Adam Melling wins the 2012 Vans World Cup of Surfing

Adam Melling just won the final of the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach, Hawaii. In victory, he also locked in his place on the 2013 World Tour. Oh, and he scooped $40k. After clocking 18.40 in the quarters, Adam feared he’d peaked too soon, but managed to post a high enough combo to beat Gabriel Medina, Sebastian ‘Seabass’ Zietz and Ace Buchan in the final. “Waking up this morning I was like, this comp is going to be over today and I really want to be on that podium,” said Ads. “Pretty glad that I loaded myself with a lot of breakfast and just hit the vitaminwater after each heat to keep a bit of energy in me (four heats? Yowser!). I don’t know why it comes to this but on tour it’s definitely hard. It’s only 32 guys and they want it so bad and they all surf so good. Some of the smaller seeds come into play in heats especially man on man. I haven’t had too much luck this year but felt like my surfing’s been the best it’s ever been, so hopefully I don’t put myself in this position ever again. Pipe’s next. Pressure’s definitely off my shoulders it was a bit of a relief because that wave’s pretty big and scary sometimes.”

For Seabass Zietz, who placed third, Sunset was his second consecutive final after winning the Reef Hawaiian Pro. He has qualified for tour, leads the Triple Crown ratings and just scooped a wildcard into the Billabong Pipe Masters. He’s also real close to scooping the $100k Triple Crown cash bonus. Adam or Alejo Muniz, who are tied for second on the Triple Crown ratings, would need to place third or better at Pipe, with Seabass losing first round, for the Kauaian to lose the title. He’s also staring down the barrel of a $30k Harley Davidson and $10k Nixon watch. “I saw Melling get that wave and I already knew it was the score,” Seabass said after the final. “He blew it up super hard and I knew he only needed a six. But I’m still super happy, Melling is a friend of mine and I’m stoked that he won it.  I’m still over the moon. I have two finals in a row and I can’t ask for much more. A wildcard definitely never seemed like a possibility but yeah, it’s happened and I was stoked to hear. I just found out that Andy Irons was the only surfer to ever get three finals in a row (at the Vans Triple Crown), so hopefully I can do that and put my name next to Andy’s and that would be a dream come true.”

Who’s ready for Pipeline?

Final 
1st – Adam Melling (AUS) 16.16pts, $40,000
2nd – Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.67pts, $20,000
3rd – Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 13.70pts, $12,000
4th – Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.26pts, $10,000

Semis
H1: Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 13.00pts ; Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.03pts ; Jesse Mendes (BRA) 10.67pts ; Lincoln Taylor (AUS) 7.30pts
H2: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.00pts ; Adam Melling (AUS) 10.34pts ; Perth Standlick (AUS) 8.26pts ; Alejo Muniz (BRA) 7.33pts

Quarters
H1: Jesse Mendes (BRA) 13.44pts ; Lincoln Taylor  (AUS) 12.86pts ; Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.70 ; Jeremy Flores (FRA) 5.57pts
H2: Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 15.80pts ; Adrien Buchan (AUS) 14.26pts ; Jamie O’Brien (HAW) 13.86pts ; Michel Bourez (PYF) 12.87pts
H3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.54pts ; Perth Standlick (AUS) 10.83pts ; Jordy Smith (ZAF) 10.33pts ; Nathan Yeomans (USA) 5.47pts
H4: Adam Melling (AUS) 18.40pts ; Alejo Muniz (BRA) 15.94pts ; Brett Simpson (USA) 15.70pts ; Ricardo Dos Santos (BRA) 10.13pts

Round of 32
H1: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 13.57pts ; Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 11.13pts ; Glenn Hall (IRL) 6.40pts ; Chris Ward (USA) 5.70pts
H2: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.03pts ; Jamie O’Brien (HAW) 10.54pts ; Julian Wilson (AUS) 3.93pts ; Travis Logie (ZAF) 2.33pts
H3: Michel Bourez (PYF) 13.63pts ; Lincoln Taylor (AUS) 13.16pts ; Taylor Knox (USA) 11.66pts ; Jay Thompson (AUS) 11.37pts
H4: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 12.60pts ; Jesse Mendes (BRA) 10.10pts ; Kelly Slater (USA) 9.60pts ; Damien Hobgood (USA) 5.94pts
H5: Perth Standlick (AUS) 17.23pts ; Ricardo Dos Santos (BRA) 13.43pts ; John John Florence (HAW) 11.44pts ; Nat Young (USA) 9.67pts
H6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.03pts ; Brett Simpson (USA) 11.17pts ; Billy Kemper (HAW) 8.94pts ; CJ Hobgood (USA) 6.50pts
H7: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 13.97pts ; Nathan Yeomans (USA) 12.76pts ; Marc Lacomare (FRA) 9.43pts ; Sunny Garcia (HAW) 8.20pts
H8: Adam Melling (AUS) 14.10pts ; Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.17pts ; Kai Otton (AUS) 10.63pts ; Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 10.33pts

VANS TRIPLE CROWN RATINGS AFTER 2 OF 3 EVENTS:
1. Sebastien Zietz (HAW) 10,950
=2. Adam Melling (AUS) 7,200
=2. Alejo Muniz (BRZ) 7,200
=4. John John Florence (HAW) 6,500
=4. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 6,500.