bit of my surfing.”

Tiago Pires (PRT), 32, continued to find success in the challenging surf at Barra da Tijuca, besting Tahitian charger Michel Bourez (PYF), 26, and Jordy Smith (ZAF), 24, in their three-man non-elimination Round 4 bout to advance directly to the Quarterfinals.

“It was a tough heat,” Pires said. “The wind got really strong and the rain doesn’t help either. I knew it was going to be a tough heat because those guys are really complete surfers and they have the whole bag of tricks. I was just looking for a good nugget and a good barrel. I waited and waited and that wave came from heaven.”

Pires, current No. 25 on the ASP World Title Race, has a deep relationship with Brazil and is using his paramount support from his local fans to march to his best result of the 2012 season thus far.

“I love Brazil, I’ve been coming here for so many years and I’ve had some really good results here,” Pires said. “It’s been a nice event and I’m really focused and it’s all going well for me.”

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:30am local time for a possible 7am start to the Billabong Rio Pro. To watch the event LIVE log on to http://wctbrasil.com/

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com

The Billabong Rio Pro is proudly supported by Monster Energy Drink and Xperia Sony Smartphone.

Adam Melling (AUS), 27, led the day’s proceedings with superior barrel-riding skills. The powerful natural-footer charged into two deep tubes, earning the day’s highest single wave score of 9.67 out of 10 en route to the day’s highest heat total of 17.00 out of 20.

“I was pretty happy with that one,” Melling said. “I snuck out of that first one that was a bit of a close out and on my way back out that other one doubled up real well and ran off. I was stoked to get that one on the way back out. It was sucking out off of the bank pretty well. It feels really good to get good waves in a heat. They’re definitely out there.”

John John Florence (HAW), 19, led the rookie class with unmatched versatility this morning, driving through barrels and punting critical airs in the pounding conditions to take a dominant Round 2 victory over replacement surfer Willian Cardoso (BRA), 26, with a strong 16.20 out of 20 heat total.

“It was a really hard heat and I was so tired,” Florence said. “We’ve been sitting around these last couple of days. There really haven’t been any waves and then we were straight into these conditions. I try to take the heats as a free surf. It seems like I surf the best when I’m having fun, but obviously you’ve got the jersey on and you know you need to finish your waves off.”

Florence, current No. 10 on the ASP WCT ratings, was relieved to avoid an equal 25th place finish after a tough Round 1 loss and knew his Round 2 draw against Brazilian powerhouse, Cardoso, would be no easy task.

“I had a really bad heat at Arpoador the other day and I was kind of nervous going into this one,” Florence said. “I just wanted to make it through. Willian (Cardoso) is such a good surfer and I’m just happy to make it out of that round.”

Florence will now face fellow rookie Miguel Pupo (BRA), 20, in Round 3 of competition.

Peterson Crisanto (BRA), 19, Billabong Rio Pro Wildcard, began the day by delivering a big upset, eliminating event favorite and fellow countryman Gabriel Medina (BRA), 18, in the opening heat of Round 2. Crisanto focused on the barreling rightnhanders while Medina struggled with the strong current and thumping waves.

“I knew that heat wasn’t going to be easy with Gabriel (Medina) so I just tried to stay on the rights and try and find the barrels,” Crisanto said. “I almost made the first barrel, but I made the second one, so I’m happy to get through to the next round. I just tried to stay relaxed and find the right waves.”

Crisanto will take on Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, in Round 3 of the Billabong Rio Pro.

Michel Bourez (PYF), 26, was extremely patient in his Round 2 matchup against Billabong Rio Pro Wildcard Tomas Hermes (BRA), 25, and his strategy paid off. The Tahitian drove through two righthand barrels, picking off his first ride in the opening minutes and waited until the dying seconds of the bout to post his second score.

“I was waiting for that one for so long,” Bourez said. “I got my first wave at the beginning and got my second one at the last second. I love these conditions, it fits my surfing. I like to wait for the right ones and get the big barrels. Sometimes you have to go big and do big turns, but I expect to find the barrels today.”

Bourez would go on to eliminate an in-form Brett Simpson (USA), 27, in the final heat of the day, advancing through to Round 4 of competition.

