Stab Magazine | The World's Finest Barrel Riders Will Surf The Rip Curl Cup At Padang Padang Today

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

100 Views

The World’s Finest Barrel Riders Will Surf The Rip Curl Cup At Padang Padang Today

Clay Marzo, Bruce Irons, Mason Ho, Jamie O’Brien and more, the contest starts at 6am local time.

news // Aug 2, 2016
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 3 minutes

After swell failed to materialise and the Rip Curl Cup was called off in 2015, today a “high alert” has been raised and one of the most entertaining competitions of the year is set to start at 6 am local time.

On Sunday, the likes of Jamie O’Brien, Bruce Irons, Clay Marzo, Mason Ho, Damien Hobgood a smattering of locals such as Rizal Tandjung, Lee Wilson and more convened at Padang Padang to consecrate the event in tradition Balinese stye – blessed by a Balinese priest at the Padang Padang temple and fit with traditional costumes, dance and ritual. Padang, originally named Labuan Sait, was a sacred place for the people of the Bukit Peninsula and Pecatu area and is now one of Indo’s most popular breaks.

Padang 2

Part religious, part artistic and connected to Hindu rituals. The opening ceremony for the Rip Curl Cup is unlike any other. Photo: Tim Ridenor

“I’m psyched to be a part of the Rip Curl Cup,” said Bruce. “I don’t do many contests, but this is the type of contest and the type of wave that I love to compete in. I love Bali. It’s the place where I won my only WCT comp at and it holds a special place in my heart.”

This year, the event features a new format. In round one and two all 16 invitees will surf a minimum of two four-man heats. Heat scores from round one and two will be totaled and the eight surfers with the highest combined scores will advance to the quarters, where the heats will switch to two-man heats.

“I like the new format for the first two rounds,” said perennial Rip Curl Cup invitee and Indonesian surfing icon Rizal Tandjung. “It gives everyone a fair chance to surf out there and get perfect Padang. With that fast-rising tide in the morning, some of those late morning heats won’t see as many chances to get the score as a heat on the lower tide. This new format gives everyone a chance to get in a rhythm and surf Padang at its best.”

After watching the QS kids and Filipe Toledo bunny hop around the Huntington Beach pier over the past nine days, it’ll be a pleasure to view some proper barrel cutting.

“Everyone in this contest is solid and every heat is gnarly,” said Rizal. “It just depends how consistent the swell and tides will be during your heat. Hopefully the swell comes through how they’re predicting it.”

2 time RC cup champ four time finalist Photo D hump

Bol Adi Putra knows Padang as well as anyone. He’s won the event twice and has seen four finals at the Rip Curl Cup. Photo: D Hump

Round one:
Heat one: Lee Wilson, Bruce Irons, Agus “Blacky” Setiawan, Clay Marzo
Heat two: Garut Widiarta, Tim Bisso, Bol Adi Putra, Bruno Santos
Heat three: Raditya Rondi, Mason Ho, Usman Trioko, Damien Hobgood
Heat four: Mega Semadhi, Jamie O’Brien, Rizal Tandjung, Jacob Willcox

Round two: 
Heat one: Raditya Rondi, Bruce Irons, Agus “Blacky” Setiawan, Jacob Willcox
Heat two: Garut Widiarta, Mason Ho, Rizal Tandjung, Clay Marzo
Heat three: Lee Wilson, Jamie O’Brien, Usman Trioko, Bruno Santos
Heat four: Mega Semadhi, Tim Bisso, Bol Adi Putra, Damien Hobgood

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025

Laird Hamilton on The Limitations of Being a Purist, Invention vs. Ownership + Why He Never Had a Sticker Deal 

Untold stories from his How Surfers Get Paid interview.

Jul 4, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 3, 2025

When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

Erin Campbell's brutal journey from surf camp dreams to chemo drops, cryotherapy, and surgical horror.

Jul 3, 2025

Surfing’s 2025 Q2 Report

An assessment of surfing's vital signs throughout the second quarter of 2025.

Jul 2, 2025

What Actually Happened to Occy’s Mad Max Plunger Pool In Yeppoon?

Surf Lakes’ brass talks: internet hecklers, the unplugging of the plunger, and the Tom Curren…

Jul 2, 2025

Poor Goofy Foots 

Data shows that the world is stacked against goofs — they even make 15% less money than…

Jul 1, 2025

Britain’s First Wavepool Has Closed — What Really Happened?

Bankruptcy, social media hackings, debts unpaid — and yet, reopening looms.

Jul 1, 2025

Watch: Was Matt Meola’s Air Actually Better Than Hughie’s?

Watch the full Swatch Nines highlight reel and decide.

Jun 30, 2025

Houshmand Bludgeons Field To Win Second CT — Molly Picklum Tastes Blood, Snatches World #1 In Brazil

You can't argue with big surfing — that's Saquarema wrapped.

Jun 29, 2025

37 Years Old And World #1 — What’s Changed For Jordy Smith?

On rediscovering decades old surfboard templates, having a personality on the CT, and why this…

Jun 27, 2025

Tom Lowe Stars in ‘Let Me Live’

The wild, improbable ascent of Britain’s best big-wave surfer.

Jun 27, 2025

Saq Wrap: Italo Celebrates Mid-Heat, Griff Drops A Freestyle, Jordy + Yago Continue BBQing 20-YOs

Top seeds sow ruin, Final 5 starts to crystallize.

Jun 27, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 2

Our seven surviving surfers confront an oddly large California beach break.

Jun 26, 2025
Advertisement