Bede Durbidge, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Bede Durbidge is a kind man. He’s also one of the best surfers on the tour, but still one of the more modest men you’ll likely come across. Like the other competitors in the Billabong Pro, Rio De Janerio, he’s still waiting for the contest to start, having just completed its third lay-day. When the competition does kick-off, Bede won’t surf until the seventh heat of round one, against local hero Jadson Andre and American Gabe Kling. In a city like Rio, with gorgeous beaches, beautiful women, the flash and trash of a major city and numerous must-see locales, it’s hard to imagine that Bede, or any other competitor for that matter, is in too much of a hurry for the event to start.

Bede’s surfing suits his demeanour. He’s one of the most consistent in the men’s field but ain’t afraid of flair, as you can see here by this super-size full-roter ‘oop. If he can torch moves like this during the contest, he could be a real threat.