Tiago Pires (PRT), 32, prevailed over the day’s stormy beachbreak conditions to take out two heat victories, topping Australians Kai Otton (AUS), 32, in Round 2 and Owen Wright (AUS), 22, in Round 3.

“Adam Melling must have been surfing another break out there,” Pires said. “You get out there with the psych and I could not find the waves. There were lots of close outs and it was just really tough. I’m stoked to make it through though, it’s my first time advancing to Round 4 this year.”

C.J. Hobgood (USA), 32, navigated through the tough conditions brought on by building wind and dropping tide to post an 8-point score which proved to be enough to secure his win over ASP WCT Rookie Yadin Nicol (AUS), 26, in their Round 2 match-up.

“These conditions are a giant equalizer no matter who you have,” Hobgood said. “You know you’re not going to get many chances. You could go from a dog fight trying to find 2s and 3s, that’s how slim it is and luckily a little later I got a chance on a left. It’s tough, there are not many out there. It looks easy from the beach and when you’re taking off you’re thinking, ‘I hope I make the drop here.’”

Hobgood will take on Patrick Gudauskas (USA), 26, in Round 3 when competition resumes.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 7am start.

Highlights from today’s Billabong Rio Pro will be available via http://wctbrasil.com/

The Billabong Rio Pro is proudly supported by Monster Energy Drink and Xperia Sony Smartphone.

After a four day break for the men, during which Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) won the women’s event, organisers ran all 12 heats of Round 2 and the first two heats of Round 3 in stormy 1.5 to 2.0 metre close-out surf that offered occasional tube rides but saw only eight of the 28 surfers in action manage to accumulate heat scores of more than 11 points out of 20.

Logie, who turned 33 last Friday, managed to find a couple of righthand edges that enabled him to rack up scores of 5.50 and 3.83, both out of 10. A frustrated Monteiro gave his hometown supporters nothing to cheer about with a top score of just 3.50 and the South African advanced to the last 24 for the third consecutive event with a heat tally of 9.33 to the Brazilian’s 5.70.

Adam Melling (AUS), 27, led the day’s proceedings by charging into two deep tubes, earning the day’s highest single wave score of 9.67 out of 10 en route to the day’s highest heat total of 17.00 out of 20.

John John Florence (HAW), 19, led the rookie class with unmatched versatility, driving through barrels and punting critical airs in the pounding conditions to take a dominant Round 2 victory over replacement surfer Willian Cardoso (BRA), 26, with a strong 16.20 out of 20 heat total.

When competition resumes, Jordy Smith, who won his opening encounter last Wednesday to advance directly to Round 3, will be up against Californian standout Kolohe Andino in the first heat of the day. Logie will take on defending event champion and current ASP No. 2 Adriano de Souza (BRA) in the last heat of the round.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 6:30am to assess conditions for a possible 7am start (12 noon SA time).

All the action from the Billabong Rio Pro can be watched live via http://wctbrasil.com/ which also features highlights from the previous days.

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Tiago Pires (PRT) 10.40 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 6.40
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 8.70 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 8.53

BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 2 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 10.83 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 7.17
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) 15.10 def. Tomas Hermes (BRA) 12.66
Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW) 16.20 def. Willian Cardoso (BRA) 7.16
Heat 4: Heitor Alves (BRA) 6.00 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 5.47
Heat 5: Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 9.83 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 7.46
Heat 6: Brett Simpson (USA) 9.33 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 8.60
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.00 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 2.64
Heat 8: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 11.36 def. Yadin Nicol (AUS) 7.97
Heat 9: Travis Logie (ZAF) 9.33 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 5.70
Heat 10: Tiago Pires (PRT) 10.90 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 10.20
Heat 11: Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.16 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 6.50
Heat 12: Adam Melling (AUS) 17.00 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.26

ENDS

Pictured: Travis Logie (Durban) bashes a vertical re-entry on his way victory over Brazilian local Raoni Monteiro and a berth in Round 3 of the Billabong Pro Rio in Rio de Janeiro yesterday
Photo: ASP / Dunbar

Issued on behalf of:

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Email: colin@aspafrica.com

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About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.

