Day one of the 2014 Moche Rip Curl Pro, Portugal

Today, the Moche Rip Curl Pro, Portugal scraped through its opening round in junky, onshore conditions. Unfortunately, the forecast is looking stubborn for the next six days, which is why Kiz Perrow had little choice but to send the jerseys out today. Conditions did improve around heat three and tubes started pulling the biggest numbers – Joel Parkinson, Sea Bass, Kelly Slater and more would all win their heats with tubes.

Kelly and Wilko’s heat, which also featured wildcard Nic Von Rupp, was good viewing; both Wilko and KS rode left barrels, Wilko’s a smooth long frontside dance for 9.57, and then Kelly’s a late drop pigdog tussle for 9.67. Kelly, who’s challenging Gabriel Medina’s world title lock in Portugal, posted the day’s highest total of 17 points and a ticket straight to round three. “It’s always tough in conditions like this and even more so when a guy starts out with almost a 10-point score,” said Kelly. “I just wanted to get myself going, get some waves and start feeling the flow. Gabriel is a real competitor. He wants to win the Title more than anyone, and at his age I was the same exact way. You can see that he loves to surf, he loves to get better and improve what he is already doing and he’s got crazy skills.”

Jordy Smith opened hard with a win over Mitch Crews and Ace Buchan. Mr Smith, who’s coming off a fifth at Cascais last week, clocked a 7.33 turn combo, before stomping a frontside full rotation for a 9.27. He managed to hold off the claim til he’d resurfaced. “I had a good start, it’s pretty tricky out there, so you need to make sure you fit your turns in really sharp and really quick,” said Jordy. “The wave picked up at the back and gave me a lot of speed, so I thought I’d try to get a big turn in. I threw caution to the wind and ended up sticking it. It came out a 9.20 so I was really pumped to hear that.”

And you better believe that Gabs Medina, who can potentially win the world title in Portugal, did everything he could to minimise the amount of repercharge heats he will have to surf at Supertubos. He rode barrels, hooked turns and threw airs to beat last year’s champ, Kai Otton, and wildcard Jacob Wilcox, bouncing straight into round three. “Its pretty difficult out there, you have to be in the right spot at the right time,” said Gabriel. “I got lucky in that one so I’m stoked that I made it through. The fans here are really passionate about surfing and the sport. I really like the support I’m getting, it doesn’t put more pressure on me, it’s motivating me and I feel good.”

Jadson Andre gave John John Florence a free lesson, with confidence rolling from his second in France and win at Cascais. But, not before John’s opening dropped purse dinner on his first wave. “I’m really happy to find my way, to be surfing good and enjoying it,” said Jaddy. “It’s not easy out there and you have to be lucky to get the right waves. My game plan was to catch a lot of waves and I’m stoked I made the heat.”

Also worth mentioning from today was Sea Bass, who won his heat over Mick Fanning and Raoni Monteiro with a 16.10 combined total via two buttery tubs. “I was watching the waves and it just started cleaning up,” said Bass. “I was hunting for the barrels, like I do at home everyday. Supertubos reminds me a little bit of my local beach break. Hopefully I can get a result here, so I don’t have to do the Prime in Brazil and I can go home a little sooner.”

Catch all your heats on demand, here.

Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 1 Results (1st advances directly to Round 3, 2nd and 3rd to Round 2):
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS) 12.10, Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 8.97, Travis Logie (ZAF) 7.37
Heat 2: Jadson Andre (BRA) 15.93, Brett Simpson (USA) 12.60, John John Florence (HAW) 11.10
Heat 3: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.83, C.J Hobgood (USA) 9.24, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 8.47
Heat 4: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 16.10, Mick Fanning (AUS) 10.66, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 4.83
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.00, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 16.07, Nic Von Rupp (PRT) 7.50
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.27, Kai Otton (AUS) 12.83, Jacob Willcox (AUS) 8.43
Heat 7: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 14.33, Aritz Aranburu (ESP) 8.73, Michel Bourez (PYF) 7.53
Heat 8: Adriano De Souza (BRA) 12.83, Alejo Muniz (BRA) 10.60, Julian Wilson (AUS) 9.56
Heat 9: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.60, Mitch Crews (AUS) 12.83, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 7.60
Heat 10: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 10.60, Adam Melling (AUS) 10.50, Kolohe Andino (USA) 7.37
Heat 11: Josh Kerr (AUS) 15.13, Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.00, Dion Atkinson (AUS) 10.60
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS) 16.16, Tiago Pires (PRT) 12.93, Nat Young (USA) 10.27

Upcoming Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal Round 2 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS)
Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Nic Von Rupp (PRT)
Heat 3: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 4: Kolohe Andino (USA) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 5: Nat Young (USA) vs. Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Aritz Aranburu (ESP)
Heat 8: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 9: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Mitch Crews (AUS)
Heat 10: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 11: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Dion Atkinson (AUS)
Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)