Event No. 5 of 7 on the 2012 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour, the Billabong Pro Rio culminated in a thrilling fashion this afternoon with both Fitzgibbons and Ho exchanging the Final’s lead multiple times before the hooter sounded..

In need of a high 7-point ride with just minutes remaining in the heat, Fitzgibbons bashed a blowing lefthander on her backside, notching a 7.93 out of 10 to take the elite win, her second of the year.

“That was so crazy and Coco (Ho) had me on the ropes for sure,” Fitzgibbons said. “I just had my fingers crossed and knew there would be one towards the end. I made a few mistakes and it happens in Finals but I was able to recover there at the end. I’m so excited.”

Fitzgibbons, current No. 2 on the ASP Women’s WCT, has significantly narrowed the gap between her and current ASP frontrunner Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, but remained humble in regards to her chase for the 2012 ASP World Title.

“This makes the World Title race more interesting, but thinking ahead, it’s still pretty far to go,” Fitzgibbons said. “There are still a couple of events, but to get a win, it’s an amazing result. To win at Bells too, it’s been an awesome year so far.”

Ho, who was ranked 12th on the ASP Women’s WCT ratings before the Billabong Rio Pro, had yet to advance beyond the Quarterfinals this year, but her Runner-Up finish to Fitzgibbons vaults the young Hawaiian to 9th in the world and restores her confidence to appropriate levels.

“This result really opens things up for me,” Ho said. “I’ve been having a really tough year and I’m stoked to get into this Final. This is my best result of the year and this has been an important event for me. Congrats to Sally on her win.”

Carissa Moore (HAW), 19, last year’s Billabong Rio Pro winner and reigning ASP Women’s World Champion, was edged out of a hard-fought battle against Fitzgibbons in their high-scoring Semifinal affair. Both competitors posted big-scores in the dying seconds of the heat, but it was Fitzgibbons who earned the best of the exchange, handing Moore and equal 3rd place result.

“I think we all want to make the Final and it’s disappointing,” Moore said. “I’ve lost to Sally (Fitzgibbons)twice this year and I’ve just got to keep trying in the next couple of events and that’s it.”

Moore, who was dominant over the course of 2011, has yet to find a win this year, but remains focused on attaining a strong performance to end out the season..

“I think it’s been a bunch of things this year,” Moore said. “I think finding the right waves is one thing overall and I need to switch it up and bring something different out.”

Alessa Quizon (HAW), 18, Billabong Rio Pro wildcard, put in an incredible performance at this year’s event, tearing through the world’s best female surfers and finding her way into the Semifinals. Quizon put up a good fight against fellow Hawaiian Coco Ho, but ultimately fell during last minute exchange, finishing with a respectable equal 3rd place finish overall.

“This has been an amazing event for me,” Quizon said. “I had nothing to lose and it’s been a great learning experience for me and I’m happy that I made it to the Semifinals. I could tell that Coco (Ho) was getting the scores that she needed and I was looking for one big score and I just didn’t find it. Sometimes it happens that way.”

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am local time for a possible recommencement to men’s Billabong Rio Pro competition. For all of the LIVE action log on to www.billabongpro.com

The Billabong Rio Pro is proudly supported by Monster Energy Drink and Xperia Sony Smartphone.

The next stop on the 2012 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour is the Roxy Pro Biarritz from July 10 – 14, 2012

BILLABONG WOMEN’S RIO PRO FINAL RESULT:
1 – Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.10
2 – Coco Ho (HAW) 14.03

Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 21, current No. 2 on the ASP Women’s WCT Rankings, got the best of a wave-starved heat this morning, tearing into select waves with precision and nailing one of the day’s highest heat totals of 16.00 out of 20 in Round 3.

“Everyone was struggling to get waves and there were only a few opportunities to get scores,” Fitzgibbons said. “It’s really nice to have a good start to the heat. I was just hoping to find a couple of those rights and hopefully the swell picks up for the remainder of the event.”

Fitzgibbons would go on to defeat Pauline Ado (FRA), 21, in this afternoon’s Quarterfinals to earn her Semifinals berth.

Carissa Moore (HAW), 19, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion, took a come-from-behind win over Laura Enever (AUS), 20, in the final heat of the day to advance through to the Semifinals. The defending Billabong Rio Pro champion has yet to secure an elite ASP Women’s WCT event in 2012, but is hoping the Billabong Rio Pro will act as the catalyst to change her momentum for the year.

“It would be great to build momentum off of this event for the rest of the year,” Moore said. “Each event is a clean slate and I’m trying to find momentum and find rhythm. I haven’t really done as well as last year this season, but I’m stoked to be surfing and traveling and I’m looking forward to the finish of this year.”

Coco Ho (HAW), 21, put in a standout performance today, besting four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current rankings’ leader Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, on two separate occasions. Ho won her three-woman Round 3 heat and went on to take a dominant victory over Gilmore in the Quarterfinals by a score of 14.93 to 7.23, out of 20.

“It was definitely crunch time in that man-on-man heat and Steph (Gilmore) is trying to win a World Title and I’m trying to requalify and get a really good result,” Ho said. “There definitely weren’t as many jokes and laughs as the last heat. Steph had priority most of the heat and kept taking the first one and somehow there started being more waves in a set and I kept getting really lucky.”

Ho, current No. 12 on the ASP Women’s WCT Ratings, needed a big result to remain on the ASP Top 17 roster for 2013 and is hoping her guaranteed equal 3rd finish at the Billabong Rio Pro will mark the beginning to a strong end to 2012.

“I’ve had a pretty bad beginning to the year and anything from here on out is a bonus,” Ho said. “I’m looking forward to finishing up the year strong.”

Gilmore continually posted solid scores throughout the event despite the challenging conditions. The progressive natural-footer’s Equal 5th place at the Billabong Rio Pro is another strong result, but admittedly pushes her clinching of the 2012 ASP Women’s World Title further away.

“It’s always tough to lose in conditions like this,” Gilmore said. “That’s competition though and we all have to deal with the same field of play. The window for our event here was never going to have the best waves and would likely favor some of the surfers that excel in these conditions. Brush it off though and focus on the next one. There are still two more events and that will have a major bearing on this year’s title race.”

Alessa Quizon (HAW), 18, Billabong Rio Pro wildcard, continued to shine amongst the ASP Top 17, eliminating 2012 ASP Women’s WCT rookie Lakey Peterson (USA), 17, before Courtney Conlogue (USA), 19, to advance to the Semifinals.

“We had a restart and then there were no waves until the last 20 minutes or so,” Quizon said. “It was really stressful. I’ve surfed against Lakey (Peterson) in amateur and Pro Junior events and she’s an awesome surfer. I’m just going in to this event as the underdog. I have no expectations and I’m just trying to gain experience and have a good time.”

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 10am at the primary site of Barra da Tijuca to assess conditions for a possible 10:30am start. A Billabong Women’s Rio Pro winner will be crowned tomorrow.

Highlights from the Billabong Rio Pro will be available via www.billabongpro.com

The Billabong Rio Pro is proudly supported by Monster Energy Drink and Xperia Sony Smartphone.

BILLABONG RIO PRO WOMEN’S QUARTERFINALS RESULTS:
QF 1: Alessa Quizon (HAW) 12.77 def. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12.50
QF 2: Coco Ho (HAW) 14.93 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 7.23
QF 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 10.50 def. Pauline Ado (FRA) 9.17
QF 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) 8.43 def. Laura Enever (AUS) 8.33

Stop No. 3 on the Men’s ASP World Championship Tour and No. 5 for the women, the Billabong Rio Pro ran at the backup location of Arpoador for the first two days of competition, completing men’s Round 1 and Rounds 1 and 2 of women’s action.

“With minimal swell on offer and plenty of time remaining in the waiting period, we’ve called competition off for today,” Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge said. “We’ll return tomorrow morning to reassess conditions for a possible restart to competition.”

Gabriel Medina (BRA), 18, will face off against fellow Brazilian Peterson Crisanto (BRA), 19, when Billabong Rio Pro Men’s competition resumes while Tyler Wright (AUS), 18, Courtney Conlogue (USA), 19, and Alessa Quizon (HAW), 18, will be up first in Billabong Rio Pro Women’s Round 3.

The Billabong Rio Pro holds a waiting period from May 9 through 20 while the women’s waiting period runs from May 9 through 13. To watch the event LIVE log on to www.billabongpro.com

The Billabong Rio Pro is proudly supported by Monster Energy Drink and Xperia Sony Smartphone.

Billabong Rio Pro event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am local time for a possible restart to competition.

On the second, consecutive lay day for the men at the Billabong Pro Rio, Fanning took time out from his busy training schedule to spend the morning with a group of special needs children from the Escola De Surf (surf school) run by Jeronimo Telles, at Recreio dos Bandeirantes in Barra, Rio.

A morning spent with this unique group of visually-impaired and physically-disabled children turned into hours of contagious laughter and fun, one that neither Fanning nor his young fans will ever forget.

“Everywhere we go, we’re just focused on the contest and I guess you can go to a store and sign posters or you can take kids surfing and I would rather take kids surfing,” Fanning said. “It was so inspiring for me to be out there with those guys and makes me happier than just going surfing myself.”

Despite the language barrier, Fanning and his new friends hit the water hooting and hollering as they shared the same language that is the stoke of riding waves, emerging with smiles a mile wide.

“I didn’t know how they would go, but they did awesome!” Fanning said. “I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but I know they were being cheeky. It was funny.”

Renowned as one of the most focused and competitive athletes on tour, Fanning brought endless enthusiasm to the water today, reveling in the simple act of pushing the kids into waves and applauding fervently as each child got to his or her feet.

“Teaching someone to surf is one of the greatest things ever,” Fanning said. “The joy you get out of it is incredible and with these kids, it was even more inspiring. Sometimes you sit there and think that life can suck but you just go out and go surfing and it makes life so much better.”

Clinching his inaugural ASP World Title in Brazil (2007), Fanning has an affinity for the wave-rich and culturally-diverse South American country and while this year marks only his second ever trip to Rio, he admitted that he felt the city had welcomed him with open arms.

“I love coming to Brasil, the people are so cool and they have so much energy,” Fanning said. “I guess when you go around and meet different people outside the contest, you really get a feel for the place and make lifelong friends along the way.”

Riding a wave of confidence after his victory at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, the current ASP World No. 3 will be looking to capitalize on the absence of 11X ASP World Champion and current ASP ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) at the Billabong Rio Pro and hopes to leave the city in pole position.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, into his second year amongst the world’s elite, was in solid form for his opening round bout this morning, posting the day’s highest single-wave score of 9.27 out of 10 for committed backhand surfing en route to attaining the day’s highest heat-total, 17.14 out of 20.

“I got kind of lucky there because Freddy (Patacchia) didn’t go on that wave,” Wilson said. “The set before that, Freddy went on the first wave and the one behind was better. I think he was worried about that happening again and when that second set came through, it lined up really well for me. I got to my feet straight away, but then saw that the section was still building and wasn’t really there yet. I took my time and squared it up because I really wanted to get strong starts to those waves, keep it clean and not try to rush it.”

Wilson, who suffered a surprise Round 1 elimination in last week’s ASP Prime event at Lower Trestles, was relieved to have early success at this year’s Billabong Rio Pro, and hopes to carry his newfound momentum through to the latter rounds.

“I think after that heat at Lowers where I had the interference today was a bit of redemption,” Wilson said. “To come down here, I still had a bit of frustration and I just wanted to come out of the gates strong and get a good solid start. The waves were really fun in that heat, so it was exciting to do well.”

Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, was another Australian natural-footer to dominate the lefthander of Arpoador today, netting a 16.16 heat total to advance directly through to Round 3 in convincing fashion.

“It’s always good to get that first round out of the way,” Burrow said. “Skipping the second round is a real treat. I hate that round and it was great to catch a couple of fun lefts. It was kind of inconsistent at the start. My board was brand new, so I was a bit nervous, but it went well.”

Burrow, who opened his 2012 ASP World Title campaign with a win at Snapper Rocks, stumbled at Bells with a 13th place finish but is looking to realign his ASP World Title hopes at the Billabong Rio Pro.

“Bells was a shocker and they always hurt, especially after a win,” Burrow said. “I was hungry and confident to back it up and had an absolute meltdown there. It happens, but I don’t feel any pressure. I know exactly what I did wrong. I surf better when I’m relaxed and happy and want to have fun. I put pressure on myself down there, but that’s not how I operate. Here, there’s no pressure.”

Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, defending Billabong Rio Pro Champion, navigated his way through the Arpoador lineup this morning to take out a close Round 1 victory over Kai Otton (AUS), 32, and fellow countryman Willian Cardoso (BRA), 26.

“It feels good to be here at Arpoador,” De Souza said. “I just love this place. I’ve been competing here since I was an amateur and I always love to come back. It’s good to see the WCT here again and it’s got me excited and motivated as well.”

With the withdrawal of reigning 11-time ASP World Champion and current frontrunner Kelly Slater (USA), 40, from the Billabong Rio Pro, De Souza is one of many poised to take the lead in the race for 2012 crown. However, the young Brazilian admitted Slater’s absence added additional pressure to perform.

“There’s a lot of pressure being defending champion and with Kelly (Slater) not here,” De Souza said. “I’m the second seed and could take the lead for the title if I do well here. It’s still too early to really consider the title, but I know the crowd is behind me at this event.”

Adrian Buchan (AUS), 29, was one of only three surfers to find success over the top seeds today, posting a Round 1 victory over in-form Brazilian Gabriel Medina (BRA), 18, compliments of a 9-point ride in the dying minutes of their heat.

“It was a slow heat and we almost had a restart,” Buchan said. “I knew Gabriel (Medina) was going to go to work on those inside ones and my strategy was to wait for the bigger sets. I finally got my chance with about three minutes to go.”

Buchan, who fell to Medina in the Semifinals of the ASP Prime event at Trestles, admitted a rivalry is developing between the two goofy-footers and the Australian veteran has the upmost respect for the young talent.

“There’s a rivalry between Gabe (Medina) and I for sure,” Buchan said. “He spanked me at Lowers five days ago. I didn’t get going in that heat and I knew when the draw changed that there was going to be another match up. I was definitely fired up. Gabriel and I have a little rivalry going and I have a lot of respect for the kid. He’s going to do some amazing things and I’m sure this week he’s going to put in some big performances.”

Buchan would be one of seven Australians taking out Round 1 wins today, joined by Josh Kerr (AUS), 26, Owen Wright (AUS), 22, Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, Burrow and Wilson. Rounding out today’s Round 1 winners were Miguel Pupo (BRA), 20, Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, Alejo Muniz (BRA), 22, and De Souza.

When men’s competition resumes, up first will be Gabriel Medina (BRA), 18, against Peterson Crisanto (BRA), 20, in Heat 1 of the elimination Round 2.

While the men’s opening round was dominated by top seeds, the Women’s Billabong Rio Pro opening round saw a variety of results from the ASP Top 17.

Event wildcard Alessa Quizon (HAW), 18, was responsible for the upset of the day, relegating four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current ASP frontrunner Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, to Round 2 while California rookie Lakey Peterson (USA), 17, earned the day’s highest score.

Quizon, who entered the Billabong Rio Pro via a trials victory, continued her form at Arpoador in the women’s main event, carving through two lefthanders to advance directly to Round 3 of competition, narrowly edging out Gilmore in the process.

“It feels really good to beat Steph (Gilmore),” Quizon said. “I was so nervous before that heat. This morning, I wasn’t even officially in the event, and this afternoon, I’ve beat the four-time world champ. It’s hard to describe.”

Gilmore remained characteristically gracious despite the narrow defeat, signing autographs for her scores of fans on the beach. The current frontrunner will face replacement surfer Melanie Bartels (HAW), 30, in Round 2 of competition.

Lakey Peterson took top honors in Round 1 of women’s competition, earning the day’s highest score of 9.77 out of 10 for several backhand blasts to take out an all-American affair over Courtney Conlogue (USA), 19, and Sage Erickson (USA), 20.

“It’s tricky out there and the waves have been slowing down this afternoon,” Peterson said. “It was a really exciting heat and Courtney (Conlogue) and Sage (Erickson) are amazing surfers and it went back and forth so many times. I had a slow start so I was really aggressive towards the back half of the heat. You really had to be selective and when the set came you had to be on it. It’s always fun to be in heats like that. On my 9, it was just a really good wave and I scratched for position on it.”

Carissa Moore (HAW), 19, Rebecca Woods (AUS), 27, Tyler Wright (AUS), 18, and Malia Manuel (HAW), 18, rounded out the field with opening round wins of their own.

When women’s competition resumes, up first will be Paige Hareb (NZL), 21, and Pauline Ado (FRA), 21, in Round 1 of the elimination Round 2.

The event would like to apologize to all its fans for the technical difficulties that prevented a solid webcast from streaming for most of the morning. ASP technicians are working with event staff to enhance the production and ensure streaming is improved for the remainder of the event.

Highlights from today’s Billabong Rio Pro will be available at www.billabongpro.com

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7am at Arpoador to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.

For additional ASP information log on to www.aspworldtour.com

Visit the Press Room on www.aspworldtour.com for news, images, transcribed athlete interviews and more.

BILLABONG RIO PRO MEN’S ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.86, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 11.23, Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.56
Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.57, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.24, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 11.53
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 13.60, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 9.20, Taylor Knox (USA) 6.03
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.80, Kai Otton (AUS) 14.53, Willian Cardoso (BRA) 11.40
Heat 5: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.16, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.20, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 9.53
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.00, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 10.23, Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
Heat 7: Julian Wilson (AUS) 17.14, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.74, Brett Simpson (USA) 11.56
Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.00, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.24, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 11.30
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.34, Travis Logie (ZAF), 13.87, Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.53
Heat 10: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.90, Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.17, Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.57
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.84, Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.17, Heitor Alves (BRA) 9.37
Heat 12: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 14.93, Adam Melling (AUS) 12.57, John John Florence (HAW) 9.16

UPCOMING BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Tomas Hermes (BRA)
Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Heat 4: Heitor Alves (BRA) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 5: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 6: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 8: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Heat 9: Raoni Monteiro (BRA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 11: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)

BILLABONG RIO PRO WOMEN’S ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 15.50, Sage Erickson (USA) 14.54, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 13.03
Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.77, Justine Dupont (FRA) 8.33, Paige Hareb (NZL) 8.27
Heat 3: Alessa Quizon (HAW) 13.10, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.93, Sarah Mason (NZL) 9.27
Heat 4: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 14.17, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.07, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 6.67
Heat 5: Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.63, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 5.80, Coco Ho (HAW) 0.27
Heat 6: Malia Manuel (HAW) 11.66, Laura Enever (AUS) 11.10, Pauline Ado (FRA) 9.77

BILLABONG RIO PRO WOMEN’S ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Pauline Ado (FRA)
Heat 2: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Sage Erickson (USA)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 5: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Justine Dupont (FRA)
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Sarah Mason (NZL)

Competing in clean one metre waves at the back-up venue of Arpoador on the iconic Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Smith produced a strong performance that included scores of 7.50 and 6.07 (both out of 10) to narrowly outpoint former ASP World Champion CJ Hobgood and fellow American Patrick Gudauskas (USA).

Currently No. 5 in the WCT rankings after third and fifth place finishes in the first two events of 2012, Smith is one of several members of the world’s top 34 surfers whose aim to take the rankings lead after Rio will benefit from the withdrawal from the event by 11 x ASP World Champion and current rankings leader Kelly Slater (USA) due to a foot injury suffered on a recent surf trip to Fiji.

Travis Logie faces a sudden death Round 2 match-up with Brazilian local Raoni Monteiro who will have his partisan home-town fans rooting for him. Logie, ranked No. 28 going into this event and the only other South African on the WCT, will take confidence from his Round 1 showing where he finished second behind a rampant Mick Fanning (AUS), the winner of the last event at Bells Beach in April.

Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, was the top performer in the opening round, recording the day’s highest single-wave score of 9.27 out of 10 for committed backhand surfing en route to attaining the day’s highest heat-total, 17.14 out of 20.

Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, was another Australian natural-footer to dominate the lefthander of Arpoador today, netting a 16.16 heat total to advance directly through to Round 3 in convincing fashion.

“It’s always good to get that first round out of the way,” Burrow said. “Skipping the second round is a real treat. I hate that round and it was great to catch a couple of fun lefts.”

Adriano de Souza (BRA), 25, defending Billabong Rio Pro Champion, navigated his way through the Arpoador line-up to take out a close Round 1 victory over Kai Otton (AUS), 32, and fellow countryman Willian Cardoso (BRA), 26.

“It feels good to be here at Arpoador,” De Souza said. “I just love this place. I’ve been competing here since I was an amateur and I always love to come back. It’s good to see the WCT here again and it’s got me excited and motivated as well.”

While the men’s opening round was dominated by top seeds, the Women’s Billabong Rio Pro opening round saw a variety of results from the ASP Top 17.

Event wildcard Alessa Quizon (HAW), 18, was responsible for the upset of the day, relegating four-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current ASP frontrunner Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 24, to Round 2 while California rookie Lakey Peterson (USA), 17, earned the day’s highest score.

The Billabong Rio Pro will be webcast LIVE via www.billabongpro.com

Event organizers will reconvene today at 7am (12 noon SA time) at Arpoador to assess conditions for a possible 7:30am start.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

BILLABONG RIO PRO MEN’S ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Josh Kerr (AUS) 11.86, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 11.23, Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.56
Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.57, C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.24, Patrick Gudauskas (USA) 11.53
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 13.60, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 9.20, Taylor Knox (USA) 6.03
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.80, Kai Otton (AUS) 14.53, Willian Cardoso (BRA) 11.40
Heat 5: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.16, Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.20, Tomas Hermes (BRA) 9.53
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.00, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 10.23, Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
Heat 7: Julian Wilson (AUS) 17.14, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 13.74, Brett Simpson (USA) 11.56
Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.00, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.24, Yadin Nicol (AUS) 11.30
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.34, Travis Logie (ZAF) 13.87, Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.53
Heat 10: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.90, Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.17, Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.57
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.84, Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.17, Heitor Alves (BRA) 9.37
Heat 12: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 14.93, Adam Melling (AUS) 12.57, John John Florence (HAW) 9.16

UPCOMING BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
Heat 2: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Tomas Hermes (BRA)
Heat 3: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Heat 4: Heitor Alves (BRA) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 5: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 6: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 7: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 8: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Heat 9: Raoni Monteiro (BRA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 10: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 11: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 12: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)

BILLABONG RIO PRO WOMEN’S ROUND 1 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 15.50, Sage Erickson (USA) 14.54, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 13.03
Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.77, Justine Dupont (FRA) 8.33, Paige Hareb (NZL) 8.27
Heat 3: Alessa Quizon (HAW) 13.10, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.93, Sarah Mason (NZL) 9.27
Heat 4: Rebecca Woods (AUS) 14.17, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.07, Melanie Bartels (HAW) 6.67
Heat 5: Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.63, Jacqueline Silva (BRA) 5.80, Coco Ho (HAW) 0.27
Heat 6: Malia Manuel (HAW) 11.66, Laura Enever (AUS) 11.10, Pauline Ado (FRA) 9.77

BILLABONG RIO PRO WOMEN’S ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Paige Hareb (NZL) vs. Pauline Ado (FRA)
Heat 2: Laura Enever (AUS) vs. Sage Erickson (USA)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 5: Courtney Conlogue (USA) vs. Justine Dupont (FRA)
Heat 6: Coco Ho (HAW) vs. Sarah Mason (NZL)

ENDS

Pictured: Travis Logie (Durban) faces a Round 2 match-up with Brazilian local Raoni Monteiro when competition resumes in the Billabong Pro Rio
Photo: ASP / Kirstin

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Contact: Colin Fitch – Operations Manager
Tel: 021 534 5738
Email: colin@aspafrica.com

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About ASP: The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is the recognized world governing body of professional surfing and has been crowning surfing’s undisputed World Champions since 1976. The ASP sanctions and crowns World Champions for the following tours: the ASP World Tour, the ASP Women’s World Tour, ASP World Junior Tour, ASP World Longboard and Masters Championships. The ASP is dedicated to showcasing the world’s best surfing talent in a variety of progressive formats and has revolutionized the way the world watches surfing via their webcasts and other media platforms. The organization is divided into seven different regions: Africa, Japan, Australasia, Europe, Hawaii, North America, and South America.